eVGA 7300GT went boom

[lucky13]

Well here it is...



Apparently the computer made a loud boom noise and the set went off. Won't boot anymore.

Found the video card fan had seized up and a bunch of caps exploded.



I counted there are 6 FZ 1500uF/6.3V caps and 5 of them had exploded.

There are also 4 FZ 470uF/16V but they have not exploded.

A quick meter check found the 5V rail (?) for the 6.3V is shorted. This probably explains why the mobo would not boot with this card in the PCI-e slot.

Haven't decided if I should recap this card yet...

[gdement]

Re: eVGA 7300GT went boom

Wow.
I have an EVGA 7200SE, not in my computer though. I'd think such conservative cards would be reliable. Sacon FZ will kill anything apparently.

[bgavin]

Re: eVGA 7300GT went boom

It seems a waste to recap that card.
I like EVGA, but the fans die quickly. This one probably has mileage on it.
The short that blew the caps is the determining factor for me to toss the card.

You can get a real nice 9500 GT in the Sparkle SFPX95GT512U2HP at Newegg for $49.95. I'm putting a lot of these in client machines.
They run the latest nVidia drivers, and really haul ass.

The Sparkle is a passive cooled card, so spend another $9.95 for a Rocket V cooler in the PCI slot near the video card. This has twin 70mm fans with Hi/Lo switch. Quiet, cheap cooling. My 9500 GT runs about 38C at work in the case.

[lucky13]

Re: eVGA 7300GT went boom

bgavin, thanks for the tip on the passive cooled card.

If I can figure out what get shorted, I might still recap this for testing purposes. I will replace all FZ with panny FM caps.

[lucky13]

Re: eVGA 7300GT went boom

Darn, it is 73 bucks in newegg.ca

[lucky13]

Re: eVGA 7300GT went boom

OK, U17 is totally shorted. U18 appears to be half shorted too.

Can't seem to find any spec on these 2 things...



Anyone know who NIKOS is?

[kikkoman]

Re: eVGA 7300GT went boom

http://products.niko-sem.com/index_en.php


i see them on lots of stuff. they must be cheap and huge.

[Toasty]

Re: eVGA 7300GT went boom

bgavin >>You can get a real nice 9500 GT in the Sparkle SFPX95GT512U2HP at Newegg for $49.95.<<

And the 1 Gig version for $5 more.

[Toasty]

Re: eVGA 7300GT went boom

lucky13 >>OK, U17 is totally shorted. U18 appears to be half shorted too.<<

How did you figure that? If you test them in circuit, you could be reading other components which will give a false positive. You need to lift the 2 legs and check it. VERY CAREFULLY as many have ripped the traces/pads on the boards doing so.

Toast

EDIT: Here's datasheet:

[lucky13]

Re: eVGA 7300GT went boom

Gee, you guys are fast in finding the spec sheet.

Took me awhile just to get this:



Anyone know what can sub this?

[lucky13]

Re: eVGA 7300GT went boom

lucky13 >>OK, U17 is totally shorted. U18 appears to be half shorted too.<<

How did you figure that? If you test them in circuit, you could be reading other components which will give a false positive. You need to lift the 2 legs and check it. VERY CAREFULLY as many have ripped the traces/pads on the boards doing so.

Toast

EDIT: Here's datasheet:

There are 3 of these P2003BDG on the card. I ohmed each the same way and I noticed that U17 is 0 ohm any which way I have the probes. Thus I concluded that U17 is shorted.

I unplugged the fan connector and ohmmed the terminal on the card. It reads 0.2 ohm. So that means the whatever is the fan voltage driving from, it is shorted.

Am I right?

Maybe I will unsolder that tomorrow and ohm it again.

[Scenic]

Re: eVGA 7300GT went boom

remove all caps (the 16V ones too!) and measure again.

i had a card where i thought those mosfets were shorted, but in fact, the caps (the usual exploded sacons) were dead shorted... false positive..

worked fine after a recap.. and i thought about trashing it bc. of the "shorted" mosfets.. *argh*

[lucky13]

Re: eVGA 7300GT went boom

remove all caps (the 16V ones too!) and measure again.

i had a card where i thought those mosfets were shorted, but in fact, the caps (the usual exploded sacons) were dead shorted... false positive..

worked fine after a recap.. and i thought about trashing it bc. of the "shorted" mosfets.. *argh*

Scenic,

Thanks for your suggestion. Sadly, after I removed all the FZ caps, I check the resistance across the fan socket on the board (yank off fan), it is still shorted.

[lucky13]

Re: eVGA 7300GT went boom

lucky13 >>OK, U17 is totally shorted. U18 appears to be half shorted too.<<

How did you figure that? If you test them in circuit, you could be reading other components which will give a false positive. You need to lift the 2 legs and check it. VERY CAREFULLY as many have ripped the traces/pads on the boards doing so.

Toast

EDIT: Here's datasheet:

Toasty,

I unsoldered the G and S leads as you recommend. Unfortunately U17 is shorted all around!

U18, however, turns out is not shorted.

Anyhow, it appears unlikely I can get a sub for this MOSFET, I will probably just keep it for salvage other MOSFETS when needed.

[Toasty]

Re: eVGA 7300GT went boom

http://www.mouser.com/Search/Product...3rytrDKVsJQ%3d

Need to review specs, but probably close enough. Might just replace both so they match.

[lucky13]

Re: eVGA 7300GT went boom

Mmm, thanks toasty.

I still need to track down where the short is on this card....

[kc8adu]

Re: eVGA 7300GT went boom

Scenic,

Thanks for your suggestion. Sadly, after I removed all the FZ caps, I check the resistance across the fan socket on the board (yank off fan), it is still shorted.

fan often runs from +12.
i would pull any shorted mosfets and input caps first.

[bgavin]

Re: eVGA 7300GT went boom

bgavin >>You can get a real nice 9500 GT in the Sparkle SFPX95GT512U2HP at Newegg for $49.95.<<

And the 1 Gig version for $5 more.

The 1gb card is a complete dog.

[Toasty]

Re: eVGA 7300GT went boom

>>The 1gb card is a complete dog.<<
Why? Same chipset...? Adding 512M more RAM makes it crappy?

Weird

[bgavin]

Re: eVGA 7300GT went boom

They changed the heat sink. Not nearly as well secured, etc.
I was tipped off in advance by Newegg feedback.

However, the 512mb card is a real beauty.
Very fast, rock solid build, runs 38C with a Rocket V cooler in the next PCI slot.
For $50 USD, I'm stoked. Bought several for client machines.