Mac studio and 2 studio displays trips home circuit breaker at switch on power strip

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Level 1

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Mac studio and 2 studio displays trips home circuit breaker at switch on power strip

I just bought a Mac studio and 2 studio displays. I have plugged the power cords in one power strip. When switching on the power strip the home circuit breaker trips. When I only turn on the power strip with only the MAC studio and I add the power cords of the monitors a few seconds later then the circuit breaker does not trip and everything works normally. The Circuit breaker is for 230V / 16 A. Before I owned the Mac studio I had the iMac 2010 27 inch in the same power strip and I never experienced any problems. Does anyone have the same experience with a Mac studio and 2 studio displays? Is the total inrush current of these 3 devices really that large to make the circuit breaker trip?

Mac Studio, macOS 12.6

Posted on Oct 27, 2022 1:02 PM

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Answer 1

Hachrivani Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 30, 2022 6:31 AM in response to lkrupp

I found the following article (in Dutch) about computer equipment inrush currents. These can indeed be substantial and when a power strip with several computers or monitors is switched on at the same time this could cause circuit breakers to trip.

http://educypedia.karadimov.info/library/TA00_3.PDF

For now I will use 2 power strips with a switch. One strip for the Mac studio and the other power strip for the 2 Studio displays. I will first switch on the power strip with the 2 displays and a few seconds later the power strip with the Mac studio. So far I did not experience a tripped circuit breaker. I will monitor in the coming period if this really solves my problem. If not, I still will replace the circuit breaker.

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Answer 2

Hachrivani Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 27, 2022 1:32 PM in response to jtjbt20x

Thanks for your advise. The circuit breakers in my home have been replaced by new ones just a few months ago. So it seems unlikely the circuit breaker is the problem. I will try the same setup on a different circuit breaker in another part of my house to see if the particular circuit breaker is causing this problem.

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Answer 3

lllaass

Level 10

210,465 points

Oct 28, 2022 8:15 AM in response to Hachrivani

Since it is a 230V circuit, tripping that breaker with only Mac Studio and two Studio displays seems strange. Maybe the breaker is tripping. I would try another breaker. In the USA, a homeowner can replace a breaker.

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Answer 4

Hachrivani Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 29, 2022 2:50 AM in response to Hachrivani

Thanks all for your feedback on this topic.

On this circuit no other electrical appliances are connected.

I will replace the circuit breaker sometime next week and see if that solves the problem.

I will also contact Apple support to ask for the inrush current of the Mac studio and Studio display.

I have connected a Dell desktop and 2 Dell 24 inch displays on the same power strip (without the Mac studio and studio display) and the circuit breaker does not trip. This is rather strange, is it not?

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Answer 5

lkrupp

Level 6

17,013 points

Oct 29, 2022 6:34 AM in response to Hachrivani

Just for the record I checked the electrical specs for both the Mac Studio and the Studio Display. The Mac Studio draws 370 watts and the Studio Display draws 35 watts, not nearly enough to trip a standard breaker. The ‘inrush current’ can’t possibly be much higher. After all, we’re not talking some large motor winding or transformer.

And yes, rather strange indeed.

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Answer 6

lkrupp

Level 6

17,013 points

Oct 30, 2022 10:16 AM in response to Hachrivani

The only experience I can offer is my own. I have a Mac Studio Max and one Studio Display as well as a router, printers, audio amplifier, chargers, external storage drives, all powered from the same 20A breaker (120V). This breaker also serves my home’s living room outlets. No issues.

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Answer 7

Oct 30, 2022 1:19 PM in response to lkrupp

Most Macs have a little coin cell battery that is not rechargeable. It is used to maintain the time-of-day and keep the parameter RAM alive when the computer is not being supplied with power.

The general recommendation for long life of that PRAM backup battery is to NOT switch off the AC wall power to the computer itself, when it is shut down, but instead allow its tiny "always-on" power supply tp provide backup power for the parameter RAM.

You are welcome to do as you wish, you just may have more trouble after a year or so if you do not keep the Mac connected to power at night and when the computer is nominally off.

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Answer 8

jtjbt20x

Level 1

104 points

Oct 27, 2022 1:03 PM in response to Hachrivani

You should call a licensed electrician to check your circuit breaker and wiring.

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Answer 9

Oct 27, 2022 4:30 PM in response to Hachrivani

Um, what else is on the same circuit? you can't run all that stuff AND an electric toaster, for example, all on one 16A circuit.

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Answer 10

Hachrivani Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 31, 2022 2:12 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thanks for your comment on the PRAM backup battery. This is indeed a good point to consider and not to switch off the AC power of the Mac Studio.

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Mac studio and 2 studio displays trips home circuit breaker at switch on power strip

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