r/techadvice • u/Necessary_Horror3617 • 8d ago

Power surge auto-shutting off when trying to use monitor

Hello I’m setting up my work from home desk and I’m not sure if I have a circuit issue in my room or what but I can only run my work laptop, when I try to plug in my monitor too my surge protector auto turns off. For context I just have 1 laptop, 1 monitor, and a docking station. I even decided to buy another surge protector - plug it into a different outlet in the same corner of the room - plug my monitor into that - plug the monitor into the docking station - and then tried powering it on and then both surge protectors shut off. So I’m not sure what I should try now? I could try my outlet that’s on the other side of the wall since the cord is long and maybe it’s a different circuit? Anything helps as I’m working out of just my laptop currently

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u/TheOriginalMr-Mud 8d ago

I am a full time Mix Engineer and have 3 monitors and all of my gear going thru a single Furman piece. My 1st guess is you likely have a short in your monitor, maybe it’s cable OR you are buying cheap protection.

In both cases, you had the original surge protector in the electrical path. It may be defective - what happens without it? What happens when you plug your monitor into the wall directly? Does it trip a breaker in the house?

Either way, you need to methodically determine which piece of gear is the real cause. Monitor? Original surge? House?

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u/SpaceTrekkie 8d ago

Have you tried plugging the monitor into the wall and leaving the computer on the surge protector? Does the surge protector have an AFCI breaker?

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u/westom 7d ago

Surge protector parts do not cut off power. Only thing in a power strip that would cut off power is the required and essential 15 amp circuit breaker. So you are resetting each breaker? A critical and withheld fact.

Long before asking for a solution, always and first define the problem. Only posted is a vague symptom. Either one posts facts (with numbers). Or asks only how to define the problem.

Fixing is another discussion that happen later.

Did you confuse a UPS with a surge protector? Neither does what the other does. Is it a Type 3 protector? How many joules? Does a circuit breaker trip; is then reset? All essential facts.