PS3 (Research/Experimental) - NEC/TOKIN Capacitors Replacement - YLOD

ah okay, thank you for the insight. The diode itself (D3315) looked pretty scorched.

Moving forward, is there anything I should check (fuses?) prior to replacing the NECs?

Can anybody recommend a good US seller for the capacitors?

Edit: It is possible to test for dead RSX without removing it from the board?
https://canada.newark.com/panasonic...352&ddkey=https:en-CA/Element14_Canada/search

these are the ones i got best price/ quality they are based in the states just look up the part number in the us site as i am in canada :)
 
it's in the top three for sure on most intensive games for the ps3. it's a good indicator if there's a problem. 75 isn't bad for that game. if it got to the 80s, then I'd say you had a problem.
i guess it's need delid but why other not rise the temperature above 75

What ever issue your having has nothing to do with NEC's or anything on this thread. For one your model PS3 has no NEC/Tokken Caps, it has all tantalums.

i know that but what i'm tying to say why all whom have ps3 all versions have issues from last of us that why i ask
 
I don't know where the shutdown overheating warning is displayed, but 80 is getting up there. 68 is about ideal while idle, very good in game.
 
i guess it's need delid but why other not rise the temperature above 75



i know that but what i'm tying to say why all whom have ps3 all versions have issues from last of us that why i ask

Not quite sure what you meant but I have had no issues with this game on any of my PS3's. The reason it causes high temps is because it's programmed to take advantage of everything the PS3 has.
 
ah okay, thank you for the insight. The diode itself (D3315) looked pretty scorched.

Moving forward, is there anything I should check (fuses?) prior to replacing the NECs?

Can anybody recommend a good US seller for the capacitors?

Edit: It is possible to test for dead RSX without removing it from the board?
As a general rule is better to start checking the PSU by replacing it, either by a PS3 PSU, or a PC ATX PSU
Because the PSU and the tokins are very related... when you need to test things you start with the easyests, and is a lot easyer and safer to replace a PSU than messing around with a solder iron :D

I dont know where are located the fuses, btw the component labeled as TH*** in your photo is a thermistor (pretty much like a fuse), they can be burnt too like a standard fuse
 
these are the ones i got best price/ quality they are based in the states just look up the part number in the us site as i am in canada :)

Thank you and wow, what a price, I ordered 32 for all of $2.79. Hopefully they get here and I can get into some trouble by the weekend.

As a general rule is better to start checking the PSU by replacing it, either by a PS3 PSU, or a PC ATX PSU
Because the PSU and the tokins are very related... when you need to test things you start with the easyests, and is a lot easyer and safer to replace a PSU than messing around with a solder iron :D

I dont know where are located the fuses, btw the component labeled as TH*** in your photo is a thermistor (pretty much like a fuse), they can be burnt too like a standard fuse

I tried swapping in an APS-226 PSU from my working E01, still YLOD. This A01 had the perfect storm for a YLOD. It has that really ineffecient PSU, a 15 blade fan, and it was absolutely caked with dust/grime, I even found a dead cockroach. Would you believe it came from south Florida?

The last two pages of the level 3 service manual list 5 fuses,14 thermistors, and 16 "SUPPRESSOR, ESD". I'm gonna poke around and see if anything looks off, thanks again!
 
Hey, everyone. Having a bit of an issue with my OG 60GB Phat. It got the YLOD way back in 2010, IIRC. I left New Vegas in the drive and eventually bought a slim. I never opened it or tried to fix it until now so there no issues with a botched "fix" from before, etc. I bring that up because my first attempt at reviving my old CECH-01A failed :(

Ok, so I'm having a bit of an issue with 2 things:

1. The old NEC rails on some of the pads are next to impossible to remove. Some came off cleanly but a few just won't and that makes it hard for me to solder new caps on flat/evenly. Any tips? I have no heat gun but just about everything else.

2. Has anyone bought caps that weren't any good? I'll admit that I skimped on caps (Chinese, 20 for $5 or something) and I'm not sure they're good to begin with. I don't have an ESR reader but my multimeter has basic testing capability. The cap values fluctuate wildly so...? I got those little yellow bastards you see some others using here.
I guess my question with #2 is if I could use electrolytic caps at the same rating as a test to see if my issue WAS bad caps in the first place.
My first attempt resulted in a quick YLOD just like it did before the fix attempt so, sadly, I learned nothing in the way of what my issue could be (haha).


