Key Takeaways
1. Incidents of RTX 5090 power connectors catching fire continue, with recent cases being severe, including one where a GPU caught fire and damaged its power cable.
2. The affected user had the graphics card for nine months, and the fire melted the insulation of the 12V-2×6 power cable, damaging the GPU connection point.
3. Fortunately, the fire did not spread far, and other components of the PC are still functional; the user has a protection plan that may cover some damages.
4. Concerns have been raised about the compatibility of the Cooler Master MWE Gold 1050 V2 power supply, which may be inadequate for the high power demands of the RTX 5090.
5. Nvidia and GPU manufacturers are addressing issues with power connectors, with some implementing design changes to improve safety, but incidents of overheating and melting persist.
Despite numerous efforts to address the problem, incidents of RTX 5090 power connectors catching fire keep happening. The most recent instance might be among the worst recorded so far. A Reddit user, nmp14fayl, revealed that his expensive Blackwell GPU literally went up in flames, with a portion of the 16-pin power cable completely ruined.
Incident Details
The Redditor shared that he had owned the graphics card for nine months before the unfortunate event occurred. Suddenly, flames consumed the 12V-2×6 power cable, melting the insulation off its wires. The connection point on the GPU has also suffered damage, and the gamer hasn’t yet tried to unplug the cable.
Damage Assessment
Fortunately, the fire didn’t spread too far from where the MSI RTX 5090 was located. Other crucial components in the gaming PC, such as the motherboard and onboard video output, are still operational. The gamer has a protection plan with Micro Center, which might cover some of the damage.
nmp14fayl mentioned that he was using a cable that came with the power supply. Readers are now discussing whether the ATX 3.1 PSU played a role in this incident. Given the history of the RTX 50-series, some critics argue that the power connector design is insufficient.
Power Supply Concerns
Another user pointed out that the power supply in question is a Cooler Master MWE Gold 1050 V2. At 1050 watts, this is on the edge for many setups that include the power-hungry RTX 5090. This particular component doesn’t have the best reputation compared to other options. Ideally, a PSU should cut off electricity before a fire can ignite.
It’s also possible that, no matter the configuration, the RTX 5090 would have failed early on. The overheating issue has been around since the RTX 4090, which led Nvidia to switch to the newer 12V-2×6 connector. Even though the manufacturer asserts that it can handle high power demands, incidents of melting continue to occur.
Often, Nvidia attributes these problems to a poorly seated power cable, but nmp14fayl insists that the connection was secure. GPU manufacturers like MSI have adjusted their cables to ensure better pin alignment. Asus has also incorporated sensors in its Blackwell cards to monitor for any potential issues with individual pins.
nmp14fayl@PC Master Race subreddit
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