Gigabyte GA-7VXAP ULTRA Rev 1.2

[starfury1]

Hi All

Thought I would post this for reference

Please not different revisions and possibly even with in this revision,
capacitor brands will change, think early ones had crap caps.

Sanyo 3300 uF 6v3 WG (I think) 4 off positions EC 23.25.27.37

Rubycon 1500 uF 6V3 MBZ 3 off positions EC 5,6,17
(yellow x they are under the cable)

1200 uF 6V3 KZE 2 off positions EC31,38
(the X's are a bit hard to see top left)

lastly I think the one beside the KZE is a Nichicon 1000 uF 6V3

hard to read them since I didn't pull the pcb out (yet).

Fets are NEC K3405 positions of Q 59.57.60.62
Q36 15N03L
(not the full numbers of course)

They look ok at this point and are not bad quality but I am looking to replace them soon when I pull the box down
(there are 2 I am a bit concerned about)

So its the great quality cap hunt here in OZ....

[pentium]

Re: Gigabyte GA-7VXAP ULTRA Rev 1.2

It may also be nice to populate those other empty cap sockets.

[Rainbow]

Re: Gigabyte GA-7VXAP ULTRA Rev 1.2

You don't need to change anything as you're lucky owner of a Gigabyte board with good caps. Some of them are like this, some have GSC and CHOYO instead...

[starfury1]

Re: Gigabyte GA-7VXAP ULTRA Rev 1.2

Thanks guys

yeah it been running fine with them and remembering the old
"don't fix it if it ain't broke" saying

but I am going to upgrade the CPU so was thinking while I am there
(not that I am going to see a great speed increase but since Ive got it)

posted this more for mine and others future reference really.

Cheers

[starfury1]

Re: Gigabyte GA-7VXAP ULTRA Rev 1.2

OK decided to fix what isn't broke.

Well actually in the mean time build a new system that left me broke.

Anyway

Althought it had some good quality caps and really didn't need to be re capped.
Since I was intending to throw a new CPU in
(not that theres any real difference in the two)
AMD 2400 Sempron 2500, (needs BIOS vers F7)

I recapped it

Replaced 4 X Sanyo WG 3,300 uf with 9 X 2,200 uf Panasonic FM

replaced 2 X KZE 1,200 uf With 1,500uF uf Panasonic FM
All 6V3

Now I know some here will see this as a bit of a down grade with respect to the use FM's and Heat but I'll see how it goes
(see discussions on aqueous & non-aqueous construction and heat)

BTW I and another forum member worked out that his Sanyo WG's had Clocked about 12,000 Hrs in his VRM running a P4 and checked OK so yeah really no need to change them

The VRM Chip is a Fairchild FAN5091 from what I could work out from the numbers.

So far so good but time will tell and I think we are in for another brutal summer heat wise, so that box will probably run real warm.

cheers

[starfury1]

Re: Gigabyte GA-7VXAP ULTRA Rev 1.2

Hi all

Part of the reason I wanted extra caps was cause the heatsink was larger
So the idea was to spread the load plus maybe decrease the chance of total cap failure from heat due to more caps being there.
(this may have been a somewhat self defeating exercise if the above holds true, aqueous & non-aqueous)

total output capacitance was 13,200uf before now 19,800 so makes an extra 6,600uf (nominal)

It had done some long hours with the old caps, so guess time will tell how it goes with the new ones

few photos for reference
(yeah I know the small chipset fan is crooked)

cheers

[starfury1]

Re: Gigabyte GA-7VXAP ULTRA Rev 1.2

just a foot note

I checked the ESR of the original caps on Bob Parkers (thanks Bob )
ESR meter and 00 bouncing on 1 with 1 cap
So according to that there was nothing wrong with them.

In fact I put another different cap on to see if its was working

Cheers