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A while ago I've asked a question about my computer not starting when pressing the power button. There has been a new developement: I've noticed that my computer won't start when there's been heavy rain.

Of course, my computer is not in the rain, it doesn't get wet. Nor does the table or the walls. The ground is sometimes wet, but my computer is on the table. The wet ground shouldn't be an issue.

Again, the issue is that my computer doesn't start at all. When it starts, which it eventually always does, it runs fine. No stability issues, even with heavy gaming. I don't suspect hardware damage anymore.

I suspect the humidity in the air to be the problem. Does a modern PSU have a humidity sensor? Or something that involuntarily acts as such?

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  • Do you have a properly grounded (earth ground) outlet to plug the computer into. If so, unless your inside environment is dripping wet, I would not suspect humidity.
    – anon
    Commented Aug 28, 2021 at 0:23
  • The wall outlet does have the third (ground) connector. If that's properly connected though I can't say. How can I check this?
    – user1785730
    Commented Aug 28, 2021 at 0:44
  • 2
    The lack of ground does not cause humidity, but the humidity is causing an issue. Get an electrician to install a grounded box.
    – anon
    Commented Sep 7, 2021 at 18:50
  • 1
    Sure, I will. I just want to understand why the humidity in combination with lack of ground is causing an issue. What exactly is the issue? You may get technical :)
    – user1785730
    Commented Sep 7, 2021 at 18:52
  • 1
    If your building code requires Ground Fault Interruption circuits it may be causing this. You need an electrician to check. This stuff normally cannot be left to users.
    – anon
    Commented Sep 7, 2021 at 18:55

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I have exactly the same issue. If we get good rainfall for a day, or overnight, and the humidity hits about 70% it won't start. If it doesn't rain and the humidity hits 70%+ it starts without a problem! I have had this problem for a year or more now.

A different computer plugged into the same outlet will start!

My solution so far I open the case and use a 900 watt fan heater to blow warm air onto the component side of the motherboard for 1-4 minutes, then it starts and is happy to run all day. How long you need to blow the warm air onto the motherboard depends on how humid it is. The higher the humidity the longer it takes. Just press the on/off switch every minute until it starts. As soon as it starts turn the fan heater off and close the case.

I'm getting a cheap, mini hair dryer ($3 from K-Mart). This might allow me to more accurately direct the warm are to isolate the problem. So far it doesn't seem to be the memory, or graphics card.

The computer with the issue has an Asus Prime X570-P motherboard with an AMD 3600X CPU. I live in South East Queensland, hence the humidity issue.

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  • Very interesting. I too have an Asus mainboard, a TUF B450M. Unfortunately their support didn't want to speculate with me about the issue but suggested to just send the board in. I doubt however that the issue will reproduce in their lab conditions.
    – user1785730
    Commented Mar 12, 2023 at 20:17

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