Solve : Capacitor fell off my mainboard?

1.	Solve : Capacitor fell off my mainboard?
Answer» Hi, I'm unsure wether or not this is an issue since I haven't had any real troubles from it. I was removing one of my graphics cards. It wouldn't really let go too easily so I gently nudged the card until it got out of the PCI ex slot. Then a capacitor fell down on to the card I was removing. I picked it up but I'm not sure if it's a transistor or a capacitor and I don't know what it's for. It's a small cylindral shaped thing with two small legs of metalwire of some sort. I couldn't find anything similar on the graphics cards so I assume it's from the mainboard. Should I be worried about this? This was weeks ago and the computer runs just fine. I haven't experienced any troubles except this morning when I booted the PC and my bios showed a warning and said the bios CHECKSUM was wrong. It then resetted bios and the PC booted up normally. I have a GA-EX58-UD4P mainboard. Thanks in advice.You're most likely just fine. It is probably a capacitor, and electronics usually have built-in tolerances, so components can usually run within a specified range of settings. It iis likely that missing the one capacitor (which is meant to hold a charge for a specific period of time) is not affecting the overall board. The board would've failed by now if the component was that important. (There is, of course, normal wear.) Keep an eye on things. It's good to be concerned, but don't be worried at this point.One small cap alone like that MAY not be a problem, but as all the components are inserted at the same time and the board is wave soldered such that all the connections are automatically soldered into place by machine, it is POSSIBLE that other components may also be less than secure. I would suggest that it may be wise to remove the motherboard and carefully look over the area of the part where the cap fell off to see if there are any other loose parts or if there are solder joints that look poor . If you see an open gap around a component lead, or a solder joint that LOOKS rough and is not a smooth puddle of solder around the leads, that is a poor joint. These can easily be repaired by using a small low wattage soldering iron with a fine tip and rosin core solder. If you have never soldered on small printed circuit boards, it may be best to let a pro repair shop do this. As for the cap, is it physically damaged? Is the plastic sleeve split or look as though it melted? If so, they may actually be a problem on the board. If not, the cap can be replaced by matching the lead with the solid graphic line down the side to the negative terminal hole on the board. The positive lead will have no marking on the cap but the board will usually have a tiny"+" sign on it. Do NOT reverse the cap. It is better not to have the cap than to reverse it.And are there any numbers or letters on this component?All caps serve a purpose... It may run with no apparent ill effects but you also may risk damaging EXPENSIVE components... Check the MBoard manuf. site...if it's a decent board you should be able to obtain schematics...Thanks for the help so far. I have never done soldering on important components such as this, just practiced when I was still in school. I'm afraid to try it as I feel there's a risk to do more damage than there already is. What concerns me the most is if other parts of the computer, apart from my mainboard will be damaged. I did save for a long time to afford it. If the mainboard's lifecycle just gets shortened it's a problem I can live with. Quote from: Carbon Dudeoxide on July 15, 2009, 08:30:50 AM And are there any numbers or letters on this component? On the very top of the cap it says: A II O, 10, 10 V, Where II is some sort of symbol I don't know what it is. I'm not sure if the O is an actual zerio either.It's a ring of some sort. Quote from: patio on July 15, 2009, 06:26:03 PM All caps serve a purpose... It may run with no apparent ill effects but you also may risk damaging expensive components... Check the MBoard manuf. site...if it's a decent board you should be able to obtain schematics... Being more specific, what exactly should I be looking for?See if the Board manuf. offers diagrams/schematics at their site....If the cap is COVERED with a plastic sleeve it is an electrolytic cap and IS important. The markings show it to be a 10 uf (microfarad) 10volt size. This is usually used close to an IC (integrated circuit) as a DC power filter. They are all over the board, some larger, some smaller. Even though the PSU outputs well filtered DC, as the power is distributed all over the board, spurious electrical noise is created by fans, switches, motors on the hard drives, etc. You are very wise to be hesitant to put a soldering against the circuit board if you have not had considerable experience in do this. One reason is that most circuit boards in computers are not just double sided. Most are layered meaning that there are traces for circuits sandwiched between the inside layers of the board. If you look closely you will see what appears to be tiny holes through the board. These are called "vias" which just means that contact is made to several circuit points on both sides of the board and through the internal layers using the "vias". The holes for the capacitor leads MAY also use vias so the leads contact more than one point in the circuit. These are very delicate and sensitive to temperature limitations form soldering irons. In addition, the contacts are so small that is takes a very fine point temperature controlled soldering iron to safely work on them. With this situation and the fact that you are not comfortable yet working on a board to this level, I strongly advise you to take the capacitor and the board to a certified repair shop. I could not find any schematics on gigabyte's site, but I found a photo and added a red ring around the cap I'm pretty sure is missing. There were two identical ones next to each other, and one is missing. Some replies suggests that this is an issue quite larger then I first expected. I will definitely not try to solder myself, thanks for the reply Gizmologist. I will also talk to my reseller and ask if this could be a possible warranty issue. If not I'll look into repairing. [attachment deleted by admin]Can tell you right know with just reading that little. Its going to be hard to find an there not going to hand those out. Its like saing here's twenty 300 gb drives for free. Let alone tring to understand the symbols an values, whats this ohm looking sigh?Quote from: -Oscar- on July 17, 2009, 05:03:02 AM I will also talk to my reseller and ask if this could be a possible warranty issue. If not I'll look into repairing. It should be covered in your warranty. If the reseller will not honor it then contact Gigabyte. My reseller denyed me warranty. I will try Gigabyte directly for sure. Thanks for the advice!Quote from: -Oscar- on July 17, 2009, 04:49:12 PM My reseller denyed me warranty. I will try Gigabyte directly for sure. Thanks for the advice! I would tell that re-seller you will no longer give him any of your business... Just to tick him off mention you are a Member of a PC Help Forum that has 30,000 Members that won't be buying anything from him in the near future as well......and we can camp out on his electronic or physical doorstep, with acoustic guitars, and sing American folk songs like, "Kumbaya" and "Where Have All The Flowers Gone." Groovy, man. I have an old Dodge van with some blacklights! Stay away from the brown acid, dude.

