Major issue, but it hasnt caused any issues yet, should i be worried?

[faxon]

So i have a Topower Powerbird 900w i picked up on the cheap (MSRP was $200, got it for $65 new), and i decided to use it in my file server to double it as a compute box. has 7 hdds in it and a selection of graphics cards, all running off an 890FXA-GD70 with 4GB of ram and an x3 720 BE. whenever the power supply is plugged into the wall (switched on or off doesnt matter) and i touch any part of the case that isnt electrically insulated in some manner, i can feel current flowing out of it and into my hand like a constant low level electric shock, feels like AC current the way it makes my muscles twitch when i do it as well. now, the system is running fine like this, which is extremely surprising to me! i dont want to have to replace the PSU right now with the holidays coming up, i could use the money spent on it for just about anything else. thoughts? any idea what might cause this as well? could opening the unit to check for a grounding issue fix it?

 

[heymrdj]

Mistake 1 was buying a Topower unit. If it's grounding to the system, it's wearing all the circuits that are designed for intermitted grounding issues. Replace it before it destroys your whole system.

I'm running a WHS system with a X2 5600+, 8 HDD, and a Biostar mainboard just on a 350W Season S12 power supply (it's about 5 years old now, starting to show some issues like it can't spin all the disks up at once, it needs to be booted, and reset to get them to all spin up in time for the BIOS.) A good 450/500W power supply is way more than enough for that system. I can highly recommend Antec Earthwatts power supplies. I have 4 of the 650 models, rock solid, even on a heavy loaded (8 drive raid 10 array, 12GB ram, dual xeon setup) ESXi server.

 

[Modelworks]

You have a problem with the ground in your home. The ground on your homes power should be draining any leakage on the case into the ground outside. If the case has voltage on the metal parts then the homes ground is not working. The reason you feel tingling is because you are the ground when your home ground doesn't work. It is a very dangerous situation. If it is a problem with the homes grounding point and not in the wall wiring and something were to short in the home like an appliance you could get a serious shock by contacting the case.

Here is a link that explains how to check it.
http://www.inspectapedia.com/electric/Electrical_Ground_Inspection.htm#servground

 

[SparkyJJO]

Yeah, you need to fix your home wiring 1st.

 

[john3850]

cooi link modelworks

 

[faxon]

Mistake 1 was buying a Topower unit. If it's grounding to the system, it's wearing all the circuits that are designed for intermitted grounding issues. Replace it before it destroys your whole system.

I'm running a WHS system with a X2 5600+, 8 HDD, and a Biostar mainboard just on a 350W Season S12 power supply (it's about 5 years old now, starting to show some issues like it can't spin all the disks up at once, it needs to be booted, and reset to get them to all spin up in time for the BIOS.) A good 450/500W power supply is way more than enough for that system. I can highly recommend Antec Earthwatts power supplies. I have 4 of the 650 models, rock solid, even on a heavy loaded (8 drive raid 10 array, 12GB ram, dual xeon setup) ESXi server.

That EW would be horribly inadequate actually. I didn't mention the system is also used for DC, and with all GPUs loaded draws 600-700w at the wall. I'll check my homes ground, but I don't have this issue with any other hardware and we checked the wiring in all the other rooms for grounding issues and found none, this room is our server room in the garage and everything is plugged into a UPS. If it's not a ground issue I'll swap my revolution 85+ into the server, since it has a 200w higher draw than my desktop, and get one of the new seasonic 80+ gold units

Ed: also, I hardly think it was a mistake getting this specific topower based on the reviews it has. Go check hardOCPs review and you will see why I jumped all over it at only $65

 

[VirtualLarry]

That EW would be horribly inadequate actually. I didn't mention the system is also used for DC, and with all GPUs loaded draws 600-700w at the wall. I'll check my homes ground, but I don't have this issue with any other hardware and we checked the wiring in all the other rooms for grounding issues and found none, this room is our server room in the garage and everything is plugged into a UPS. If it's not a ground issue I'll swap my revolution 85+ into the server, since it has a 200w higher draw than my desktop, and get one of the new seasonic 80+ gold units

Ed: also, I hardly think it was a mistake getting this specific topower based on the reviews it has. Go check hardOCPs review and you will see why I jumped all over it at only $65

Give me a rundown on what you have running that you feel a EA650 wouldn't power it. I'm still waiting for the 6-pin PCI-E splitters I need to run a pair of GTX460 1GB cards, along with a Q6600 @ 3.6Ghz on my EA650. According to two threads, one here and one in the DC forum, peeps seem to think I could get by using it. But now this thread makes me think it wouldn't be good.

 

[john3850]

Try a different cord on ps.
Get a long 3 prong extension cord and try it in few different outlets.
I will take Topower over any Earthwatts ps.

