The power plug get too hot

[Martin007]

Hi

I changed my PSU from several months to Silver Ston 1200W but recently I noticed that the power plug get worm until few days ago when I spent more time on games I found out that plug become too hot to touch but fortunately the plastic plug did not melt . I have card RX 6800 XT is there a way to prevent this heat for safety or this is normal ?

Thanks

 

[jak_2456]

On what end is the plug getting too hot: the PSU end or the outlet end?

 

[Martin007]

On what end is the plug getting too hot: the PSU end or the outlet end?

I am using electricity subscriber (is that the right name ?) what it get too hot is the plug in this subscriber. I use it to power up my PC + Two monitors + speakers. With my old PSU 750w this problem never occurred

 

[freeagent]

That looks a little inadequate.

Looks like 3 lamps would get it warm..

 

[Martin007]

That looks a little inadequate.

Looks like 3 lamps would get it warm..

I dont understand . the picture is for demonstration only. Mine has no lamps and with 5 outlets

 

[freeagent]

Oh ok, so you showed a picture of something you don't have.

Pretty helpful..

You will probably have to get a beefier power strip if its getting hot.

 

[68Olds]

I am using electricity subscriber (is that the right name ?) what it get too hot is the plug in this subscriber. I use it to power up my PC + Two monitors + speakers. With my old PSU 750w this problem never occurred

View attachment 376055

In the US we call that a power strip with an extension cord. Some of them can be extremely low quality and have under-sized wire in the cord.

Make sure all the connections are tightly fitted. A loose connection can cause heating. If everything seems tight and it still gets hot, replace it with one that has a more heavy duty cord as freeagent suggests.

 

[Redwoodz]

One thing that would make it get hot is high resistence, a bad connection. Check that all the plugs are making good contact with the recepticle. And clean.

 

[dirtyferret]

On what end is the plug getting too hot: the PSU end or the outlet end?

either end is bad when it's too hot to touch, i would replace the power cable and see if that helps

 

[freeagent]

I am just picturing the super thin gauge brass or copper in that strip carrying that power..

 

[dirtyferret]

I use it to power up my PC + Two monitors + speakers. With my old PSU 750w this problem never occurred

your PSU powered your monitor and speakers, are you talking about a UPS

You will probably have to get a beefier power strip if its getting hot.

this as well

 

[freeagent]

Interesting, the strip doesn't get warm with the 750, but the new one it does.

That is a good question, and trust me, Its been rattling around my skull since you posted.

 

[Martin007]

You will probably have to get a beefier power strip if its getting hot.

Never saw beefier power strip. It all come with same thickness as a standard . The thickness exactly like the picture I posted

your PSU powered your monitor and speakers, are you talking about a UPS

No

 

[nomdeplume]

Hi

I changed my PSU from several months to Silver Ston 1200W but recently I noticed that the power plug get worm until few days ago when I spent more time on games I found out that plug become too hot to touch but fortunately the plastic plug did not melt . I have card RX 6800 XT is there a way to prevent this heat for safety or this is normal ?

Thanks

Isolate the issue.

Plug PSU cord directly into wall socket and see if it still gets very warm. If it does we can start examining what is wrong with it and whether you should warranty it. One easy way to do this is trying your PC in a different outlet and seeing if the cord still gets very warm.

Second test would be to unplug everything but one monitor and PSU from the power strip and see if it gets very warm. Unlike some I realize the standards that are legally upheld in products using that plug type are high, compared to say the free and wild US.

 

[Bobaganoosh]

A 1200W power supply won't draw more power than a 750W with the same load unless it's less efficient. Just making a point (that some people are not aware of) that increased capacity does not mean it always uses more power.

That said, the heat there is from high resistance causing a voltage drop at that point. Voltage*current=power and thus heat. So if we assume your power supply is functioning correctly (because you haven't reported any issues with the system), there is likely an issue with the cable itself, or the power strip. You can say "a power strip is a power strip they're all the same", but if it has a defect, it's not the same as others. The high resistance I mentioned is usually from poor contact due to corroded metal, or a bad crimp. If you think about stranded wire for example, let's say there are normally 40 strands of copper that get crimped into a terminal to carry all the load. If there was a mistake somewhere and only 7 strands are now carrying that load, it will still function and seem completely normal until the current increases. Then it will get really hot and potentially even melt/fuse open. That's just one common defect in electrical assemblies. I don't have enough information to say this is definitely the problem you have, but it's possible and is one example of an issue that could cause the heat you're experiencing.

 

[nomdeplume]

In any case you want to put the least amount of strain on PC possible to figure out the problem.