Answer»

Hi,

I'm unsure wether or not this is an issue since I haven't had any real troubles from it.

I was removing one of my graphics cards. It wouldn't really let go too easily so I gently nudged the card until it got out of the PCI ex slot. Then a capacitor fell down on to the card I was removing. I picked it up but I'm not sure if it's a transistor or a capacitor and I don't know what it's for. It's a small cylindral shaped thing with two small legs of metalwire of some sort. I couldn't find anything similar on the graphics cards so I assume it's from the mainboard.

Should I be worried about this? This was weeks ago and the computer runs just fine. I haven't experienced any troubles except this morning when I booted the PC and my bios showed a warning and said the bios CHECKSUM was wrong. It then resetted bios and the PC booted up normally.

I have a GA-EX58-UD4P mainboard.

Thanks in advice.You're most likely just fine.

It is probably a capacitor, and electronics usually have built-in tolerances, so components can usually run within a specified range of settings. It iis likely that missing the one capacitor (which is meant to hold a charge for a specific period of time) is not affecting the overall board. The board would've failed by now if the component was that important.

(There is, of course, normal wear.)

Keep an eye on things. It's good to be concerned, but don't be worried at this point.One small cap alone like that MAY not be a problem, but as all the components are inserted at the same time and the board is wave soldered such that all the connections are automatically soldered into place by machine, it is POSSIBLE that other components may also be less than secure.

I would suggest that it may be wise to remove the motherboard and carefully look over the area of the part where the cap fell off to see if there are any other loose parts or if there are solder joints that look poor . If you see an open gap around a component lead, or a solder joint that LOOKS rough and is not a smooth puddle of solder around the leads, that is a poor joint.

These can easily be repaired by using a small low wattage soldering iron with a fine tip and rosin core solder. If you have never soldered on small printed circuit boards, it may be best to let a pro repair shop do this.