Thanks for any help and, at worst, this is a fun project. Frustratin but fun. I'd just love to get my old launch 60gb back for sentiment sake and the legit PS2 emulation it has (PLUS IT WAS $600!). It really can't be matched by any emulation we can do now on any model via CFW. Thanks!

EDIT: Well, I can add a bit more info for those that don't mind reading.
My opening showed that the system was INSANELY dusty. Those things were dust magnets lol. It was stored cleanly so most of the dust was while in use.
Also, I did do a thorough cleaning of the unit as a result. I didn't skimp on the work to fix, just the caps.

I used the wire method done by a few here to bridge the positives and then sanded down the negative section (middle) to give me more room to fit the caps. I also used 6 caps each for The CELL and RSX, 12 total on the bottom side (well, non-IHS side so I assume it's still the bottom on it's flip-chip design). I left the other side untouched.
Also, the NECs I took off were all burnt pretty well so Indo think it could be the (or one of) problem. All had the blue-ish rainbowing on the inside, one each on both chips were BAD. So maybe that's useful.


So, could 6 a piece be too little? I know it calls for 8 a piece but the math shows that 6 should suffice, correct?
I scrolled for hours over the past weeks and didn't find anything dealing with my specific questions but found most had very similar questions other than that, so that's been great.

Anyway, this thread is great and why I love this site and community! Good luck to everyone else taking the plunge!
 
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Not quite sure what you meant but I have had no issues with this game on any of my PS3's. The reason it causes high temps is because it's programmed to take advantage of everything the PS3 has.

i meant the other ps3 games i played metal gear 5 pp who is a lot huge the the last of us but never rise temperature and gave loud fan sound
 
HI EVERYBODY!!
This is my First post in here ))
But I red most of comments here.
Last Summer I bought 80 gb CHECL04 PS3 Fat.
The HDMI port was not working. I sent it to service, and it got fixed. Then I started to play Ni No Kuni. Everything was ok.
But then I started the Crysis, HAWX and more, and guess what. Yeap, 3 beeps and turn off. red light blinks.
I called service center and they asked me to send it back to them. They said they will reball it and change thermal paste.
After few days I got console back, and everything was cool. BUT after 1-1,5 month it all started again. Only 2D games and ps1 games are playable.
So what I want to know : will it work after changing caps. And by the way, my board has 8 x 0E108 and 8 x 0E128 NECs.
And of course I can not buy tantal caps, because I am living in middle east. The only ones I could find are electrolytic caps.
Can I replace NECs with electrolytic caps? And ordering from eBay or AliX is not variant. Because the delivery time is almost 60 days.
Thanks.
Waiting for Your replies.
And please forgive me for my not perfect english =)
 
@ElGris I used 3 per nec, 2.5v 470uf panasonic capacitors. I got 500+uf on everyone i tested with multimeter.

So far ive tested
1. 2 bridges per processor (just top)
2. 1 bridge per processor (just top)
3. 1 bridge per processor (top and bottom)

Ok I am going to try n add 4 per nec and bridge both the top and the bottom with one wire per processor i also have no pressure from the shield.

I also ordered 10 Original Nec capacitors to test and see if there is still YLOD if my re re do doesnt work :(

I have a question tho is there a picture of a completely replaced board that worked after replacement?

Would love to see it to try and copy. I tried to find in the thread but all i saw was someone replaced all of them and then it stopped working he regretted not leaving the necs as it was working perfectly before he tried to replace all.

I saw your capacitor replacement job I think aswell @ElGris but i think you only had the top side replaced and you used 2 bridges per section correct?

and @LSL how do i check voltage into the chips? would love to see if thats a problem.

