Hello, I recently moved from USA to Singapore and my love for my 5 year old 65 inch plasma TV forced me to bring it along with me. After doing a lot of research, I thought I had covered all bases to address the voltage and digital standards differences between the 2 countries but every time i connect a local set-top-box to my TV via HDMI, my apartment's circuit breaker keeps tripping.

I bought a step down transformer (220->110 V) and PAL->NTSC converter and here are the steps I followed:

1. Connected step down transformer to Main Supply (220v) - > ok
2. Connected TV to transformer (110v) - > ok (tv switched on)
3. Connected Apple Tv (from US) to Main Supply (220v) - > ok (apple supports 110-220v)
4. Connected Apple Tv (from US) to TV via HDMI - > ok (works)
5. Connected Local Set-top box (from Singapore) to Main supply (220v) - > ok (powers up)
And Finally,
6. Connected Local Set-top box (from Singapore) to TV via HDMI -> circuit breaker trips

I cannot seem to understand what goes wrong every time i connect the set-top box to the TV. They have replaced the set-top-box with another but the issue still remains. I have tried plugging the set-top box to the converter (it supports 110-220v) and then connect to the TV but the issue still remains. Can anyone shed any light on how I investigate or fix this? Are there different HDMI standards in different regions? Any help will be greatly apprciated.

 

Do you have a GFI breaker installed in your apartment?

 

Not sure what that is. I do have access to the control board (with all the breakers); Is GFI labeled a certain way? Only 1 of the many breakers gets tripped

 

It is typically double wide and has a test button. See here https://shop.rexel.com.au/productimages/82545-full.jpg

 

You have a ground loop. Might be a Bad wiring or earthing issue

 

It is typically double wide and has a test button. See here https://shop.rexel.com.au/productimages/82545-full.jpg

this is the image of the circuit breaker

 

You have a ground loop. Might be a Bad wiring or earthing issue

It seems to me it could be an earthing issue. I noticed another interesting quirk. I have connected my step down transformer to a fancy belkin surge protector that i have been using for some time. It has two indicators that read "Protected" and "Not Grounded".

I noticed that the "Not Grounded" LED glows up when i connect the surge protector to the step down transformer; However, when i connect the surge protector directly to the mains, the "Not Grounded" light stays off. It seems to me that the transformer is somehow screwing up the grounding voltage and it might be causing issues. So I had a couple of questions that i hope you guys can guide me on:

1. Seeing the "Not Grounded" LED behavior, does it make sense to buy another transformer that does not have the grounding problem?
2. Assuming the transformer is the problem, why would my Apple TV work (through HDMI) when its connected to main supply? shouldn't it face the same problem as the STB?

 

Not Grounded means your wiring may have disconnected earth or there may be no connection at all.

 

Do you have a GFI breaker installed in your apartment?

You have a ground loop. Might be a Bad wiring or earthing issue

Thank you so much for your help. It was a grounding issue. I bought a better transformer and the tv now works like magic.