PlayStation 3 fan extremely loud - Heat plate / spreader issue?

[H360]

Hi. I have my standard PS3 (non-slim) and the fan becomes extremely loud after 5 minutes when not even under load.

I have changed the thermal paste twice.
And yes. I did it correctly. I mean, clean away and the heat plate / spreader with alcohol (iso-propyl) with a microfiber cloth as well as the heatsink until 100% of the original paste was gone. The new paste was applied all over the RSX/CBBE heat plate / spreaders in a neat, fairly thin square, about 2mm away from the edges.

I did it with Arctic Silver 5 and now with Diamond Dust.


Now, I am starting to actually think that the heat plate / spreader needs to be lifted and replaced with new adhesive thermal compound :thumbsup:


Vary rarely, I get the "System has become too hot" message.
But it so so annoying when I want to play Gran Turismo or whatever because I have to play with the air conditioning on.


Can anyone back me up on this? :shrug:

[Chilly Willy]

My PS3 also sounds like an airplane taking off very quickly, but since installing custom firmware, I've noticed it's virtually all due to the BD drive. Without using the BD, the PS3 fan rarely exceeds low speed. This was ESPECIALLY noticeable playing media - play a DVD/BD and the airplane is back - play a straight rip of either off an external USB drive and it's nice and quiet. So my guess is some BD drives just get very hot for some reason, which forces the PS3 to run the fan excessively.

[Cyantist]

Maybe the bearings are dying and when taken to higher RPM's begin rumbling.

[pool7]

I don't have a PS3 and I'm not sure if this is the case, but it's still worth suggesting (I guess):
Is there any fan on the power supply as well? Did you check that? (i.e. maybe it's got lots of dust in it).

Don't hit the noob (that'd be me :P)

[l_oliveira]

My PS3 also sounds like an airplane taking off very quickly, but since installing custom firmware, I've noticed it's virtually all due to the BD drive. Without using the BD, the PS3 fan rarely exceeds low speed. This was ESPECIALLY noticeable playing media - play a DVD/BD and the airplane is back - play a straight rip of either off an external USB drive and it's nice and quiet. So my guess is some BD drives just get very hot for some reason, which forces the PS3 to run the fan excessively.

Maybe it has more to do with how the console uses the GPU when you're playing videos ? (Overlay)

Well the GPU core is mounted on a square of organic substrate, with the 4 VRAM chips soldered on the edges. All that then isolated with sealant cement.

After that they pour some thermal compound on the GPU core then glue the Heat Spreader to the 4 RAM chips. What happens is that the thermal compound eventually deteriorates and crumbles leaving the GPU core without proper dissipation and that's what causes the fan to accelerate.

That problem does not happen on the CELL BE chip because the compound is sealed by the heat spreader, which avoids the contact with the air. Due to the design of the GPU, the heat spreader leaves four gaping holes which allow air to flow through the GPU core sides. :shrug:

Anyway that design even while flawed is like 100 times better than the one used on the XBOX360 ... :lol:

[H360]

Hmm... sounds like I need to replace the GPU heat spreader then.
Do you know where I can buy some of the thermal glue?

Wait. So those 4 IC's surrounding the GPU are the VRAM?. That is pretty stupid.


*EDIT*

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/390212821...#ht_2016wt_905
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/280746606...ht_2691wt_1163
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/370352175...ht_2188wt_1163

[H360]

OK I ordered (finally) some thermal glue and new thermal paste.

I have changed the thermal paste at least 3 times already, so it MUST be the heat spreader on the GPU.

I am getting pretty sick of taking my PS3 apart. I wear cotton gloves whenever I do, to try and keep it in good condition and stop oils from my fingers corroding the metal.


I will update to let you know how it goes :)

[G0dLiKe]

yeah, keep us updated

[H360]

Well I attempted to repair it.

Lifted a BGA ball when trying to remove the heat spreader / plate, and complety screwed up my PS3. Tried a fluxed re-flow, and now it hangs with no video out.

Now I am down a PS3, and it is $400 for me to get a new 40 GB original model... Not going to happen.

