I recently bought a new surge protector after my old one failed to protect a monitor. However, with the new one, my computer only powers on when plugged into a specific outlet. It works fine when plugged directly into the wall. The computer turned off while I was gaming and, after some trials, it finally powered on again after being re-plugged into the same outlet that it initially refused to work in. Any ideas on what's going on?
4 Answers
Check what else is plugged into the surge protector. Sometimes, reducing the load can help. If you've got quite a few devices connected, try unplugging some to see if that makes any difference.
Make sure you're not using a controlled outlet type surge protector. If your setup involves a UPS, double-check which side is connected to the battery and which side is just surge protected. This can affect how devices power on.
Some surge protectors have a 'master outlet' that needs to be active for the others to work. It could be that yours has this feature. However, if it seems defective since it's not consistent, you may want to consider replacing it.
If none of that helps, it might just be best to return the surge protector and try a different one.
Yeah, I have a UPS with one side connected to the battery and the other just surge protected. It’s a little confusing!