Non-Ref 9800GTX+ Vmod

[Bobnova]

Dolk you do realize we're talking about the amount of current that flows through a few kOhm at ~1.4v right? Otherwise known as: almost nothing. Like you said, basic physics.
Yes it probably looses 0.000001% through a bad-but-still-conducting solder job, but honestly who cares?
If it falls off, that's an issue.
If it doesn't fall off, absolutely nobody is going to care about the couple microvolts difference it makes.

If you were talking about actual power feeds, or solding caps on, or something that real current is involved with then yes.
Or if you were talking about aerospace bits.

But voltmods on cards that already wobble multiple millivolts? Nope!

 

[Johan45]

Thanks guys, I did the best I could with what I had. It's not variable, I picked a 25W so I wouldn't destroy everything I touched with these shaky old hands

 

[Dolk]

Bob,

The whole circuitry depends on those microvolts to differentiate the voltage in order to create a Vref. These volt mods are done by manipulating the Vref by creating a higher bias point to achieve stability. As you raise the Vref, the more voltage the uC will push out. In order to sample the voltage accurately, it is divided down by a Kohm resistor network to produce milla-volts for the reference. Than through a couple loops of differentials, the uC recreates the voltage value in a digital sense.

Practice good soldering, even if its these networks. Sometimes you may not see the difference, sometimes you do. But you can eliminate all probability when its done correctly.

If you don't have the tools, I'm always available to do a quick vmod turn around.

 

[Johan45]

Thanks for the offer Dolk but shipping would cost me more than the card.
That was my first attempt at soldering something like this but not soldering in general. I know that ground looks flaky in that pic but you won't pull that joint apart easily either. Once I had the first wire soldered I soldered the second one to it not the contact. It was just easier. I figured since it's all a ground point that wouldn't matter.

 

[Dolk]

If your not afraid of damaging the core, you can always do the oven trick to help those wires seal onto their joints. Now granted, the wire would melt to the board so this is a permanent mod

I know I am coming off strong, but the smallest changes help. Sometimes you will notice them, sometimes you won't.

- - - Updated - - -

If your not afraid of damaging the core, you can always do the oven trick to help those wires seal onto their joints. Now granted, the wire would melt to the board so this is a permanent mod

I know I am coming off strong, but the smallest changes help. Sometimes you will notice them, sometimes you won't.

 

[Johan45]

In my preliminary tests it all seemed to hold up just fine. The 9800GTX+ is a high value card at the bot and as long as it lasts long enough for me to milk some good boints out of it I'll be more than happy with it.