Just to put out again
1. 3 second ylod
2. replaced caps on top
instant ylod (must have done wrong as my first time)
3. replaced all caps now
1-2 second YLod (light turns green, fan ramps up, then 3 beeps amber light continuously blinks red) Let me know if anyone has any advice! here is my 2nd most recent job View attachment 24501View attachment 24502
https://imgur.com/a/gJ8Si2r

That's my CECHA full of tantalums working just fine. I add a wire per side on both processors just in case, and added 3 per NEC on CELL 'cause that was enough to run any game without any problem. The RSX is the one that needs a lot of power.

Connect the HDMI (or A/V) to the TV and see if the PS3 is trying to give you image before shutdown (screen going blank/black, changes in resolution, etc). Those tantalums you have are very nice, more value than they should be.

If adding 4 per NEC on RSX doesn't fix the problem then you could also try a delid on CELL, as @Yugonibblit said in other thread, having a YLOD sometimes means too much hot on CELL's die. But leave this step at last, because it's dangerous for your mobo.

I think the RSX should be fine, because if is in short, you get an instant YLOD.
 
@Chumdiddy1 Use a good amount of flux when removing NECs and its metallic contacts. If you don't have heatgun, you will be fighting with the solder for quite a bit. You could also do what some people do, using something sharp on the contacts.

I'm doubting about the yellow caps now. I've tested them and are not what I should have, 470uf->+-350uf on multimeter. That's sh@#.
Not even counting the one that I had to remove because it got damaged after a few hours of use, producing another YLOD. So buy the ones people is getting in a few comments back. Don't use electrolytic, you can produce a short when mounting everything.
If you aren't sure about the NECs, remove everything, clean the mobo good, and try again with good known tantalums. You could try 3 per NEC to begin with, and see how much the green light is on before turning yellow.

@Elias_T-man I recommend you to wait for the tantalums, at least the ones from Ali. Electrolytics are big, hotter and you won't be able to mount the console as it should be. Is a constant danger. Also, you're not suppose to use electrolytics for this kind of "jobs".

And yeap, this is a NEC problem. Also, beware with that CECHL. I've saw many of them with GLOD, seems the Panasonic chip is "weaker" than in other models.
 
@Elias_T-man I recommend you to wait for the tantalums, at least the ones from Ali. Electrolytics are big, hotter and you won't be able to mount the console as it should be. Is a constant danger. Also, you're not suppose to use electrolytics for this kind of "jobs".

And yeap, this is a NEC problem. Also, beware with that CECHL. I've saw many of them with GLOD, seems the Panasonic chip is "weaker" than in other models.[/QUOTE]

Thank You for advise. I will try to find tantalum ones from Turkey or Russia. Because of covid, our country cut all the flights to Asia and far east at all. Only Moscow and Istanbul. Wish all this ended up asap. Not for caps, but for people of PRC.
 
@Elias_T-man I recommend you to wait for the tantalums, at least the ones from Ali. Electrolytics are big, hotter and you won't be able to mount the console as it should be. Is a constant danger. Also, you're not suppose to use electrolytics for this kind of "jobs".

And yeap, this is a NEC problem. Also, beware with that CECHL. I've saw many of them with GLOD, seems the Panasonic chip is "weaker" than in other models.

Thank You for advise. I will try to find tantalum ones from Turkey or Russia. Because of covid, our country cut all the flights to Asia and far east at all. Only Moscow and Istanbul. Wish all this ended up asap. Not for caps, but for people of PRC.

I'm not sure if I can find those tantalum caps too.
I'm living in Middle East too "Iran" going to bed and waking up with a new horrible mess every day and most recently this goddamn virus.
 
@Chumdiddy1 Use a good amount of flux when removing NECs and its metallic contacts. If you don't have heatgun, you will be fighting with the solder for quite a bit. You could also do what some people do, using something sharp on the contacts.

I'm doubting about the yellow caps now. I've tested them and are not what I should have, 470uf->+-350uf on multimeter. That's sh@#.
Not even counting the one that I had to remove because it got damaged after a few hours of use, producing another YLOD. So buy the ones people is getting in a few comments back. Don't use electrolytic, you can produce a short when mounting everything.
If you aren't sure about the NECs, remove everything, clean the mobo good, and try again with good known tantalums. You could try 3 per NEC to begin with, and see how much the green light is on before turning yellow.

