EP45-UD3P Burning Up? Need Some Advice...

Last night I went to turn my PC on and the mobo LEDs flashed for a split second, then the power was gone. I kept trying the turn it on and wouldn't get any response from the mobo. After about 15-20 mins of trying, I got power back, but I started to smell something burning. So, I shutdown and removed everything from my mobo to look for anything visibly burnt, I didn't see anything though. The burning smell is around the top left corner of the mobo, where the CPU power, mosfets, and chokes are located.

Something I did notice is that it looks like there are a few bent pins in the CPU socket, which I never noticed before. The smell wasn't coming from the socket, but could the bent pins cause something to burn outside the socket?

After I checked for visible burn areas, I put everything back together and tried booting again. I got the computer up and running, I'm on it now, but there still is a slight burning smell.

The smell is like burning plastic or something. Could it have just been some outside material that got stuck on my mobo? I don't think it gets hot enough to actually burn something though...

If it was just outside material, then everything should be fine. If it was actually the mobo, then I don't want to risk damaging other components.

What do you guys suggest as my best course of action?

Matt, did you check the connectors on both the board and the psu harnesses and look for discoloration or other marks that could show heating? I'm talking about the ATX and 4/8 pin 12v connectors. I had the 4 pin board connector overheat and fry on a Gigabyte board of mine recently and it also melted the connector on the harness coming from the psu too. Luckily for me I was able to salvage a new connector off of another board I blew a fet on and fix it. And I had an extra 4 pin connector to fix the psu with too. I also tightened up the pins in the connector from the mobo too, so they would make better contact with the pins on the connector on the mobo.

I just checked again, but I didn't notice any discoloration or warping of the connectors. I didn't see any signs of pcb damage around the connectors on either side of the mobo.

I've never had anything like this happen, so I don't really know exactly what to look for.

I wish I could come up with another thing to check, Matt. Are you sure there aren't any fets looking the worse for wear maybe? Also, are you positive it was the mobo? How about the vid card or maybe even the psu? I see it's a Corsair HX520, but you never know.

Well, I didn't remove the mosfet coolers to look at them. I guess I could try that...

I'm not completely positive is was the mobo. The smell is only at that top-left corner of the mobo, nowhere else, so I'm assuming it's the mobo.

Xact same thing as mine mosfets or vrms burned like mine on gigabyte board

Time for some before and after photos! Enjoy!

Before, there's a little bulge and a small crack. This had to be the initial burning I smelled.


After, it's incinerated...lol


Guess it's time to start a thread asking for upgrade suggestions

That is unfortunate. The UD3P rev 1.0 was/is an excellent board.

I've always wanted to see something like that happen.

I'm about to buy a UD3R, so maybe my dreams will come true.

PolRoger said:

That is unfortunate. The UD3P rev 1.0 was/is an excellent board.

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Indeed, RIP

B-auto said:

I've always wanted to see something like that happen.

I'm about to buy a UD3R, so maybe my dreams will come true.

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I doubt you'll have it happen, the EP45-UD3x series are good boards. Mine has been through a lot though, as you can tell from the residue all over the place...