PS3 CECHC04 no power

[N3Star]

Hi all,
I have 2 mobos - both COK-002, one with YLOD and without NEC/TOKINs on one side (if needed any comparison measurements I also have working COK-002) and one that literally doesn't do anything. So far I checked roughly capacitors on both sides, none seem to be shorted. Another thing are voltages coming to CSW-001 board - on the connector seems to be no sign of 1.6V, 3.3V or 2.8V (comparing to YLOD mobo), but 5V coming from PSU is present, I am unable to check if 12V is present on mobo as it "activates" when PSU is on. Also resistances on RSX caps seem to be quite low - less than 2 Ohms, but if it powers on I will be able to check syscon errors.

[stj]

Re: PS3 CECHC04 no power

well if one works cant you test all the psu's in it?
as for the damned prodalizer caps, i think they temporarilly heal if you heat them - thats why people used to think reflowing was the fix - it wasnt but the heat was healing the caps!!
(temporarily)

btw, you probably already know this, but you can power them up without the fan if you have alternative cooling - they amazingly arent monitoring the fan rpm!

[N3Star]

Re: PS3 CECHC04 no power

Sorry I didn't mention that, I will replace both RSX and NECs on both (at least on one mobo).
Yeah, as You mentioned, having just one failure point being quite easy to replace NECs would be perfect, but unfortunately in most cases for reliable operation RSX has to be replaced as the balls and glue holding substrate and silicon core are damaged. I somehow got my hands on CECHH mobo with 90nm RSX that has 25days power-on-time and less then 500 cycles so when I will feel confident enough in my BGA soldering skills I will try to replace original chip. Of course, thermal cycles and time aren't everything, but on used boards I have to rely solely on them. You also can try doing same as Sony did for refurbs - replace old RSX with 40nm one, but it needs some other microchip or so i read. As for PSU, I don't even have the PSU that came with them, I just use known good CECHE PSU for all testing. NECs unfortunately don't cause power loss, they just cause YLOD and syscon error, if I recall correctly A0401002 error code.

I didn't know about the cooler though, good to know. Maybe liquid cooled BC PS3 would be a good project in the future

[stj]

Re: PS3 CECHC04 no power

if the nec's short, you dont have the core voltage for the main chips - it shuts the buck convertor down

[N3Star]

Re: PS3 CECHC04 no power

I measured resistances on: (probes alone shorted - 0.7Ohm, all measurements on the backside)
failed NECs on SEM-001 BE - 4.2Ohm, RSX - 3.5Ohm,
second failed NECs SEM-001 BE - 8.1Ohm, (3 NECs replaced with 7 in total 470uF tantalums, still not working) BE - 7.7Ohm, RSX - 2.2Ohm,
failed RSX SEM-001 BE - 5.4Ohm, RSX - 3.7Ohm,
second failed RSX SEM-001 BE - 3.3Ohm, RSX - 2.3Ohm,

working SEM-001 BE - 4.5Ohm, RSX - 2.6Ohm,
second working SEM-001 BE - 3.3Ohm, RSX -2.5Ohm,
third working SEM-001 BE - 5.0Ohm, RSX - 2.8Ohm,

working DIA-001 BE - 5.1Ohm, RSX - 4.2Ohm,

failed RSX COK-002 (2 RSX NECs present) BE - 3.2Ohm, RSX - 3.2Ohm,
no power COK-002 BE - 2.1Ohm, RSX - 2.7Ohm

So, you might be actually right, CELLs caps are only ~1.4Ohms, I've heard that NECs below 2Ohms might cause trouble, tomorrow I will try and piggyback 2 or 4 these 470uf tantalums and check after that

[N3Star]

Re: PS3 CECHC04 no power

Although I managed to repair one of the failed NECs SEM-001 - second after reading syscon errors shows problem with RSX - same method didn't help with the mobo in question. I also tried just heating the caps up at 200 degrees @2mins each, no positive resault either.

[N3Star]

Re: PS3 CECHC04 no power

Although I managed to repair one of the failed NECs SEM-001 - second after reading syscon errors shows problem with RSX - same method didn't help with the mobo in question. I also tried just heating the caps up at 200 degrees @2mins each, no positive resault either.

NECs most probably will be a cause of YLOD somewhere in the future, but for now there is 1.8V, but no 3.3V on the mobo. Which IC does the 12V -> 3.3V? I guess it is IC6003 (MB39A116), but maybe there are more converters I need to check before I go and fight with hot air.

[N3Star]

Re: PS3 CECHC04 no power

I somehow managed to "repair" it by changing IC6005 from the SEM-001. Why in quotes? Syscon tells me that there is a problem with RSX, as expected. At least its last owner kind of took care of it, as there was no sign of errors up to 2016 and it has >2000 cycles and >4500hours on it.

[stj]

Re: PS3 CECHC04 no power

what is ic6005?

[N3Star]

Re: PS3 CECHC04 no power

It's a SB_5V -> SB_3.3V voltage regulator, NCP511SN33T1G, successfully replaced by TK63133SCL-G. Look here, page 23, there are two 3.3V converters, one on each side, but only IC6005 is enabled on stand-by, on schematic its output is marked as +3.3V_EVER, second one is enabled by IC6004.

[stj]

Re: PS3 CECHC04 no power

nice and simple then