P4V533-MX only uses 1500uF caps!

[lucky13]

Here we have an Asus P4V533-MX board.

The computer was powered off due to lightning storm approaching. However, the computer no longer starts up the next day.

Found P/S dead; even 5Vsb is gone.



There are only 3 KZE caps 1500uF/6.3V each



There are 5 more Elite 1500uF/6.3V with an empty spot.



That's all?

The rest of the board is populatred with OSTs:




What also gets me is the location of the ATX power connector:



So when you plug in the power connector from the p/s, it actually puses one of the KZE caps towards the heatsink!



So, recapping the board will be at least the Elites. But what to do with the leaning KZE?

[ratdude747]

Re: P4V533-MX only uses 1500uF caps!

some chimicons are heat sensitive. a lighning hit could fry anything. redo anything in question.

[ratdude747]

Re: P4V533-MX only uses 1500uF caps!

oh, you have powmax. just can it, powmax is complete trash. good for fans and wire (thin unsafe wire). not worth the effort.

[Per Hansson]

Re: P4V533-MX only uses 1500uF caps!

"But what to do with the leaning KZE?"
If you want you could put a new cap there installed 90° (if there is room for it)
I.e. flush against the board, you will of course need longer legs on the cap

[Newbie2]

Re: P4V533-MX only uses 1500uF caps!

Replace the POWMAX power supply with something better, and replace the Elite caps.

[lucky13]

Re: P4V533-MX only uses 1500uF caps!

Powmax is already in the trash bin. No sense to even open it as it is so light.

I am just surprised at 1500uF is the highest capacitance used. Not 3300uF, or even 2200uF!

[Wizard]

Re: P4V533-MX only uses 1500uF caps!

Get another PSU. That PSU ATX's plug clip is bad design on this one you have that is too far out. The good one are slim and have room without touching this cap.

Cheers, Wizard

[PCBONEZ]

Re: P4V533-MX only uses 1500uF caps!

KZE should be fine. - It's KZG and maybe KZJ that have heat issues.
Elite are major *C*R*A*P* but they usually bloat when they fail.
OST can be just crap or have heat issues. They may or may not bloat.
-
Caps do sound a bit light duty for that board.
Capacitance [uF] doesn't matter so much as ESR in VRM but ESR on KZE isn't so low as to be using that few of them.
.

[lucky13]

Re: P4V533-MX only uses 1500uF caps!

My first poly recap job done! Sorry, did not take pictures as the board is done and returned back to user.

I replaced those Elite with 820uF poly caps. Man, they are very tight to put in!

[PCBONEZ]

Re: P4V533-MX only uses 1500uF caps!

Congrats!
Sounds like a good choice too.

[robert]

Re: P4V533-MX only uses 1500uF caps!

Recently did one as well.
This one really displayed the quality of "Elite": None were bulged, but case heights varied by 2.5mm between these! Never saw such shoddy manufacturing before, even GSC LE were all the same length.

Just replaced every single cap on there with 1500u/10V 8x20mm Sanyo WG (well, i do have a few large bags of these, if anyone needs some, PM me.)
Was approx. 15min of work, so its worth it.
Works fine.
The board is a cheap piece of ... though, slow as a slug.
They also decided to power the VRM off +5V, so not good for recent PSUs.

BTW, for those that dont know it yet, the fastest way in soldering is like this:
Get a good temp controlled soldering iron with a wide tip, 5mm minimum. Im using an ERSA TechTool on a Digital 60A.
Fix the board vertically in a vise or so
Prepare new caps with approx. 3mm leads
Touch soldering iron to both pins of the old cap at the same time, apply some fresh solder, with the other hand pull out the old cap and (within short time) insert new cap, all without movild the soldering iron.Wait for 1sec before removing iron to allow a good solder joint.
After finishing, inspect for quality of solder joints and any solder balls, if necessary rework.
Needs some practice on trash boards, but it works really fast (complete ~30cap replacement less then 15min) and risks no damage.

[stj]

Re: P4V533-MX only uses 1500uF caps!

lightning wont effect caps,
you need to look for dead semiconductors.

if the psu is dead then start by looking at the fet's
if the mobo is dead then it's probably got about as much chance of resurrection as osama!
the only exception is if the flash got erased, but programming a flashchip isnt easy for most people.

[PCBONEZ]

Re: P4V533-MX only uses 1500uF caps!

Elite are crap. - Right around GSC.
Elite are fairly common fails in LCD screens.
Viewsonic used lots of Elite for a while.

[robert]

Re: P4V533-MX only uses 1500uF caps!

First pic really shows the quality of Elite. Cant even get consistent length...

As for replacing all the OST 1000/6.3 with 1500/10V WG:
The OST all are used as filter capacitors for 3.3/5v, e.g no place where they could affect the stability of a voltage regulator with their much lower ESR.
I replaced the green KZE for good measure, also because one seemed to be damaged from removing the ATX connector.