Z390 Aorus Master draining CMOS batteries.

Too Tall · 2 Aug 2020 at 09:42

Basically the board is eating CMOS batteries.

This is the fourth battery I've put into it now since June but they seem to drain rapidly, ranging from a few days to a week.

I've tested the batteries prior to installation and the voltages have been fine.

I've tried resetting the bios and am currently running the latest version but it doesn't seem to make any difference.

random_matt · 2 Aug 2020 at 17:18

Talk to gigabyte? Cannot say I would understand this issue.

Too Tall · 2 Aug 2020 at 18:40

Yeah, i raised a ticket.

I'm stumped.

leezer3 · 2 Aug 2020 at 18:53

Crap batteries?

If you're using discount store or eBay / Amazon batteries try a decent Duracell or Energizer bought from a proper shop.
There are plenty of fakes about, and anything from the discount stores is generally not the same as stuff bought elsewhere.

Vimes · 3 Aug 2020 at 08:20

Strange one for sure. I can't remember when I last replaced a battery on a motherboard. I take it that when you power down the PC it is still connected to the mains, silly point perhaps. AFAIK when you power down a PC it still draws power from the PSU and only uses the battery when the board is out of the PC or not plugged into the mains. Could be wrong on that tho. Even if the above was correct to need to replace it in a matter of days is just wrong.
Even tho the PC might show RTC errors, or something else to make you change the battery, is it actually dead when testing it...?

Too Tall · 3 Aug 2020 at 08:51

I should add this only happens when the pc is turned off at the wall.

If I leave it switched on there is no issue.

When checking the batteries from memory they have drained to around 2.3v

Too Tall · 3 Aug 2020 at 08:52

leezer3 said:
Crap batteries?

If you're using discount store or eBay / Amazon batteries try a decent Duracell or Energizer bought from a proper shop.
There are plenty of fakes about, and anything from the discount stores is generally not the same as stuff bought elsewhere.

They weren't a name brand, i've got some energizer ones being delivered today

Vimes · 3 Aug 2020 at 09:33

Not that you shouldn't be able to but why do you switch off at the wall...? The PC needs that constant power source for its RTC etc. For all I know my battery might be a problem, but I don't leave it as you do to find out.
Don't think that this matters but some USB ports on this board can be live even with the power off, to charge devices etc.
My Z390 Master has been fine since new, but left plugged in.

Too Tall · 3 Aug 2020 at 09:47

I'll check the bios settings for the USB ports as you described, that could be it

Vimes · 3 Aug 2020 at 10:09

Could well be, but why switch it off at the wall in the first place...?

Too Tall · 3 Aug 2020 at 12:12

Vimes said:
Could well be, but why switch it off at the wall in the first place...?

Because it draws 7.8W from the wall

Vimes · 3 Aug 2020 at 12:27

oh my

That is probably the power needed to to retain its settings etc, apart from RGB stuff - if used.

With what you have spent on batteries that would have probably paid for the elec bill for the entire year, and the rest.

Too Tall · 11 Aug 2020 at 14:16

It's ate yet another CMOS battery (energizer), weirdly the pc turns on briefly when power is applied at the wall then turns off until I press the power button.

Vimes · 11 Aug 2020 at 14:23

Do you mean that it has drained your new energiser battery whilst still powering the PC off at the socket each day...? You had mentioned previously that if you left it switched on at the socket all is well.

IIRC when I have needed to remove the power from the PSU mine will momentarily go through a sort of power on / off cycle. It doesn't like being turned off from the wall it seems.

mickyflinn · 11 Aug 2020 at 14:26

Too Tall said:
It's ate yet another CMOS battery (energizer), weirdly the pc turns on briefly when power is applied at the wall then turns off until I press the power button.

Sounds like something is shorting is all your components new ?

Could you build your pc outside the case.

Too Tall · 11 Aug 2020 at 14:48

I could, but I have a custom water loop so will be a PITA.

Thekwango · 11 Aug 2020 at 15:03

is this a new build and has been happening since day one or is it a recent anomaly?

only ask as i was finding a similar issue (along with a few others) a couple of years back with a new build. turned out the board was unduly twisted slightly. correcting this sorted the batteries seemingly draining along with the other problems i was seeing. are you experiencing any other problems with the build?

Too Tall · 11 Aug 2020 at 15:37

Its been OK for a month or two and then the issues started.

No other issues to report, its been brilliant.

When you say twisted, what did you do to fix it? Its fitted to the standoffs correctly.

mickyflinn · 11 Aug 2020 at 16:05

Check all your cables including power switch, reset switch on motherboard.

Thekwango · 11 Aug 2020 at 18:07

Too Tall said:
Its been OK for a month or two and then the issues started.

No other issues to report, its been brilliant.

When you say twisted, what did you do to fix it? Its fitted to the standoffs correctly.

that probably rules out the issues i was having as mine were probably within a few days/couple of weeks.

when i say twisted what i meant was one of the prefitted standoffs in the case was a tad low compared to the others. i had absentmindedly just screwed the motherboard in anyway and was only when another user mentioned taking everything out and building outside the case (the screw pinged off like a dart once i unscrewed it) that i realised the problem.....used a couple of small plastic washers to fill the gap and stop the motherboard flexing and all has been solid since. there wasn't even that much of a flex so they are very senstive to any deformation.