Adding extra caps to aid overclocking?

[swartz]

I have an AX4PER mobo from AOPEN. In the reference pic (found on AOPEN website ftp://ftp.aopen.com/pub/image/mb/ax4per/ax4per.jpg), there is a a row of six 3300uF 6.3v caps for CPU VRM. However my mobo only has 5, but there is space for 6 as in the reference image. Why would the manufacturers skip soldering one in there?

If I were to add another cap of the same type, would this help overclocking?
Would there be any other benefit of adding it?

Tnx

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Adding extra caps to aid overclocking?

I have an AX4PER mobo from AOPEN. In the reference pic (found on AOPEN website ftp://ftp.aopen.com/pub/image/mb/ax4per/ax4per.jpg), there is a a row of six 3300uF 6.3v caps for CPU VRM. However my mobo only has 5, but there is space for 6 as in the reference image. Why would the manufacturers skip soldering one in there?

Reference PCB designs often leave room for design adjustments after testing without having to build another PCB.

If I were to add another cap of the same type, would this help overclocking?

Maybe but to do it right you also want better caps [at least in] RAM power and Vtt. To find which caps those are you will have to trace out circuits on the board. It is hard to say which of those is the most limiting factor for stability on any given board without a lot of experimentation.
Adding a solid polymer [or 2, or 3] vs just another same cap in VRM would do a lot more for you. Adding 1 or 2 on 16v side of VRM wouldn't hurt either.

Would there be any other benefit of adding it?

Less noise in the power to the chips makes them more stable.

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Adding extra caps to aid overclocking?

I only see AOpen boards now and then but it seems to me they really like those G-Luxon [sometime aka "GL"] caps.
Getting rid of those will probably get you further than adding one VRM cap.

[swartz]

Re: Adding extra caps to aid overclocking?

I only see AOpen boards now and then but it seems to me they really like those G-Luxon [sometime aka "GL"] caps.
Getting rid of those will probably get you further than adding one VRM cap.

Yeap they've got a ton of G-Luxon caps on it (1000uF and 1500uF capacities). But the CPU VRM has a bunch of Lelon caps at 3300uF, which are still fine ( at least visually).

There are 3x failed 1500uF and 1x 1000uF caps all near the RAM slots.
And 1x 1000uF that is between PCI slots... not sure what to make of it. Part of the AGP VR? Plus I'm going to replace the one other 1000uF that is nearby just in case.

Regardless of the currently blown caps, the mobo POST-s just fine. And I'm even capable of overclocking P4 2.4Ghz @ 2.8Ghz and another 2.8GHZ @ 3.05Ghz all with stock voltage. I ran memtest for an hour each - no problemo. However I have not run any hardcore burn-in tests, but will do when I recap this board.

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Adding extra caps to aid overclocking?

You should replace all of whatever kind [make/series] of cap is blown at least from 6mm up.
Given the assortment you have I'd just replace -everything- 6mm and up.

Blown RAM caps are probably trying to handle more Ripple then they can take which overheats them internally.