Please Read fully before doing anything! Then decide weather or not to follow this guide.
Tools: Skill Level=moderately advanced.
1. Screwdriver (Most likely phillips head).
2. Insulated jumper wire.
3. MultiTester/Multimeter.
4. PDF of the PSU listing voltage of pin-outs.
5. Outlet in another location of the house or shop that is on a separate breaker with the same amperage rating.
First off, unplug that sucker from the wall, Shut off the main switch, and (after a few min) then from the MoBo. Disconnect all devices from the psu and you may want to remove it from the case.
Also Shut off the breaker that was blowing. You will see why later.
Get a small insulated wire stripped at both ends (Jumper wire) and grab the 20/24 pin MoBo power connector.
Locate the green wire and insert one end of the jumper into it. Then insert the other end into another pin with a black wire.
On a working unit this will power up the PSU without needing to be plugged into the motherboard once the main power switch is on.
The voltage from the pins will be 3volt/5volt/12volt all DC current. So set your Multimeter accordingly.
~A~
Plug the unit back in (Tool item #5) keeping clear of it, and see if this blows your breaker box relay again.
If so it's bad period. And may of damaged the MoBo already.
If you have another power supply you know is working, then plug that into the mobo and drive C for a post test.
If it works then you can stop there knowing what the problem is.
~B~
If the breaker does not blow then do the following:
Using the voltage rating in the PDF or PSU info you located; Start testing each pin to make sure supply is correct. Then move on to testing the Molex connectors knowing that black on DC is always negative voltage. Do this to each main lead of wires (AKA rails).
One of the two is going to be bad. I'm sorry. But we are not done yet.
Reason I say this is because what InvalidError said in the post above is correct. It should not of blown a breaker.
For safety of your shop or home, you will now need to shut off the main breaker switch.
It's the big breaker switch shutting off all other breakers.
First making sure all lights and devices plugged into outlets connected to that breaker are off or removed as to not give any false positives. Then cutting all power to the shop or home.
Pull the breaker that was being blown and remove the black wire.
We are now dealing with AC power wire. And in doing so Black is now the HOT wire or positive.
Using your tester, set it to continuity test. Meaning when both leads touch, the Multimeter will sound an alarm or beep.
Connect one lead to the black wire taken out of the breaker that was blowing. And connect the other lead to the negative bus bar. This is easy to find because you will see a long bus bar with green and white wires all connected to it. This is ground/negative.
If your multimeter sounds an alarm you have a short in the power-line running through the house/shop.
This may have been the cause of the PSU going bad. But not only that, a fire hazard to the building. If no alarm/beep from the tester then you can rest easy knowing the problem is the PC only. And the breaker may be weak or bad and need replaced.
If you do find this (Meaning a short). Leave the breaker out, and wire moved off to the side. You can turn the main power on. But you will need to stop what you are doing and contact a professional electrician and have that line in the home replaced. It may only be a small run of wire running into a junction box depending on the age of the home/building.
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