RTX 5090 owner says 16-pin cable caught fire after 9 months of use
A Redditor user says their GeForce RTX 5090 and 16-pin power cable did not just melt, it caught fire. He claims to have noticed a strange smell first, then saw flames at the connector area. The card was reportedly in use for about nine months.
While I hate being the bearer of bad news, we have another case of RTX 5090 cable problems. These cables now have a long history of fitment and ‘heat-related’ issues across multiple generations. This report stands out because it was described as an active fire , not a black screen or a later discovery of a softened plug.
According to the post, the cable was a 12V-2×6 lead that came bundled with the PSU, and it was only used with this single GPU. The user listed the PSU as a “PS 1050 GFM” ATX 3.1 unit from PowerSpec. PSU naming here is unclear, and we cannot verify the exact model details from the claim alone.
Source: Reddit
Had this 5090 for about 9 months, but it wanted to celebrate Christmas by roasting over an open fire too! And indeed it did not just melt, when I started smelling something weird, next thing I knew, it was fully on fire 🔥.
Posting here since NVIDIA instantly removed it over there for the statistic lol. But since people asked over there, it is a 3.1 atx psu, and yes the 12v-2×6 came with the psu. It was never used with another card, got it new for this 5090. Idk if the psu itself is great, idk much from brand to brand psu wise. PS 1050 GFM atx 3.1 version.
— nmp14fayl (Reddit)
If you are using a 16-pin connector setup, treat any odor, discoloration, or warmth at the plug as a stop-use signal. Power down, unplug the system, and inspect both the GPU and PSU side connectors for darkened pins, warped plastic, or loose retention. Reseat the plug fully until it is flush, avoid sharp bends right at the connector, and use a direct PSU cable instead of adapters when possible. If there is any sign of damage, contact the GPU vendor and PSU vendor for an RMA and do not keep testing the card.
Source: Reddit/PCMR