Apart from that, I went to play my Amiga on my modded RGB TV, and something fried inside of the TV. Maybe a resistor under a lot of stress. Dont know. So now I cant even go on my Amiga.

I have been all day now trying to get my PlayStation development pc working in a stable condition for those dtl-2000's I got, but the slot 1 socket on the motherboard is giving me a headache. Sometimes I get VGA out, other times it just wont do shit. I wiggle the Pentium 3 back and forth, then I get VGA out. However, 20 minutes into Windows 98, it freezes... Then I have to repeat the steps...

Such a bad day today. 3 things I wanted to work, all failed.

[HEX1GON]

That really sucks bud, the original PS3 has such a horrible design I stopped trying to find one and bought a slim, as ugly as they are at least it's more reliable.

Try and sell your dead PS3 for a bit of cash for a new one... But really don't bother with the old models -_-

[Bad_Ad84]

So basically, you broke your PS3 more attempting to fix it and the TV you modded for RGB also broke?

At least number 3 should be repairable.... clean the edge connector of the processor with a rubber/eraser and try and clean the slot itself. Worst case - buy a slot 1 mobo and swap the slot.

[H360]

At least number 3 should be repairable.... clean the edge connector of the processor with a rubber/eraser and try and clean the slot itself. Worst case - buy a slot 1 mobo and swap the slot.

I did that. I even got some sand paper in between the slot and gave the processors edge pins a scrubbing with alcohol and a q-tip. It must be a cold solder joint. I will go over all the pins with my soldering iron and manually reflow it.
However, before I actually attempt this, it would be a good option to first try a different processor

[Bad_Ad84]

It must be a cold solder joint.

No, It COULD be. Don't jump to conclusions - like you always seem to.

But it certainly sounds repairable, regardless of what it ends up being - even if you end up replacing the slot.


Also, eraser/rubber > qtip and IPA

[H360]

I dont really want to replace the slot...
I will try an eraser then IPA with a q-tip.

[H360]

Still nothing. Same problem.

However, I then decided to change the dip switches from 400 MHz to 300 MHz, and the system seems more stable now. It freezes less often.
I did try another processor, but it did not even do a thing. No video at all.
Weird how it seems to like 300 MHz when the processor is clearly marked as a 400 MHz die.


I will just try and find a socket 7 based Pentium 3 board (or even Celeron) with 2 ISA slots. It would be a lot more stable.
No point trying to code on an unstable computer when at anytime, you know it will freeze...

[Bad_Ad84]

Pentium 3 wasnt socket 7, its socket 370.

[H360]

Oh yes. Sorry, my mistake.

Thanks :)

[l_oliveira]

I happen to have a couple of SLOT1 (SECC) Pentium-III processors here... :)

Now, back on topic, the heat spreader on the PS3 GPU is glued with thermal glue on the 4 RAMs that are placed at the 4 edges of the substrate. The GPU core die is interfaced to the heat spreader with a dab of thermal compund which after a few years get brittle and crumbles. That's why you have to "break" the thermal glue and reach the GPU core. That way you can replace the said thermal compound and fix the overheating problem.

[H360]

I happen to have a couple of SLOT1 (SECC) Pentium-III processors here... :)

Now, back on topic, the heat spreader on the PS3 GPU is glued with thermal glue on the 4 RAMs that are placed at the 4 edges of the substrate. The GPU core die is interfaced to the heat spreader with a dab of thermal compund which after a few years get brittle and crumbles. That's why you have to "break" the thermal glue and reach the GPU core. That way you can replace the said thermal compound and fix the overheating problem.

Thats exactly what I did. I did it perfectly fine. Trust me on that.
But, trying to break that thermal glue and get the spreader / plate off is a nightmare.
Hence, I popped a BGA ball. Maybe even ripped off the pad...

I did a reflow and then reapplied fresh thermal paste (what a waste) and now it boots up without the YLOD. However, I get no picture whatsoever.

I will try another reflow (with flux again) and see if I can get it to boot again.

I am certain all the 0603 or whatever resistors and capacitors are fine.


DAMN YOU THERMAL GLUE!

[Bad_Ad84]

How could you do something "perfectly fine" if you broke it in the process?