 

[Martin007]

Isolate the issue.

Will test that

 

[Bill_Bright]

i would replace the power cable and see if that helps

^^^This^^^ Start here. Assuming the cable that gets hot is detachable from its power supply, try a different cable. And, as a test, plug it directly into the wall outlet and not your power strip. If the second cable gets hot when plugged into the wall, that's a big problem.

Heat like this indicates "excessive" current - not good.

Does the power strip's plug where it plugs into the wall get hot too?

As nomdeplume points out, you need to isolate the problem to determine if the power cord plug is getting hot because the power supply is demanding too much power, or if the original power cable is inadequate or damaged and thus getting hot, or if your power strip/extension cord is getting hot, making the power cable hot.

With my old PSU 750w this problem never occurred

Is the PSU the only change? If nothing else changed in the computer, the power demand from the computer, and thus from the wall will be the same. That is, if the computer (motherboard, graphics, CPU, drives, RAM, etc.) demand 350W, the PSU will deliver 350W, regardless if the PSU is a 500W PSU, or 750W or 1200W. And the demand from the wall will be 350W too, regardless the PSU capacity, plus a little extra due to PSU inefficiency. And I would expect the Silver Stone to very similar efficiencies (if not better) than your Corsair RM750.

For the record, a power cable that gets slightly warm after an extended period of heavy use is acceptable. But it should never get "hot" and especially not "too hot to touch". That could lead to potential fire and worse.

I suspect your power strip current capability is inadequate but you need to verify for sure.

 

[Harlow]

Never saw beefier power strip. It all come with same thickness as a standard .

Unless you've got X-ray vision, you cannot be certain the internal construction of the metal contacts is excellent, good, merely adequate, poor, or downright dangerous. They're supposed to meet safety standards, but not all of them are fully compliant.

An ATX PSU mains lead plug may seem a tight fit in the extension socket, but contacts inside may still be sloppy. This possible if the earth pin is a tight fit, but the line or neutral pins are loose, causing high resistance, potential arcing and overheating.

Cheap power strips are often poorly constructed inside, despite being marked CE, UL, UKPA (pick your nation's electrical safety standard marking).

The only time I've had a "hot" mains plug is when running a 3kW fan heater (plugged directly into the wall) for many hours. The 13A fuse fitted in UK plugs gets decidedly warm when run at its nominal rated current. It's not unknown for white 13A plugs to turn brown over the fuse, especially when run at over 2kW for hundreds of hours. For desk lamps, I fit 2A or 3A fuses in the 13A plug. For ATX PSU's, I fit a 7A or 10A fuse.

The fewer power strips, adapters, etc., you have between the ATX PSU and the wall outlet, the better. Each additional series connection is a potential source of trouble.

 

[qxp]

Just want to add that there is a useful device you can buy that measures consumed current, so you can check how much your new PSU actually draws. In the US its called Kill-a-Watt:

https://www.menlopark.org/DocumentCenter/View/1406/How-to-Use-a-Kill-A-Watt-Meter

 

[Martin007]

internal construction of the metal contacts

I buy only known brands of power strips but is there another way to make sure it is high quality or not ?

 

[Wirko]

For some more testing, plug another large consumer of electricity into the same power strip, same socket. Perhaps a hair dryer or a space heater that draws around 1200-1500 watts - a bit above the maximum for your PSU. You'll know without guessing what the actual power is because it's specified on the label on the heater. A good power strip may become warm after a few minutes, but no part of it should get too hot to touch. A bad one may become too hot to touch in a few seconds so be careful. If it's bad, it's bad, there's no repairing.

 

[DirtyDingusMcgee]

+1 for immediate diagnosis/replacement of all power cables/power strips involved. That is a potentially very dangerous situation. I'd use it as little as possible (or not at all) until you have it figured out conclusively.

 

[Bill_Bright]

but is there another way to make sure it is high quality or not ?

Not really. Even if you felt comfortable opening it up, if you knew what you were looking for, you could inspect the wiring for proper size and the soldering joints to make sure they were good. But odds are, other than researching part numbers for specs (assuming they are there and readable), it is unlikely you could tell their quality.

Going with brand name devices and buying from reputable retailers helps, but sadly, even reputable retailers have been known to sell counterfeit parts unknowingly (and sometimes knowingly )

IMO, the suggestions given above (different power cable, directly into wall outlet, different supply, different strip) to see if the connect still heats up is you best bet right now.

 

[GerKNG]

why would you touch power connectors?
do they melt?, smell like burnt plastic or smoke? No? why does it bother you.
just because a human feels pain at 50-60°C does not mean plastic or hardware does.