Damaged 3080fe rear cap (with a cracking ending)

Tiamat21 · 17 Mar 2021 at 11:34

Just went to add some thermal pads to the back of my 3080fe and noticed this:

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Any ideas guys? It's rock solid when I touch it so I doubt I broke it. Going to check if it still runs.

Edit after rma came back:

It did work when I put it all back together. Used it while waiting for the rma to be processed.

Had to push back a bit but got the rma authorisation and they picked it up and 2 weeks later I had a new 3080.

varkanoid · 17 Mar 2021 at 11:38

That looks nasty. With a bit of luck its just the outer casing thats cracked and a spot of the right glue in the crack might help.

Tiamat21 · 17 Mar 2021 at 11:46

It's fully cracked. From what I've read it's a "cap" which I assume means capacitor. It's absolutely rock solid they won't budge towards each other. So I think it's always been like that and ran with it but I haven't tried it running yet.

Here's a better picture:

mikehhhhhhh · 17 Mar 2021 at 11:49

Nasty. Is it just me or do the chips at the bottom look melted, also?

Have you been mining? How long for?

I'd be popping that back together and RMAing it

Tiamat21 · 17 Mar 2021 at 11:56

I have yeah, less than a month with a significant undervolt, power limit and a keen eye on temps.

That isn't melt it's grease from the stock thermal pads (which is weird because pads on caps isn't on other fe pcbs I've seen).

Yeah I'm most probably rma it but I can't tell them I've opened it up (all stock pads are still in place so I'm okay there). So need to know a reason for the rma.

Thanks for all the help.

mikehhhhhhh · 17 Mar 2021 at 12:01

Tiamat21 said:
I have yeah, less than a month with a significant undervolt, power limit and a keen eye on temps.

That isn't melt it's grease from the stock thermal pads (which is weird because pads on caps isn't on other fe pcbs I've seen).

Yeah I'm most probably rma it but I can't tell them I've opened it up (all stock pads are still in place so I'm okay there). So need to know a reason for the rma.

Thanks for all the help.

If it was me, I'd be honest as they may be able to tell you've opened it anyway. I don't believe removing the cooler is a reason to void warranty.

I'd claim I went to replace thermal paste/pads after experiencing instability and high temperatures on the assumption that the former was a symptom of the latter.

Does it work ok otherwise - in games etc?

A good electronics engineer should be able to make light work of repairing that if you're unsuccessful.

Tiamat21 · 17 Mar 2021 at 12:03

It does work very well.

Unfortunately there's an official nvidia reply doing the rounds stating replacement of the thermal pads voids the warranty. Which is questionable but does put me in an awkward position.

Drumroll · 17 Mar 2021 at 12:04

I would try to use. Rather spend a bit and get fixed than waste the whole GPU.
Yes, I think the bottom chips looks melted too. :eek:

mikehhhhhhh · 17 Mar 2021 at 12:05

Tiamat21 said:
It does work very well.

Unfortunately there's an official nvidia reply doing the rounds stating replacement of the thermal pads voids the warranty. Which is questionable but does put me in an awkward position.

You didn't replace the pads, though, right? You only opened it with the intention of.

Do you have a link to that official reply?

Tiamat21 · 17 Mar 2021 at 12:19

I can't seem to find it but reading around and it seems even just removing the backplate voids the warranty. At least according to customer service reps replying to queries from customers.

mikehhhhhhh · 17 Mar 2021 at 12:25

Tiamat21 said:
I can't seem to find it but reading around and it seems even just removing the backplate voids the warranty. At least according to customer service reps replying to queries from customers.

I thought it was well established that things like warranty seals aren't legally enforceable.

varkanoid · 17 Mar 2021 at 12:28

Drumroll said:
I would try to use. Rather spend a bit and get fixed than waste the whole GPU.
Yes, I think the bottom chips looks melted too.

I think thats just the remainder of the thermal pad I dont think they are melted.

mikehhhhhhh said:
If it was me, I'd be honest as they may be able to tell you've opened it anyway. I don't believe removing the cooler is a reason to void warranty.
I'd claim I went to replace thermal paste/pads after experiencing instability and high temperatures on the assumption that the former was a symptom of the latter.
Does it work ok otherwise - in games etc?
A good electronics engineer should be able to make light work of repairing that if you're unsuccessful.

Tiamat21 said:
I can't seem to find it but reading around and it seems even just removing the backplate voids the warranty. At least according to customer service reps replying to queries from customers.

Subject
3090 warranty

Response By Email (V****) (02/19/2021 07:12 AM)
Hello,
Thank you for contacting NVIDIA Customer Care.
This is V****, assisting you with the query.
I understand from your email that you would like to know if replacing thermal pads voids the warranty.
Our warranty covers the graphics card exactly as the card is shipped and sold to a customer, once GPU is opened its no longer covered under warranty.

Problem is you only find that issue if you open it up. If you RMA it then you have to admit you opened it.

Tiamat21 · 17 Mar 2021 at 12:33

Yeah definitely not melted caps. It's just grease from the stock thermal pads.

@varkanoid yeah that's response I saw. Thanks for the reply. It's really awkward.

Going to power it up and see what happens.

Tiamat21 · 17 Mar 2021 at 12:46

Yep works just as before.

Shaolin Chicken · 17 Mar 2021 at 12:48

Tiamat21 said:
Yep works just as before.

Good to hear, what you going to do, keep using it or send it back?

DD_Crash · 17 Mar 2021 at 12:55

Why not ask a electronic/TV repair guy if he could fix it? Might be hard getting the exact part but he could tell you if it is do-able

Tiamat21 · 17 Mar 2021 at 12:57

Going to try my luck with an live chat with nvidia and see if they'll rma it. If not I'll live with it and even check if a local repair guy can fix it as @DD_Crash said.

Shaolin Chicken · 17 Mar 2021 at 12:58

Tiamat21 said:
Going to try my luck with an live chat with nvidia and see if they'll rma it. If not I'll live with it and even check if a local repair guy can fix it as @DD_Crash said.

Good luck, hopefully Nvidia sort you out.

BlueInf · 17 Mar 2021 at 13:12

Please let us know how it goes

Tiamat21 · 17 Mar 2021 at 13:57

God the live chat is awful. Will have to use the desktop version later today. Will keep this updated.

To be honest I'm not sure why they've put thermal pads where some of the caps are...