Short circuit problem

[denarced]

Hi,

 

In short (the problem): I have a bunch of new parts and when I connect things to the PSU, the whole thing short circuits and all electrical devices in my apartment go dark.

 

Immediate concern is of course that what is it that I'm doing wrong. I'll explain step by step what I've done so far. Please let me know if you any ideas on how fix / proceed with my build.

 

You can find my build specs from https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AtGVNb8i9FKidC1Zdmd1aHdseWJtRHJWQnRBWUdKOFE#gid=0

 

Story so far

I started by adding the PSU to the case followed by the mobo. I added the memory sticks, the CPU and its cooler so far without thermal grease. I also connected things like the front panel reset and audio connections. At this point I had connected the mobo power (the main one and the smaller one near the CPU). The main point was to add the bare minimum to get to the BIOS which at this was done so I fired up the system. I could see my CPU and memory in the BIOS just fine. Note that at this point there was no HDD connected.

Next I started adding the GPU. I attached GPU to the first PCIEX16 (labeled PCIEX16_1 on the mobo). I attached two GPU power cables to their proper places on the GPU and to two separate 12V rails on PSU. I moved the monitor cable from the mobo DVI connector to one of the GPU's and fired up the system. Here's when the first short circuit came out to join the party. I tried to fix the situation in some that I can't recall and tried again with predictable results => lights out again.

After failing with GPU I thought I'd go on with the system without at first and I hooked up the SSD to start installing Ubuntu and when I switched the power on, the third short circuit happened. At this point I was sure that something was pretty much going to break so I called it a night and went to sleep.

Today I thought that maybe the mobo was incorrectly attached to the case so I took it out (the result is the attached image). I first tried the same minimal setup as I had in the beginning, the one with which I could see the BIOS. It worked out fine so I thought that maybe the mobo was incorrectly attached. I attached some HDD that laying around but not the Intel 520 because at this point I'm trying to minimize the damage if something indeed will break. That resulted in the fourth and the latest short circuit.

 

In conclusion

At this point I'm pretty much clueless. The logical conclusion is that the PSU just can't take the heat and crashes when more load is added to it but it's a brand new one so maybe it's not probable. I thought that I was as safe as I can be when mobo wasn't even in the case so I'd like to think that at this point I'm not to blame anymore but with humans it doesn't usually work out that way so please help if you can.

 

 

All help is much appreciated

Cheers

[Hyydrah]

Your components, especially your PSU, should be more than capable of working correctly. Have you tried plugging the PSU in to a different socket on the wall?

[denarced]

Your components, especially your PSU, should be more than capable of working correctly. Have you tried plugging the PSU in to a different socket on the wall?

I have not. Here in Finland all sockets are grounded and especially in a new buildings such as this (finished 2003). Originally I had the PSU hooked up to a regular extension cord but during the last phase (system out of the case) it has been connected to an APC Home/Office surge arrest extension cord. But the two aforementioned extension cords were in fact connected to different wall sockets.

[Hyydrah]

Here in Canada it's fairly easy to short circuit the socket. Usually this will fix the problem.

[denarced]

Here in Canada it's fairly easy to short circuit the socket. Usually this will fix the problem.

I will give it a try.

[BroKenFingers]

Sorry..but are you losing your lights in your home..?.. 

[denarced]

Sorry..but are you losing your lights in your home..?.. 

When the PSU or whatever short circuits, the one circuit to which it was connected to is tripped. No more electricity to the devices in that circuit which means lights out for all devices connected to that circuit.

[BroKenFingers]

So..it sounds like the non.APC/surge protected outlet did not work under load..?..and when you un-built the system and plugged into the APC/surge..it to failed when you added more of a power draw..?

IF so I may be tempted to question the PSU..do you have a back-up PSU to test the system ?..and if at all possible..move closer to an outlet where an extension cord is not needed..just to eliminate that, have a look

as well to the ground prong on the PSU cord..and back end of the PSU..

[denarced]

IF so I may be tempted to question the PSU..do you have a back-up PSU to test the system ?..and if at all possible..move closer to an outlet where an extension cord is not needed..just to eliminate that, have a look

as well to the ground prong on the PSU cord..and back end of the PSU..

I'll get another PSU and test it.

[denarced]

And we have a winner. It was the PSU. I tried the system with my server's PSU and I was able to see my HDD and boot to Ubuntu Gnome.

 

 

 

Much thanks to all who participated in the problem solving.

[BroKenFingers]

Glad you are up and running.. :)

[denarced]

Glad you are up and running.. :)

Thanks but not quite. I just borrowed the PSU from the server (all data is in there so can't take it offline) and now I'll have some fun with the broken Nexus PSU's warranty. Let's see how long I'll have to wait for a new PSU :( From what I've heard, two weeks is nothing and it'll probably take more than that.