 

[faxon]

Give me a rundown on what you have running that you feel a EA650 wouldn't power it. I'm still waiting for the 6-pin PCI-E splitters I need to run a pair of GTX460 1GB cards, along with a Q6600 @ 3.6Ghz on my EA650. According to two threads, one here and one in the DC forum, peeps seem to think I could get by using it. But now this thread makes me think it wouldn't be good.

2 5870s overclocked, a 4670, an 8800GT, 7 hard drives, and an overclocked/unlocked x3 720BE. as i said, the system draws up to 800w at the wall, account for efficiency @ 82% and thats 738w max system draw at 82% efficiency. given that this is a constant load on the system and the unit is rated for 540w 12v draw, do the math maybe? not to mention, again, THIS IS A 24/7 LOAD. the system draws 900w at the wall when the drives spin up, and this is all measured when the unit is running in a room thats about 40f. during the summer this can skyrocket as high as 120f easily (till i get the room an AC), which will significantly effect the maximum output of the PSU. so again, the 650EW wont work, period. on the flip side, that 900w unit is actually an 1100w unit with OCP cut off at 900w, they are physically the same unit. the unit survived hardOCP hotbox test and tested very well in its class at the time of review. i got it for $68 after tax on clearance, thats less than the 650w EW sells for at frys where i got it (650w EW is $100 usually). if i got a bad unit, i still have proof of purchase for less than 6 months ago and i will just RMA the unit and get a better unit for the interim so i can reuse this unit elsewhere later. havent had a chance to test wiring yet, black friday + saturday keeps me busy as all hell working

 

[faxon]

Give me a rundown on what you have running that you feel a EA650 wouldn't power it. I'm still waiting for the 6-pin PCI-E splitters I need to run a pair of GTX460 1GB cards, along with a Q6600 @ 3.6Ghz on my EA650. According to two threads, one here and one in the DC forum, peeps seem to think I could get by using it. But now this thread makes me think it wouldn't be good.

2 5870s overclocked, a 4670, an 8800GT, 7 hard drives, and an overclocked/unlocked x3 720BE. as i said, the system draws up to 800w at the wall, account for efficiency @ 82% and thats 738w max system draw at 82% efficiency. given that this is a constant load on the system and the unit is rated for 540w 12v draw, do the math maybe? not to mention, again, THIS IS A 24/7 LOAD. the system draws 900w at the wall when the drives spin up, and this is all measured when the unit is running in a room thats about 40f. during the summer this can skyrocket as high as 120f easily (till i get the room an AC), which will significantly effect the maximum output of the PSU. so again, the 650EW wont work, period. on the flip side, that 900w unit is actually an 1100w unit with OCP cut off at 900w, they are physically the same unit. the unit survived hardOCP hotbox test and tested very well in its class at the time of review. i got it for $68 after tax on clearance, thats less than the 650w EW sells for at frys where i got it (650w EW is $100 usually). if i got a bad unit, i still have proof of purchase for less than 6 months ago and i will just RMA the unit and get a better unit for the interim so i can reuse this unit elsewhere later. havent had a chance to test wiring yet, black friday + saturday keeps me busy as all hell working

and btw, the old wattage draw numbers were misquoted for what they really were. i forgot to retest after i migrated two 5870s to the box to test max power draw. right now it is running 1, but ip lan to get a 6970 and move both 5870s there afterwards anyway so its a realistic scenario

 

[VirtualLarry]

Ok, yeah, that sounds like way too much for an EA650. I thought originally you were saying it couldn't handle two graphics cards.

 

[Modelworks]

That EW would be horribly inadequate actually. I didn't mention the system is also used for DC, and with all GPUs loaded draws 600-700w at the wall. I'll check my homes ground, but I don't have this issue with any other hardware and we checked the wiring in all the other rooms for grounding issues and found none, this room is our server room in the garage and everything is plugged into a UPS. If it's not a ground issue I'll swap my revolution 85+ into the server, since it has a 200w higher draw than my desktop, and get one of the new seasonic 80+ gold units

It is a grounding issue .
When you said it was in the garage I was even more certain.
Is it a concrete slab floor ?
What usually occurs is the concrete slab has enough moisture content combined with the minerals in the concrete to make a pretty good conductor. When you put a foot on the floor or contact something that is in contact with the floor and then touch the case you complete the circuit.

One way to check for this is to get a multimeter. It just needs to be able to read AC volts up to 250VAC.
Place one probe on bare metal of the pc frame and with the other probe touch the floor. It shouldn't read over 110 millivolts. or .100 volts. I'm guessing it will read 70VAC + .

The best way to remedy the problem is fix the home ground. An alternative is to cover the entire floor of the server area with a rubber mat to isolate the contents from the grounded concrete which really isn't a bad idea even if you find a problem with the homes ground. Some devices do not use a ground at all and walking around on concrete is like walking around with a wire attaching you to ground, waiting for anything from a bad appliance to changing a light bulb to provide the shock.