As for the cap, is it physically damaged? Is the plastic sleeve split or look as though it melted? If so, they may actually be a problem on the board. If not, the cap can be replaced by matching the lead with the solid graphic line down the side to the negative terminal hole on the board. The positive lead will have no marking on the cap but the board will usually have a tiny"+" sign on it. Do NOT reverse the cap. It is better not to have the cap than to reverse it.And are there any numbers or letters on this component?All caps serve a purpose...
It may run with no apparent ill effects but you also may risk damaging EXPENSIVE components...
Check the MBoard manuf. site...if it's a decent board you should be able to obtain schematics...Thanks for the help so far.

I have never done soldering on important components such as this, just practiced when I was still in school. I'm afraid to try it as I feel there's a risk to do more damage than there already is.

What concerns me the most is if other parts of the computer, apart from my mainboard will be damaged. I did save for a long time to afford it. If the mainboard's lifecycle just gets shortened it's a problem I can live with.

Quote from: Carbon Dudeoxide on July 15, 2009, 08:30:50 AM

And are there any numbers or letters on this component?

On the very top of the cap it says:

A II O,
10,
10 V,

Where II is some sort of symbol I don't know what it is. I'm not sure if the O is an actual zerio either.It's a ring of some sort.

Quote from: patio on July 15, 2009, 06:26:03 PM

All caps serve a purpose...
It may run with no apparent ill effects but you also may risk damaging expensive components...
Check the MBoard manuf. site...if it's a decent board you should be able to obtain schematics...

Being more specific, what exactly should I be looking for?See if the Board manuf. offers diagrams/schematics at their site....If the cap is COVERED with a plastic sleeve it is an electrolytic cap and IS important.
The markings show it to be a 10 uf (microfarad) 10volt size. This is usually used close to an IC (integrated circuit) as a DC power filter. They are all over the board, some larger, some smaller.

Even though the PSU outputs well filtered DC, as the power is distributed all over the board, spurious electrical noise is created by fans, switches, motors on the hard drives, etc.

You are very wise to be hesitant to put a soldering against the circuit board if you have not had considerable experience in do this. One reason is that most circuit boards in computers are not just double sided. Most are layered meaning that there are traces for circuits sandwiched between the inside layers of the board.

If you look closely you will see what appears to be tiny holes through the board. These are called "vias" which just means that contact is made to several circuit points on both sides of the board and through the internal layers using the "vias". The holes for the capacitor leads MAY also use vias so the leads contact more than one point in the circuit.

These are very delicate and sensitive to temperature limitations form soldering irons. In addition, the contacts are so small that is takes a very fine point temperature controlled soldering iron to safely work on them.

With this situation and the fact that you are not comfortable yet working on a board to this level, I strongly advise you to take the capacitor and the board to a certified repair shop. I could not find any schematics on gigabyte's site, but I found a photo and added a red ring around the cap I'm pretty sure is missing.

There were two identical ones next to each other, and one is missing.

Some replies suggests that this is an issue quite larger then I first expected. I will definitely not try to solder myself, thanks for the reply Gizmologist.

I will also talk to my reseller and ask if this could be a possible warranty issue. If not I'll look into repairing.

[attachment deleted by admin]Can tell you right know with just reading that little. Its going to be hard to find an there not going to hand those out. Its like saing here's twenty 300 gb drives for free. Let alone tring to understand the symbols an values, whats this ohm looking sigh?Quote from: -Oscar- on July 17, 2009, 05:03:02 AM

I will also talk to my reseller and ask if this could be a possible warranty issue. If not I'll look into repairing.

It should be covered in your warranty. If the reseller will not honor it then contact Gigabyte. My reseller denyed me warranty. I will try Gigabyte directly for sure. Thanks for the advice!Quote from: -Oscar- on July 17, 2009, 04:49:12 PM

My reseller denyed me warranty. I will try Gigabyte directly for sure. Thanks for the advice!

I would tell that re-seller you will no longer give him any of your business...
Just to tick him off mention you are a Member of a PC Help Forum that has 30,000 Members that won't be buying anything from him in the near future as well......and we can camp out on his electronic or physical doorstep, with acoustic guitars, and sing American folk songs like, "Kumbaya" and "Where Have All The Flowers Gone."

Groovy, man. I have an old Dodge van with some blacklights!

Stay away from the brown acid, dude.

Solve : Capacitor fell off my mainboard?

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