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USB Ports on Z790-E Damaging PS5 Controllers - Need Help!

Vox_8
Level 7

Hello community!

I'm reaching out to you all today to share an issue I've been experiencing with my Z790-E Gaming motherboard and to seek any advice or suggestions on how to resolve it.

Issue: I've had two of my PS5 controllers suffer damage to their USB-C ports after connecting them to my motherboard's USB ports for charging and data transfer.

The first controller was over two years old when it happened, so I initially thought it might be due to its age. However, the second controller, which is much newer, also died recently under similar circumstances. Both controllers still work via Bluetooth, but their USB-C ports no longer function and have a burnt metal smell.

Details:

  • Both controllers were connected to different USB ports on the motherboard when the damage occurred.
  • I used two different USB-A to USB-C cables, so the issue doesn't seem to be tied to a specific cable or USB port.
  • The USB-C tip of the cable connected to the controller was extremely hot and smelled burnt, while the USB-A port on the motherboard appears to be fine.

I would greatly appreciate any insight or suggestions.

Thank you in advance for your help!

626 Views
8 REPLIES 8

Drayco31
Level 11

Don't have the board myself so can't comment on cause or fix I'm afraid. Wanted to offer a workaround, buy a Charge dock. I was always concerned about charging my DS4 and Dualsense directly from a PC USB port. Theory there is a dock should have protection for over-voltage and stuff. I also use magnetic cables which state they lack those sort of protections and are ment for mobile devices as they have over charge/volt protection. Never had an issue with damaging a controller and definitely haven't burnt a USB plug.

JohnAb
Level 17

I think that's a great suggestion from Drayco. I bought a couple of charge block a couple of years ago. They are so handy if you combine them with various charging leads for every gadget on your house. This sort of thing...

JohnAb_0-1683466487447.png

I'd suggest getting a decent one with good power output, then you can charge your phone as well. 

 

Z690 Hero, BIOS 3401, MEI 2345.5.3.0, ME Firmware 16.1.30.2361, 7000X Case, RM1000x PSU, i9 12900K, ASUS TUF OC 3090TI, 2 x 16GB Corsair RAM @ 5200MHz, Windows 11 Pro 23H2, Corsair H150i Elite AIO, 4x Corsair RGB fans, 3x M.2 NVME drives, 2x SATA SSDs, 2x SATA HDs.

Vox_8
Level 7

I should have been more clear, I'm not looking for a workaround for my controllers. The motherboard shorted the controllers, permanently damaging their ports.

How can I be sure it won't happen again with another device? Where's the automatic overvoltage control function?

I'm using the latest BIOS 0904 with all the latest driver updates in W11.


You were clear, I suggested a workaround to prevent breaking further controllers. Would work now and any Motherboard in the future. If I was convinced its the mother board I wouldn't be wanting to plug any USB device in. I'd contact support not the forums for assistance. If that didn#t work I'd RMA it so it gets repaired/replaced.

 

Either way it gets solved I'd still be concerned about using the USB slots incase it happens again. A Charge dock would eliminate that concern.

JohnAb
Level 17

Yes, I also understood. I think there are 3 possibilities:

1. There is something wrong with voltage regulation on the motherboard

2. The cables are of poor quality with (possibly with poor quality plugs)

3.  There is something wrong with the controller charging control circuit and/or batteries and too much current is being drawn. Are the controllers genuine or 3rd party units?

I think the only thing you could do realistically do is measure the voltage/current on the USB output. You can either strip a cable from an old device and use a multi-meter to measure the voltage directly, or you can also get plug-in voltage/current USB measuring devices. Probably the best way if you don't mind spending the money. At least you might be able to get some clues with the controller unplugged and then plugged in. If you can find out what the charging current should be that would be helpful. You should be able to estimate it from the battery capacity and type. For example, most LiPo batteries have a recommended charge rate of 1C for 1-hour charging i.e. divide the battery capacity (mAh) by 1000. So, a 500mAh battery would (often) be charged at 0.5A. That would only be a rough guide, but you might be able to see if the charging current is way-off. If the charging time is supposed to be 3 hours, then the current would be around 0.15-0.2A in the example. . 

JohnAb_0-1683533971411.png

 

 

Z690 Hero, BIOS 3401, MEI 2345.5.3.0, ME Firmware 16.1.30.2361, 7000X Case, RM1000x PSU, i9 12900K, ASUS TUF OC 3090TI, 2 x 16GB Corsair RAM @ 5200MHz, Windows 11 Pro 23H2, Corsair H150i Elite AIO, 4x Corsair RGB fans, 3x M.2 NVME drives, 2x SATA SSDs, 2x SATA HDs.

Vox_8
Level 7

@JohnAb I think the issue is probably a faulty mosfet that control the voltage regulation for the usb ports. I forgot to mention that I had error notifications within Windows saying 'USB Power Surge' of some sort while this happened.

The cables used were:

  • the official one from Sony
  • another from Razer (even higher quality) to recharge my wireless mouse or apply firmware updates

Meanwhile, I contacted the Asus customer support but so far they are very slow to find a solution, do I have to fight to apply the warranty? This is ridiculous.

On the other hand, the Sony (Playstation) service approved the RMA of 1 controller who was under warranty and they already have received it in their warehouse (very fast service compared to Asus).

Drayco31
Level 11

 

Sony Suppport so much quicker than Asus. They've replaced 2 controllers, yes I was that unlucky. Funny thing is the controller that shipped with my PS5 hasn't failed. The second 1 I purchased developed bad drift and the replacement ended up doing the same yet the orignal still works fine 🙂

Jiaszzz_ROG
Customer Service Agent

Hello, @Vox_8 .

Different BIOS versions may have slightly different configuration paths, but generally, you can access settings such as USB Power Management by entering BIOS > Advanced > USB Configuration. Could you please provide the current BIOS version?
Additionally, please check the top right corner of the screen and share the details requested in the PM inbox.

Thank you!