Trigkey S5 mini PC rebooting during weirdly specific actions, only when DC jack extension lead is used

Understanding Reboot Issues in the Trigkey S5 Mini PC During Specific Actions When Using an Extension Cable

Overview

The Trigkey S5 mini PC, equipped with the Ryzen 5700U processor, is a compact yet powerful computing solution designed for various professional and personal applications. However, some users have reported sporadic reboot issues that occur under very specific circumstances when using an extension cable for the power supply. This article examines potential causes, diagnostic steps taken, and suggested solutions to address these issues effectively.

Device Specifications

The system under consideration features:

• Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 5700U
• Memory: 32GB DDR4 RAM
• Storage: 1TB Crucial P3 NVMe SSD
• Operating System: Windows 11 LTSC
• Power Supply: HuntKey 19V, 4.74A adapter with a DC5525 (5.5 x 2.5mm) jack
• Additional Hardware: 3-meter male-to-female DC5525 extension cable

Background

Due to a setup change, the mini PC was relocated away from its original power source, necessitating the use of an extension cable. While the system operates normally in most cases, specific, reproducible actions—such as slicing a particular STL file in PrusaSlicer or watching certain YouTube videos—occasionally cause the device to hard lock and reboot. Notably, disconnecting the extension cable resolves these issues.

Diagnostic Findings

Typical assumptions point towards potential power delivery problems, such as voltage drops or current limitations through the extension cable. To evaluate this, several tests and observations were conducted:

1. Voltage Drop Assessment:
2. The 20 AWG extension cable is rated to handle 4.74A comfortably.

3. Empirical measurement showed a voltage drop of approximately 100 millivolts at idle, which is within expected limits.

4. Stress Testing:

5. Extensive stress tests using tools like OCCT and Prime95 ran without triggering reboots, suggesting the power supply can handle peak loads.

6. Parameter Monitoring:

7. Using HWInfo to log 260 system parameters at 20ms intervals revealed no significant deviations during the incidents.

8. Event Viewer logs only indicate unexpected shutdowns without additional clues.

9. Thermal Checks:

10. The reboots are not thermal shutdowns, as thermal sensors do not report critical temperatures during the events