I recently finished building my new PC in a Lian Li A4H2O case. Initially, everything was fine, but I've noticed that there's a continuous electrical current when I touch the case screws, even when the PC isn't turned on but is still plugged in. However, when I switch off the PSU, the current disappears. I'm wondering if this could indicate a faulty power supply, or is there something else at play here?
4 Answers
You should definitely call an electrician. It seems like there might not be a proper ground connection in your home, which can be dangerous.
It sounds like a grounding issue. While the PSU is an unlikely culprit, your home's wiring could be the problem. If you’re using an extension outlet, that might be the cause as well.
Make sure you’re plugged into a grounded outlet. It really sounds like an earth fault. Also, if you're renting, check if there's a way to add a ground connection.
All power supplies have filtering capacitors that might leak a tiny amount of current, but that should normally flow into the ground wire of your AC outlet. If you're not grounded, that current could be coming back through the case.
I’m not sure if I can add an earth in my rental. What happens if I can't—can that current harm the PC components?