I recently moved into a brand new apartment and I'm encountering a frustrating issue: every time I load a game—be it Call of Duty, Elden Ring, or Hollow Knight—the breaker trips and cuts the power. This happens either right after the game loads or sometimes 5-10 minutes into the loading screen. I've tested two different 15-amp outlets in the living room and bedroom, and three different 20-amp outlets in the kitchen and bathroom. My PC has been running fine since 2018 with the same power supply and I never faced any problems before moving here. My previous apartment was also newly built in 2022, and there were no issues at all. Any thoughts on what could be causing this?
4 Answers
It's possible that your outlets are wired incorrectly—like they might be on lighting circuits that can't handle higher loads, which would explain why your PC trips the breaker. First, check where the breaker is located and note its type and amperage. If the main breaker is tripping, that might point to some wiring issues. You should definitely talk to your landlord about this; they might share a circuit with a neighbor or something odd like that. As a test, plug in something like a hair dryer on high to see if that trips the breaker just to be sure it's not just your PC.
You might want to grab an outlet tester to check if everything is wired correctly. Sometimes contractors cut corners, and this could really help identify if there's a bigger issue with your electrical system.
Have you tested if the breaker trips with other appliances like the toaster or microwave? That might help narrow down if it's an issue with the circuit itself. Not yet? Just keep an eye on it since you've only been there a few days.
No issues with those yet, but I will monitor it.
It sounds to me like a wiring problem too. Make sure to document everything and report it to your landlord. Don't keep running your PC if it's tripping the breaker consistently—safety first!
That sounds like a solid plan! Hopefully, it's an easy fix.