Power Strip/Surge Protector Turns Off By Itself

[LavrentiBeria]

I'm running a very old computer that is powered from the wall socket through a very old power strip/surge protector. Twice during the last week it has mysteriously turned itself off and, in turn, the computer also. Happily, all I have to do to get things up and running is to turn the red switch on the strip back on again, the computer then boots up without incident and doesn't even report the need to run a disk check because of an improper shut down. All of the equipment here is left on 24/7. There have been no electrical storms in the area that would have caused a power surge over this time. What could be causing this problem?

 

[Ken g6]

This wouldn't be one of those "green" power strips that turns off several plugs if one plug doesn't have enough power going through it, would it?

 

[LavrentiBeria]

Ken g6,

No, its a Tripp Lite with 8 sockets. Its probably a good nine or ten years old at this point. At first, since I'd never had this problem before, I thought my cat had gotten into the area under the desk and stepped on the switch, but I've since made the area inaccessible to her so I know now that that can't be the reason. Any ideas, Ken?

 

[Blain]

Ken g6,

No, its a Tripp Lite with 8 sockets. Its probably a good nine or ten years old at this point.

At this point it's probably seen so many surges that the MOV's are dead which = Deap power stip.
There is no more protection left in it.

 

[westom]

At first, since I'd never had this problem before, I thought my cat had gotten into the area under the desk and stepped on the switch,

Is it a switch or is it a circuit breaker? Somewhere on that strip must be a circuit breaker. If something else is not a circuit breaker, then what you are calling a switch may be the circuit breaker reporting a serious problem.

Ignore the nonsense about many surges in ten years. Destructive surges occur maybe once every seven years. Smaller surges are completely ignored by that strip. And have no relationship to other completely different parts such as circuit breaker or switch.

If you cannot find some other circuit breaker, then the switch may be the always required circuit breaker.

 

[PCTC2]

Is it a switch or is it a circuit breaker? Somewhere on that strip must be a circuit breaker. If something else is not a circuit breaker, then what you are calling a switch may be the circuit breaker reporting a serious problem.

Ignore the nonsense about many surges in ten years. Destructive surges occur maybe once every seven years. Smaller surges are completely ignored by that strip. And have no relationship to other completely different parts such as circuit breaker or switch.

If you cannot find some other circuit breaker, then the switch may be the always required circuit breaker.

In ten years, the circuit breaker probably is getting old. We have an old PDU where if we pull over 10A through it, it flips the breaker. Needs replacement. I would suggest the same for you. It could be that you're flipping the breaker at a lower amperage than it used to be rated at.