Hi, I'm a PC techie and I have a customers PC that works fine everywhere apart from in the customers home. When the machine is switched on in the customers home the HD LED, Power LED and DVD drive LED all light up and stay lit. The hard drive doesnt spin up and there are no startup beeps (even with no other external devices connected). I have tried 2 other PC's in the customers house; 1 wouldnt start, the other's power supply went bang. Also tried another power supply in the machine but still no joy. The machine works like a dream at my home and another place I tried. The only thing I can find wrong at the customers home is the mains electricity supply is 252V. Could this be the cause of the problem? If so does anyone have any solutions. The electricity supply company will not do anything because 252V is within their acceptable levels (230V +/- 10%. i.e. 253V). I have previously encountered PC problems on a customers machine that was running on 190V but this is a new one on me. That problem was due to 50 caravans being fed on 1.5mm twin and earth cable and the customers was last caravan in the line. Thanks for reading
Some power supplies have a switch between 110V (North America) and 230V (Europe). Make sure it's set properly. I don't know what any official electrical engineering body states as within acceptable range, so I'm unsure if 252V is okay or not.
Thanks for your reply. The power supply is definitely on the 230V setting. If it was on the 110V it make big-banga-boom when switched on. I have taken another PC (a newer spec) to the customers home and that works ok, so the pressure is off a bit because the customer can do some work. I would still be very interested to know if anyone else has any ideas/thoughts on the problem.
i think 252V is too much for power supply, and it`s really too much. What about the customers home TVs, stereo and other electro-devices? Do they work properly when you plug them to computers outlet? PS: i think UPS (Battery Back-Up) will normalise level of input voltage to 220-230 V.
Thanks for your reply. Everything else in the house seems to be ok. i have found this device... Amazon.co.uk: APC Line-R 1200VA - Automatic voltage regulator ( external ) - AC 220/230/240 V - 1200 VA - 4 Output Connector(s): Electronics & Photo I have contacted the manufacturer and they are confident it will solve the problem. So fingers crossed.
One last remark... If you have this kind of problem often, you should hava a variac on your shop bench. This is a variable auto-transformer that can use to crank the voltage up or down beyound the 10 per cent levels. Varuac is a brand name, see Variacs - Staco Variable Transformers for info, but that same thing might be made by others. ANd you can do a Google search and find lots of vendors.
have you tried plugging the system into a different mains circuit[ot]upstairs & downstairs are usually connected to different ring mains[/ot]also does this customer have a standard CU (Consumer Unit = fusebox) or are they using circuit breakers & do they have an RCCD (Residual current Circuit Device)? Edit: if they have fuses try an external RCCD, like this if they have an RCCD try this
Thanks for your reply. The PC doesn't work anywhere in the house or in the neighbour's houses either side. It works fine in my house 3 miles away and a friends house 2 miles away.
time to hassle the electricity supplier as the problem is with the electricity supply basically there are 3 phases (faz-es) in a standard 3 phase electricity supply, all houses are usually supplied with one of the 3 phases, a housing estate is separated to equally to distribute the energy across the 3 phases BTW: the 3 phases where:red, blue & yellow although they changed in about 2004 to comply with European standards, i can't remember what they changed to, good luck getting someone to come out and check it, although if they do they'll probably blame the householder, do NOT back down edit: as the two neighbours are probably on the same phase as your customer
Can you verify the AC power with a good voltmeter and can you determine that voltage is the only difference? Repeat five times to eliminate random errors.
I have already contcted the electricity supply company. They are not interested cos their limit is 253v and the supply is at 252v.
If voltagve is the real problem you can reduce the voltage coming from the mains by using a suitable device. If taht does nto work. then voltage was never the real issue. PC power supplies normally work over a range of voltages. When set to the "220" position it should work from 195 to 255 volts more or less.
That Voltage Regulator must have been working. we have that on all the big appliances in India...Some people use those type of Regulators for their whole house because there are lots of fluctuations in the power in India. It saves ur things from High Voltage and Low Volages as well...
