GPU Display Port Capacitor

[simeonoff]

Hi All,

Last night, after replacing my stock cooling with a water block, a small capacitor broke off from one of the display port circuits. It didn't break by force, it fell(honest to hell) while I was gently wiping the dust off the back of the GPU using a soft brush. It must've been held very loosely.

Here's a photo of the GPU and the capacitor in question:

My question is, would it be safe to continue using the GPU if I avoid this display port?

P.S. The PC posted fine the first time I powered the system on with my DP cable in the other port, however, upon restart the BIOS reset itself. It could be totally unrelated, just thought it might be good to know.

 

[SamirD]

I wouldn't use it that way. I would take it and the part that fell off to a place that specializes in cell phone repair as they have the equipment to re-solder that back on.

Another idea would be to simply press it back on and use some liquid solder pen to 'glue' it in place and then coat it with clear nail polish to keep it in place. This may not work though as the resistance may increase too much for the part to work like it originally did. Hence why resoldering is #1 solution.

 

[simeonoff]

Thanks, Samir. I will look into it. Hopefully, I can find a professional who can resolder it for me. I have a semi-professional soldering iron at home, but this part is way too small for my soldering skills. I am also afraid that I might simply lose it if my hand squeezes on the tweezers a bit harder. I was just hoping the GPU would still be usable without having to seek professional soldering help.

 

[SamirD]

It might still be usable, but who knows what type of issue will develop. I had to get a part like this soldered once and it was only $30, so not bad at all.

 

[mindless1]

Should be fine to keep using, at worse some noise might get onto that port but even then, I wouldn't avoid trying to use the port to see how it's doing, then decide if it's worth bothering to get it soldered.

 

[simeonoff]

Should be fine to keep using, at worse some noise might get onto that port but even then, I wouldn't avoid trying to use the port to see how it's doing, then decide if it's worth bothering to get it soldered.

Thank you for this response! I read somewhere that capacitors are used as filters in GPU output ports. I wish I had the schematics so I can read what this little cap does. Your comment kinda confirms my suspicion that it shouldn't be a critical failure. I gained confidence and plugged my monitor into the port with the missing cap. It works just as well as the other one, the picture seems fine. I measured the card for shorts and resistance yesterday. Found no shorts, the pads for the missing capacitor hold the same resistance as the ones with a capacitor soldered on them - 660ohms.

 

[SamirD]

Thank you for this response! I read somewhere that capacitors are used as filters in GPU output ports. I wish I had the schematics so I can read what this little cap does. Your comment kinda confirms my suspicion that it shouldn't be a critical failure. I gained confidence and plugged my monitor into the port with the missing cap. It works just as well as the other one, the picture seems fine. I measured the card for shorts and resistance yesterday. Found no shorts, the pads for the missing capacitor hold the same resistance as the ones with a capacitor soldered on them - 660ohms.

Interesting. Then I would strongly consider using one of the 'solder pens' out there to just dab a bit and stick the piece back in place and then put some clear nail polish over it to hold it in place permanently. Even if your repair doesn't work, it doesn't seem like it will hurt anything and will keep you from losing the part.

 

[simeonoff]

Interesting. Then I would strongly consider using one of the 'solder pens' out there to just dab a bit and stick the piece back in place and then put some clear nail polish over it to hold it in place permanently. Even if your repair doesn't work, it doesn't seem like it will hurt anything and will keep you from losing the part.

So this 'solder pen' is it just like a flux pen? Can you share a link? Honestly, I would rather take it to a repair shop than slap nail polish onto that whole circuit that would be hard to clean, I'd imagine.

Truth be told, I was an excited monkey the other day, wanting to get the water cooling going on so I put everything together and now I am a bit hesitant to take it apart just to get that little cap soldered, especially after seeing that the port works. Haha. Yeah, I know, I am dumb.

 

[SamirD]

So this 'solder pen' is it just like a flux pen? Can you share a link? Honestly, I would rather take it to a repair shop than slap nail polish onto that whole circuit that would be hard to clean, I'd imagine.

Truth be told, I was an excited monkey the other day, wanting to get the water cooling going on so I put everything together and now I am a bit hesitant to take it apart just to get that little cap soldered, especially after seeing that the port works. Haha. Yeah, I know, I am dumb.

Not a flux pen, but it actually can fix traces. I can't seem to find the one that I was looking at to fix the part that I just ended up having soldered.

Hmmm...that is a good point about not having to take apart a whole wc setup. That in itself could end up being a disaster if it doesn't go back together just right. I see your point about just leaving it. Just don't lose that little guy--I usually put them in a ziplock bag and keep it in the box.

 

[simeonoff]

Not a flux pen, but it actually can fix traces. I can't seem to find the one that I was looking at to fix the part that I just ended up having soldered.

Hmmm...that is a good point about not having to take apart a whole wc setup. That in itself could end up being a disaster if it doesn't go back together just right. I see your point about just leaving it. Just don't lose that little guy--I usually put them in a ziplock bag and keep it in the box.

Did that. Put it in a zip bag, labeled it and put it in the GPU box alongside the stock cooler. Shouldn't go anywhere.

I am not scared that something wrong will happen with the loop. It's just so laborious to drain the system, take apart the GPU, wait a couple of days/week for the repair shop to fix it to put it back in, test the loop for another 24 hours, yadda yadda. I only put the loop together when I saw that the other port was working and just assumed that not using the broken port would be fine.

P.S. And honestly, I don't know why but I have some trust issues with the local repair shops. I think I am just scared that they are not skilled enough, or would just do more damage. I guess my fears are easily explicable by psychology.

 

[SamirD]

Did that. Put it in a zip bag, labeled it and put it in the GPU box alongside the stock cooler. Shouldn't go anywhere.

I am not scared that something wrong will happen with the loop. It's just so laborious to drain the system, take apart the GPU, wait a couple of days/week for the repair shop to fix it to put it back in, test the loop for another 24 hours, yadda yadda. I only put the loop together when I saw that the other port was working and just assumed that not using the broken port would be fine.

P.S. And honestly, I don't know why but I have some trust issues with the local repair shops. I think I am just scared that they are not skilled enough, or would just do more damage. I guess my fears are easily explicable by psychology.

You're in good shape then.

Yeah, that is a real pita, especially the down time. I don't know what I would do if I had literally no computer to use for more than a few hours.

Oh, I don't think it's misplaced trust at all. Most technicians in most fields don't do their job well ime so your fears are well founded. Just imagine how much stuff automotive technicians mess up--hint, it's all real as I've seen it myself. It gets even worse in industrial stuff like nuclear plants (and people wonder why there's accidents).

 

[VirtualLarry]

Yeah, if it's just a display output filter cap, and the port is working... I would hardly worry about it. If it were a GPU de-coupling capacitor, or a VRM-related capacitor, I might refrain from using the card. But it looks like you basically "lucked out" on which one to lose.

Edit: Note above that I said "if". I don't guarantee that, and I don't have a schematic. (And not sure that I could, even if I did.)