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eMac Switching off

76ShovelHead

76ShovelHead

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
May 30, 2010
527
32
Florida
My poor old eMac keeps switching itself off. We tried another computer in the same outlet and found it shut itself off too. So I replaced the outlet the other day and when I came home I found the eMac off again.

It switches off during boot, sometimes it will make it to the desktop or even a few minutes of actual use, then just switches off.

Can the pram battery make it just shut off during boot? Or just shutdown in the middle of work?
 
It turns off as if you unplug it? Have you tried another circuit in another room? You may have more household electrical problems than the one you fixed. A bad PRAM battery won't do that.
 
Intell said:
It turns off as if you unplug it? Have you tried another circuit in another room? You may have more household electrical problems than the one you fixed. A bad PRAM battery won't do that.
Click to expand...

Yes, it shuts down as if it were unplugged.
 
It shouldn't do that. Even with the known capacitor problem that effects many eMacs, it should turn off like that. I'm thinking there's something wrong with the mains wiring in your house. For an experiment (that could result in some fun bonding time with housemates) try using a hairdryer on the highest setting on the plug. See if it can stay on without acting strange for a few minutes. Also, have an electricity safe fire extinguisher near by, things (unlikely) could get toasty.
 
Intell said:
It shouldn't do that. Even with the known capacitor problem that effects many eMacs, it should turn off like that. I'm thinking there's something wrong with the mains wiring in your house. For an experiment (that could result in some fun bonding time with housemates) try using a hairdryer on the highest setting on the plug. See if it can stay on without acting strange for a few minutes. Also, have an electricity safe fire extinguisher near by, things (unlikely) could get toasty.
Click to expand...

Thanks so much for your support on this. I suspected it was the outlet, I've had other appliances act wonky, and a computer monitor short out in my office. But I fixed it when I replaced the outlet. In this room however, both outlets the eMac just shut off, even when I replaced one of them the other day.

Also, It couldn't hurt to mention my eMac manufacture date was unaffected by the bad capacitors. Still, I was worried it was the power supply, but I will be running it in the kitchen for the next few days to make sure.
 
One last question about the plug, do/did you have something between the wall plug and the eMac like a power strip, surge suppressor, or a UPS?
 
Intell said:
One last question about the plug, do/did you have something between the wall plug and the eMac like a power strip, surge suppressor, or a UPS?
Click to expand...

One of the outlets it was plugged into a power strip, and the other outlet it was plugged directly into the wall. It shuts off in both. Right now I have it running in the garage with the modem, and it hasn't shut since. Good sign, I was afraid we might need a new mac, but looks like we don't.
 
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