I burned my motherboard

[Manny 1,293]

OK I just built my PC and I connected everything (Properly I thought) and switched it on to see the POST.

 

Instead I noticed that the chassis fans were not running..But the CPU cooler was running.. By the time I realized what was going on, I saw smoke and smelt a pungent odor. I turned the power off.

 

Then I realized what I had done wrong.

 

The power to the mother board has two main power connection. One is in the front of the motherboard, the 24 (The long) power connector and then at the back there is a 8 pin power connector.

 

My PC Power and Cooling PSU has tonnes of rails where mostly they are 6+2 Pin connectors like the one you use for your Video card. I didn't see the 8 pin power initially..so I connected the 6+2 to that connection.

 

That pretty much burned it. Now the plastic thing is melted I suspect and melded to the Power connector of the MB and I can't pull it out.

 

I fessed up to Amazon and they are sending me a replacement overnight. Thank You Amazon. I even told them that I had damaged the MB and I cannot send the old one back and they said, its all right and I don't have to send it back. . I lurv Amazon.

 

But now, I have a problem.. I see the MB is proally trashed...but how do I remove that 6+2 power rail. If I cut it, those 6+2 would be exposed. Any suggestions? I could rip that Blue female thingi off of the motherboard.. Not sure if thats such a good idea?

 

What do I do? I hope I didn't damange anything else in the process.

 

BTW..after the whole disasaster, I noticed the 8 pin power rail in the clutter of power rails.

 

Sheesh!

 

Manny

 

ASUS Intel Z77 ATX DDR3 2400 LGA 1155 Motherboard P8Z77-V

[TechguyMaxC 516]

So you need to send the PSU back but not the mobo? I think the best thing to do in this case is to rip the mobo's 8-pin connector off and then carefully use pliers to take that connector off of the end of the 6+2 pin cable, once you have it out of the system. Does that make sense?

[Manny 1,293]

I am getting the MB replaced

 

 

I bought the PSU like 10 months ago..not even sure where I bought it from. Would the PSU be damaged because of this?

 

http://www.amazon.co...37901225&sr=8-1

 

I assume that my MB is gone and getting a replacement for the motherboard.

 

Manny

 

Another Q is, If I remove the CPU and the cooler..do I have to remove the thermal paste? or Do I just take it and put it in the new mb as is.

 

Manny

[TechguyMaxC 516]

Ah, I see. Well, it is possible that the PSU is also damaged, I would be a little hesitant to re-use it if I were you but you could just avoid using that plug again and chances are that everything else will work just fine.

 

When you remove the CPU and HSF you will want to re-apply thermal paste as the removal process will introduce air bubbles which are very detrimental to cooling performance.

[Manny 1,293]

IF I have to reapply the thermal paste, what is the best way to clean the CPU and the cooler base to remove the old thermal paste? Anything that I have to buy or something I can use from my household item?

 

Yeah.. About the PSU Not sure what to do... I may have to go to FRY's electonics and buy another 900Watt PSU. thats going to cost me

 

MAnny

[alainneedle1 97]

[TechguyMaxC 516]

IF I have to reapply the thermal paste, what is the best way to clean the CPU and the cooler base to remove the old thermal paste? Anything that I have to buy or something I can use from my household item?

 

Yeah.. About the PSU Not sure what to do... I may have to go to FRY's electonics and buy another 900Watt PSU. thats going to cost me

 

MAnny

 

Good chance you'll be ok, but if you do need to get another, don't bother with such a high powered unit unless you run multiple high-end graphics cards. I have a 760W unit in my system for example, I draw perhaps half of what it's rated for under full system load.

[Manny 1,293]

Thanks Techguy. I appreciate it.

 

I went to Fry's before they closed and got myself a PSU. A Corsair 1050Watt... I know..its too much power..but what the heck. It cost me $240 with taxes an all. I am not going to open it. I plan to talk to PC Power and Cooling to see what their take on it about me trying to reuse their PSU after I cut off the PCI-E and terminate the 6 wires (+2 looks ok) and if they say I may be ok and if I works, then I'll return the Corsair.

 

The reason I have this kind of power is, I do plan to use multiple monitor setup and I may use another Video Card later in a two card setup.

 

Alainneedle,

 

Thanks for the Video. Yes.. I also got the Isoprophyl alcohol. They told me I need to be careful to make sure the Thermal paste does not fall the MB since its very very conductive and it could short something. Good to know

 

Manny

 

I can only keep my fingers crossed that I didn't burn the CPU ( i7 3550K) and memory GSkill.

[MrMaestro 0]

I didn't see the 8 pin power initially..so I connected the 6+2 to that connection.

 

Aren't power connectors keyed so just this sort of thing is basically impossible to do?

[Manny 1,293]

No.. the 6+2 fit in nicely. Remember when there were 4 molex connectors they give all these adapters to join two molex pin to make on PCI-E power and what not. Yeah.. Thought this was the same.

 

LOL :)

[Manny 1,293]

OK..

 

1)I got the replacement MB

 

2) I called PC Power and Cooling and they told me that I should be fine with using the PSU and It was a good Idea that I cut the PCI-E wires that I had a problem with and terminate it with rubber shrink thingi. They said if there was a problem with the PSU it simply would shut down. They also told me of I had any concern I could RMA it and get a new one. I told them this was my fault with hooking up the PCI-E to the 8 Pin connection. and I had to cut the wires since the connector was melted and fused with the MB 8 pin connector. He said it was fine. Man, customer service is getting better or what?

 

 

 

So..I used the same PSU (PC Power and cooling). I did not open the Corsair PSU That I got last night.. and I rechecked all the connection and with nervousness, I powered it on.

 

 

It posted right away.

 

It gave me a red warning for the CPU _Fan since the RPM was low. on the UEFI BIOS Utility . .I turned the system power off and checked the connection. But this time I removed the second fan I have the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo in Push Pull config.. and turned the system power back on again, the CPU fan seems ok now..ITs running at 686 RPM. My Chassis fan is still red since its RPM is low at 509 RPM..But that fan is big in front of the HAF 932 Advanced Case.

 

The temperature is reading

 

CPU = 34 C

MB = 32 C

 

The case is open

 

CPU voltage = 1.08

 

Does it look normal?

 

Manny