New PC build blew circuit and now won't start up

crmccar · Apr 12, 2014

I put together a new computer today which is not working, and I'd like some advice on how severe the issue is.

I started with an external build with just the CPU, GPU, and RAM installed, and it booted up fine. I then turned it off, and assembled the drives and everything else in the case. When I was done, I plugged in the computer, and switched the power supply (NOT the whole computer) to on, and the circuit in my house broke. I went down to the garage and reset the circuit breaker, and when I tried to start up the computer again, there was no power to it at all. The LED lights on the MB are off, and I did the paper clip test on the PSU, and it showed no signs of life.

Any thoughts about what the issue is? How likely is it that I fried my motherboard? I'm hoping that the PSU is the only problem and replacing it will fix it.

wolverine96 · Apr 12, 2014

Yikes.
Do you have another power supply to test the computer with?
(Don't use it yet, you might kill it, too!)

FloppyNacho · Apr 12, 2014

Its possible your paper clip wasn't conductive because it was coated in something or was a weird mix of materials, What power supply was it?

Also this is sort of how surge protection works, it's not intuitive that surge protection means "Sure bro, I'll take the punch for the rest of your parts" But thats the case here. At around $50 a piece PSU aren't the riskiest things to replace when in doubt either

wolverine96 · Apr 12, 2014

Does the surge protector still work?

crmccar · Apr 12, 2014

The power suppy is a Corsair CX600M. The paper clip is bare metal. The computer was plugged into a cheapo power strip... I'm not sure if there is any surge protection in it, but it still works.

I don't have another power supply to test it with :-/

wolverine96 · Apr 12, 2014

It is not a very good idea to plug your PC into a power strip.

crmccar · Apr 12, 2014

I didn't even think of it. I was just using it as an extension cord (there was nothing else plugged into it). This is my first PC build from scratch.

wolverine96 · Apr 12, 2014

Did you try plugging a fan or two into the PSU while you did the paperclip test? Some PSU's will shut off if nothing is plugged into them.

Just an idea.

crmccar · Apr 12, 2014

I left everything plugged into it except the motherboard (24-pin connector) when I did the test.

wolverine96 · Apr 12, 2014

Also, when you transferred the motherboard into the case, did you use motherboard standoffs (the little metal things that screw into the side of the case and the motherboard rests on top of them)? If not, the motherboard might short out.

crmccar · Apr 12, 2014

I screwed into screwholes in the case in 5 places and there was a 6th that was sticking out of the case. I THINK I did everything right there, but I'll have to take everything apart again to check it. The holes in the MB matched up with the holes in the case. This is the case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139011

I can post a picture of my MB in the case if it will help.

wolverine96 · Apr 12, 2014

If you can post a picture, that would be great. Make sure you can see everything, internal connections, etc.

crmccar · Apr 12, 2014

Here's an album with a few pictures. The first pic shows it working fine before I put it in the case. In the rest of the pictures, most of the power stuff is disconnected because I was testing the PSU.

http://imgur.com/a/mFOVi

wolverine96 · Apr 12, 2014

crmccar :

When you said, "there was a 6th that was sticking out of the case", did you mean that the 6th was already installed? Did you put the motherboard on top of it without any holes in the motherboard lining up with the pre-installed standoff?

wolverine96 · Apr 12, 2014

The 8-pin CPU fan connector from the PSU does not seem to be plugged into the motherboard. You can see this in images 2 and 5.

crmccar · Apr 12, 2014

No, for the 6th, instead of having a hole for me to screw into, it had something sticking out that I slid the MB hole through. You can see it in the second picture to the right of the graphics card, just above the lower "1R2" piece.

crmccar · Apr 12, 2014

wolverine96 :

Like I said, most of the power stuff is disconnected because I was testing the PSU. I assure you everything was plugged in before.

wolverine96 · Apr 12, 2014

I see. I think that is a mounting point that is on all motherboards compatible with your case. No problems there.

wolverine96 · Apr 12, 2014

I need to go for now, I'll maybe be back tomorrow.

crmccar · Apr 12, 2014

wolverine96 :

Thanks for your help.

wolverine96 · Apr 12, 2014

I can't really think of any more good ideas. Did you plug a lamp/night-light into the outlet your PC was plugged into to make sure it's not damaged or something? I hope it's not.

I hope your whole computer isn't killed. If you have another PC with the same kind of RAM, CPU, etc. you can test each part individually to see if it works.

New PC build blew circuit and now won't start up

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