Graphics Card Capacitor Explosion

[trailbreaker]

Hey
There was this huge blast the other day in the PC. When i checked, it was a capacitor that was exploded from my graphics card (XFX 9500GT). For the moment, i'm running on on-board graphics.

Can anyone tell why this has happened?
Is it safe to replace that cap and use the card back again?
If not, when i get a new card, will the same thing happen to the next card as well ?
(in case if the issue is with the motherboard)

Please help! Any sort of help is appreciated 🙁

 

[vagrantsoul]

what type (brand, wattage) psu are you using? that could play a part in it.

you could risk it, but exactly right, it could be a voltage issues in the psu, the mb, or some other fault in the card itself.

 

[meat_loaf]

Hey
There was this huge blast the other day in the PC. When i checked, it was a capacitor that was exploded from my graphics card (XFX 9500GT). For the moment, i'm running on on-board graphics.

Can anyone tell why this has happened?
Is it safe to replace that cap and use the card back again?
If not, when i get a new card, will the same thing happen to the next card as well ?
(in case if the issue is with the motherboard)

Please help! Any sort of help is appreciated 🙁

The reason why the capacitor exploded could be ranging from overheating, irregular voltage control, and other faulty hardware causing a irregular current flow through in the circuit.

Having a PSU frying any hardware is quite rare, this is because the PSU and motherboard have built-in surge protection. If your PSU is having trouble or dying out, then you would see other problems as well running your computer such as awkward slow down of computer, random restarts (most common) since it can't supply the power the system needs when it demands.

I'm betting on the fact it was an aging hardware and one of the VRM (voltage regulator mosfet or modules) decided to give out creating an irregular surge of current through the capacitors. Likely I would consider replacing the graphics card rather than fixing it since its really cheap for low end cards. I guarantee that fixing problems like this don't make the lifespan any longer. If a capacitor exploded (which is rare case to see) it definitely means something in the card is also failing. No point in fixing a dying hardware.

 

[trailbreaker]

what type (brand, wattage) psu are you using? that could play a part in it.

you could risk it, but exactly right, it could be a voltage issues in the psu, the mb, or some other fault in the card itself.

Thanks for the quick reply bro! Yes.. and I decided not to risk with any replacements!

 

[trailbreaker]

The reason why the capacitor exploded could be ranging from overheating, irregular voltage control, and other faulty hardware causing a irregular current flow through in the circuit.

Having a PSU frying any hardware is quite rare, this is because the PSU and motherboard have built-in surge protection. If your PSU is having trouble or dying out, then you would see other problems as well running your computer such as awkward slow down of computer, random restarts (most common) since it can't supply the power the system needs when it demands.

I'm betting on the fact it was an aging hardware and one of the VRM (voltage regulator mosfet or modules) decided to give out creating an irregular surge of current through the capacitors. Likely I would consider replacing the graphics card rather than fixing it since its really cheap for low end cards. I guarantee that fixing problems like this don't make the lifespan any longer. If a capacitor exploded (which is rare case to see) it definitely means something in the card is also failing. No point in fixing a dying hardware.

Thanks! That exactly was the explanation i was looking for. Yes now I have chosen not to fix it.
So, to make sure that the same wudn't happen again with the new VGA, should i be replacing the existing PSU too?

 

[meat_loaf]

The reason why the capacitor exploded could be ranging from overheating, irregular voltage control, and other faulty hardware causing a irregular current flow through in the circuit.

Having a PSU frying any hardware is quite rare, this is because the PSU and motherboard have built-in surge protection. If your PSU is having trouble or dying out, then you would see other problems as well running your computer such as awkward slow down of computer, random restarts (most common) since it can't supply the power the system needs when it demands.

I'm betting on the fact it was an aging hardware and one of the VRM (voltage regulator mosfet or modules) decided to give out creating an irregular surge of current through the capacitors. Likely I would consider replacing the graphics card rather than fixing it since its really cheap for low end cards. I guarantee that fixing problems like this don't make the lifespan any longer. If a capacitor exploded (which is rare case to see) it definitely means something in the card is also failing. No point in fixing a dying hardware.

Thanks! That exactly was the explanation i was looking for. Yes now I have chosen not to fix it.
So, to make sure that the same wudn't happen again with the new VGA, should i be replacing the existing PSU too?

You can if you want to. What brand and wattage is your current PSU? Maybe I can tell you if the brand is reliable or not.

 

[trailbreaker]

Ya. That would be a PowerLogic Magnum Pro 275 with a 550W peak and 275W continuous supply.
Anyway i have now.. decided to let it go and move on to a Corsair 😉
Thank you btw