@Elias_T-man I recommend you to wait for the tantalums, at least the ones from Ali. Electrolytics are big, hotter and you won't be able to mount the console as it should be. Is a constant danger. Also, you're not suppose to use electrolytics for this kind of "jobs".

And yeap, this is a NEC problem. Also, beware with that CECHL. I've saw many of them with GLOD, seems the Panasonic chip is "weaker" than in other models.

Thanks a ton for the reply! Ok, I'll definitely get different caps and really flood those rails with flux this time. I admit to being a little soft on the machine due to not wanting to damage anything but I think I had slowly gotten the hang of what I can and can't do with it anyhow. I definitely need to remove those rails so I'll go at it with way more flux this time. Thanks again.

Also, I only asked about the electrolytic caps ad a test because it once worked for Vince from My Mate Vince. Although he's a bit of a mad man anyway (in a good way). Thought I could test before buying new caps but I'll avoid that now.

BTW, I have the same readings from my yellow caps. Hard fluctuations and always around 350uf, not 470.
 
Also, what components will a PS3 not start with (if any)?

I'm wanting to do quick testing without disassembling and reassembling each time so what is the minimum I can rebuild and still do a basic YLOD test. Note that I don't care about seeing anything on screen or using it in any way, just testing the basic startup for YLOD improvements/fix. Thanks.
 
@Chumdiddy1 Little secret: When removing NECs, add some new tin to the extrem of the "rails" of every NEC, and with the solder iron mark the external part of every one of them, so you'll soft it. The tin used on those rails is pretty old, meaning it will be more difficult to remove. Removing tin from this mobo is very hard because is a BIG plate, and a big plate can dissipate a lot of heat. Always be gentile.

"I have the same readings from my yellow caps. Hard fluctuations and always around 350uf, not 470."

Answer: China.

I saw that video made by Vince, but I wouldn't recommend it. And when testing, mount heatsinks, connect the fan, power buttons and the PSU, that's all. If you want to go extreme, you could use bigger heatsinks on the naked mobo. But that's always risky.
 
HI EVERYBODY!!
This is my First post in here ))
But I red most of comments here.
Last Summer I bought 80 gb CHECL04 PS3 Fat.
The HDMI port was not working. I sent it to service, and it got fixed. Then I started to play Ni No Kuni. Everything was ok.
But then I started the Crysis, HAWX and more, and guess what. Yeap, 3 beeps and turn off. red light blinks.
I called service center and they asked me to send it back to them. They said they will reball it and change thermal paste.
After few days I got console back, and everything was cool. BUT after 1-1,5 month it all started again. Only 2D games and ps1 games are playable.
So what I want to know : will it work after changing caps. And by the way, my board has 8 x 0E108 and 8 x 0E128 NECs.
And of course I can not buy tantal caps, because I am living in middle east. The only ones I could find are electrolytic caps.
Can I replace NECs with electrolytic caps? And ordering from eBay or AliX is not variant. Because the delivery time is almost 60 days.
Thanks.
Waiting for Your replies.
And please forgive me for my not perfect english =)

@Elias_T-man I recommend you to wait for the tantalums, at least the ones from Ali. Electrolytics are big, hotter and you won't be able to mount the console as it should be. Is a constant danger. Also, you're not suppose to use electrolytics for this kind of "jobs".

And yeap, this is a NEC problem. Also, beware with that CECHL. I've saw many of them with GLOD, seems the Panasonic chip is "weaker" than in other models.

Thank You for advise. I will try to find tantalum ones from Turkey or Russia. Because of covid, our country cut all the flights to Asia and far east at all. Only Moscow and Istanbul. Wish all this ended up asap. Not for caps, but for people of PRC.[/QUOTE]

where are u from وين مكان سكنك
 
I will try to find tantalum ones from Turkey or Russia.

I have already told you your model PS3 already has Tantalum caps, it was manufactured this way by S@ny, and your issues have nothing to do with YLOD/Bad NEC's, but hey if you wanna rip them off your MB just to replace them for no reason, waste money and potentially kill your PS3 because it does not need doing then go right ahead..

Also none of what you quoted was directed at you, but advice for others.
 
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