my MSI K9N SLI Platinum

[TomMe]

Today I examined the electrolytic capacitors on my newly bought MSI K9N SLI Platinum. I noticed the board is packed with a variety of capacitor brands. I was hoping you guys could point out any potential problematic ones (if any).

• Teapo
  -1x 04/06 - SS 105°C - 10V 220uF
  -3x 04/06 - SC 105°C - 100uF 16V
  -1x 04/06 - SEK 105°C - 100uF 16V
  -2x 01/06 - SS 105°C - 10uF 25V
• G-Luxon
  -3x FX 105°C - 602 P(M) - 100uF - 16V
• United Chemi-Con
  -5x KZG - 16V - 470uF - (M) 105°C - 6(7) - 2M
  -7x KZG - 6.3V - 1000uF - (M) 105°C - 6(7) - 2M
  -1x KZG - 6.3V - 1000uF - (M) 105°C - 6(7) - 2I
  -3x KMG - 6.3V - 470uF - (M) 105°C - 5N - N(Q)
  -1x KMG - 6.3V - 470uF - (M) 105°C - 5N - L(Q) (not sure about the L(Q)..was a bit unreadable)
  -3x KZJ - 16V - 1000uF - 5(9) - P3
• Panasonic
  -2x 61IIOU - 1500uF - 6.3V - +105°C FJ
  -1x 62IIRZ - 1500uF - 16V - +105°C FJ
  -2x 62IRZ - 1500uF - 16V - +105°C FJ
  -1x 61IRS - 1500uF - 16V - +105°C FJ
  -6x 62IVTR - 3300uF - 6.3V - +105°C FJ

I also would like to note that some of them are not installed 100% perpendicular to the motherboard..does this matter? Some of the Panasonic ones look a bit "filthy" on the top compared to the rest, nothing major though. And some of them have a bit of white sticky substance on them (some sort of glue I guess), I also find this on my MSI graphics card.

Thanks!

[willawake]

Re: my MSI K9N SLI Platinum

all values below 330uf are disregarded because likely not to fail. the rest are fine. KMG are general purpose not low esr caps, where are they located anyway for curiosity's sake? its probably fine though.

And some of them have a bit of white sticky substance on them

someone jizzed on your board?

[Shroomie]

Re: my MSI K9N SLI Platinum

Sounds fine to me. Similar to my EPoX, except that there are Rubys in place of the UCCs.

The little G-Luxons are on everything, but I've never seen a little one fail...yet...now I'm jinxed though.

[TomMe]

Re: my MSI K9N SLI Platinum

Great, thanks guys!

KMG are general purpose not low esr caps, where are they located anyway for curiosity's sake? its probably fine though.

I included a picture of the board, the KMGs have a red dot and a red arrow pointing towards them.

someone jizzed on your board?

Lol! I think I'll stick with glue.

edit: Oh right, the picture is of the non-SLI version but the boards are practically the same.

[willawake]

Re: my MSI K9N SLI Platinum

well who knows what those caps do.

it has three phase power which is poor but they certainly did not skimp on the amount of caps. tell us how it goes.

[gonzo0815]

Re: my MSI K9N SLI Platinum

MSI has other quirks, so they usually do not install those high uf ceramic smd caps on the board and they had left some silk scren where some elektrolytic caps should be installed.
In my opinions, trodas work has for me proven the importance of those bigger ceramic caps, as for the first micro or nanoseconds of an transient the bigger caps can`t deliver the current. This is not particularly new for anyone familiar with elektronics.
But of course, if the system is performing well, no problem.

[yanz]

Re: my MSI K9N SLI Platinum

all values below 330uf are disregarded because likely not to fail.

i would like to say that i no longer agree with this. recaping those tiny caps (teapo or else) arround bios battery/cmos chip on some 3-4 year old mobos will cure some misterius problem like unable to restart/shutdown altough the pc is 100% stable. i would say it's not urgently to recap those little caps, but eventually it need to be recapped.

all the panasonic caps are made in 2006. thanks for including the details (date code of the FJ caps). i would be very interested to know the height of those FJ caps (to be included in my database of FJ caps, FJ caps caractheristic is about the same with OST RLX)...

i think those KMGs are fine there. those places probably wont have excessive loads, so no need for caps with lower esr, just the capacitance will do.

about what gonzo said, that is if you want to overclock your cpu to ~3ghz and you need to do about every optimization that are possible. but for me, i wont do that with a msi board.

