Open-Source Tool Monitors Asus RTX 5080/5090 12VHPWR Current, Shuts Down at 9.5A

Melting issues with the 16-pin power connector on the RTX 5090 have been previously reported. Despite the card's strong performance, the risk of connector overheating poses a potential threat to expensive hardware. A Reddit user has developed an open-source tool to mitigate this hazard through software. The tool automatically shuts down the computer when the current on any pin of the 12VHPWR connector exceeds a safe threshold. It currently works only with Asus Astral RTX 5080 and RTX 5090, because these two models feature independent current sensors for the six power pins in Asus's design.

The tool queries the sensors twice per second. If any pin carries more than 9.5A for 15 consecutive seconds, the system forces a shutdown; users can manually adjust these parameters. Asus's official warning threshold is 9.2A, while the developer chose 9.5A with a 15-second delay to balance safety and reduce false alarms. The program uses about 35MB of memory and 1% of a single-core CPU, having minimal impact on system performance. The developer used AI-assisted programming and verified the code through multiple independent open-source implementations before deployment.

The tool does not directly protect the cable or connector from overheating damage but indirectly prevents risk by monitoring current. It is open-sourced on GitHub and aimed at Asus Astral series users. These cards are expensive, with the RTX 5090 costing about $4,800, equivalent to approximately RMB 34,560.