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PSU for SE & SE/30 trips breaker on 240VAC?

Forums > Vintage Apple > Macintosh > Compact Macs

JDW
Administrator
Japan
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Joined: Sep 2, 2021
Posts: 2,534
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Nov 2, 2025 - #1
I received a question from a YouTube viewer about his recapped PSU for the SE & SE/30. He said that he tried to test the output voltages in the NO LOAD condition (disconnected from the Mac), and it trips his breaker every time he flips on the power switch. He said when the PSU is connected to the motherboard though, it doesn't trip the breaker at all.

I don't live in a 240VAC country but some of you folks do. Do any of you have experience testing a PSU in the NO LOAD condition? Is it the same for you?

@Kai Robinson

Kai Robinson
TinkerDifferent Board President 2023
Worthing, UK
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Joined: Sep 2, 2021
Posts: 1,322
Likes: 1,313
Nov 2, 2025 - #2
That's not good - plenty of SE power ups that didn't trip the electrics... Something tells me that the inrush current limiter is maybe faulty?

Liked by JDW

muse
Tinkerer
Oz
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Joined: Nov 3, 2025
Posts: 41
Likes: 30
Nov 4, 2025 - #3
I'm the one with this problem, thanks to JDW for relaying my question from YT.

To further isolate the fault, I disconnected the power supply board from the mains input and removed it, while leaving the IEC inlet, line filter choke, and power switch intact within the chassis with breaker still tripping under this config.

So what I have is just the IEC mains connector, choke and power switch which rules out the PSU board.

I didn't want to keep messing around as I'm not experienced enough given the potential dangers. So I re-assembled the unit and it seems to work inside the Mac.

Liked by JDW

JDW
Administrator
Japan
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Joined: Sep 2, 2021
Posts: 2,534
Likes: 1,982
Nov 4, 2025 - #4
Well, I'm not sure what the exact problem is, but thank you for joining us here on TinkerDifferent. I hope you enjoy the forum!

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