[gonzo0815]

Re: my MSI K9N SLI Platinum

Your right, for the speed it was build fore, probably those caps aren`t necesary. No designer want to build a lyout at the absolut limit. So it probably dos well without them. In any way, i`ve noticed , that most MSI boards have usually not that stable vcore, e.g it fluktuates. Other brands are in this regard better.
But yes, this problably won`t mather for most users.

[willawake]

Re: my MSI K9N SLI Platinum

FJ caps caractheristic is about the same with OST RLX)

do you have a link to spec sheet?

[yanz]

Re: my MSI K9N SLI Platinum

it is hidden somewhere in the OST Web pages. not a spec sheet but a comparison application between their caps and manufacturers such panasnonic, rubycon, and ncc.

i found the "FJ" listed in the panasonic colom. OST corp must have the real FJ's data sheet.

btw, their claim: OST RLX = Panasnonic FJ = Rubycon MBZ = NCC KZG

[yanz]

Re: my MSI K9N SLI Platinum

here it is: http://www.ost.com.tw/products_ec_competitive.asp

i wish panasonic website is as simple as ostor's.

[TomMe]

Re: my MSI K9N SLI Platinum

Hello again,

I've had some trouble with my new motherboard..apparantly when I use memory in Channel A (DIMM 1 or 2), I get all sorts of BSODs during WinXP installation and errors in Memtest. Everything runs fine when using Channel B (DIMM 3 or 4), spent a whole day playing Oblivion with it. Tomorrow they're coming to pick up my board, test it and if indeed it's damaged, replace it.

I must say that I accidentaly bent a pin on my CPU when cleaning the pins because thermal paste got over them. I pulled the CPU along with the heatsink out of the socket with the lever closed, because the heatsink and CPU stuck together. Couldn't have foreseen that, damn you AMD!
Can this have anything to do with the problem I'm experiencing?

Anyway, if it's the board, I can replace it. I can probably get a more expensive ASUS one, with 8 phase power and what not. What would you guys do? Any other suggestions perhaps? I wouldn't mind spending a bit more money for more stability.

yanz, I'll measure those FJs later today when I take the board out of its case.

[TomMe]

Re: my MSI K9N SLI Platinum

Oh right, forgot to say that I managed to straighten the bent pin and it looks and feels like new. Wouldn't want to give any wrong ideas.

Still..I don't feel comfortable with my CPU now..

[Galvanized]

Re: my MSI K9N SLI Platinum

You can check the pin outs at AMD's site. It might just be an extra ground. Most have no issue at all, after straightening pins. Repeated bending will break them however. Most use a credit card to make sure they are straight with the others. A 0.5mm mechanical pencil will just fit over the pins, works ;-).
Pre-heat a stubborn HS by running a stress test or warming with a heat gun/hair dryer, then twist and tilt as it is removed. I put a cardboard dam around the HS to contain the heated air of the heat gun. Works real good.

[TomMe]

Re: my MSI K9N SLI Platinum

Thanks for the tip, but since Arctic Silver doesn't give me this issue I'll just keep using that. Another lesson learned, no more standard paste for me.

Can't find any info on the AM2 pins, only 939, 940, 754. Oh well, we'll just see what the store says and go from there.

As for the FJs..they measure around 2.4 cm in height and 1 cm in diameter. It's not exact but it's the best I can do.

[yanz]

Re: my MSI K9N SLI Platinum

As for the FJs..they measure around 2.4 cm in height and 1 cm in diameter. It's not exact but it's the best I can do.

Thanks for the info. I guess that's for 3300uf ones.