Smell of burn coming you of my PC

[jombsik]

Hi guys!

First of all I am watching LTT for quite some time already, but I am totally new to the forum so I hope I put this topic in a right category.

I made my first build about 2 weeks ago and I was trying to not make any mistake by followwing Anthony's instructions from there. I am not sure if I did. At start I wasn't sure but after those 2 weeks I can certainly say I can smell "burn" from PC after playing games. It is not super strong but after few hours of playing you can smell it when you enter a room.

 

I was playing Borderlands 3 (btw this game shuts down with warning that video driver crashed; once it also crashed my whole system - is it common with this game?) and The Outer Worlds (this game just "turned off" once, no warning) both played at 1440p, Ultra settings. Avg. temps were about 65-68*C (according to HWInfo) both for CPU and GPU.

 

I stress tested CPU with Prime95 for 20 mins, system didn't crash, temp reached low 70*C (according to HWInfo),

I tested memory in Memtest86+: 2 passes + 6 extra tests: all good,

I stress tested GPU in FurMark for 2 mins @ 1440p: system didn't crash, temp reached 91,0*C (according to FurMark). I also did 105 min of Unigine Heaven @1440p, system didn't crash, temps same as for gaming.

 

This is my setup:
MB: MSI B450 GAMING PLUS MAX
CPU: Ryzen 5 3600 (with SilentiumPC Grandis 2 XE1436 cooler)
GPU: PowerColor Radeon RX 5700 XT Red Devil - 8GB GDDR6
Memory: G.SKILL 16GB 3200MHz Ripjaws V Black CL16 (2x8GB)
SSD: Intel 660p SSD M.2 NVMe - 1TB
PSU: Corsair TX650M
Case: NZXT H510 Matte Black
Monitor: Asus PB278QR: 1440p, 60Hz, DisplayPort

Windows 10, BIOS and drivers are up to date. Windows Ryzen Balanced power plan is on, same as are Cool-n-Quiet, CPPC and a-XMP.

 

Should I worry about this burn smell?

Thanks for your time and I hope my english is good enough so it doesn't hurt to read my post.

 

[Founders]

Yes you should worry, stop using the PC until you diagnose the issue. Check all of you PSU cables for any melted or burnt cable insulation. Did you use any cheap cable extensions for your PSU?

[jombsik]

@Caroline Well, it is not *that* cheap. It is even in this year Holiday PC Buyer's Guide

@Founders I used only cables delivered with PSU (it is modular), and one adapter for front panel delivered with case. It is midnight in Poland so I will check cable's insulation tomorrow. Any other suggestions what should I be looking for?

[Founders]

15 minutes ago, jombsik said:

Any other suggestions what should I be looking for?

Check the cables first and then work from there. If the cable insulation has been burned or melted it will be very apparent. When you wired up your GPU for power did you run two different cables from your PSU to each VGA power connectors, or did you use a single cable that daisy chains from one 8-pin to the other 8-pin connector? If you used a single cable that could be a potential issue. 

 

A melted 8-pin + 8-pin VGA daisy chain cable due to power overdraw:

[Kisai]

10 hours ago, jombsik said:

Hi guys!

First of all I am watching LTT for quite some time already, but I am totally new to the forum so I hope I put this topic in a right category.

I made my first build about 2 weeks ago and I was trying to not make any mistake by followwing Anthony's instructions from there. I am not sure if I did. At start I wasn't sure but after those 2 weeks I can certainly say I can smell "burn" from PC after playing games. It is not super strong but after few hours of playing you can smell it when you enter a room.

 

 

 

 

Check the inside and see if any WIRES are getting hot, or are resting on heatsinks. Typically if you smell "melting plastic" that's a sign that something was damaged. Ideally one would have an IR camera to just check where the hot spot is coming from, but without that you'll just have to use your nose/finger and try and locate it.

 

If it's BRAND NEW, it may simply be debris. But it shouldn't smell any different than a hair dryer.

[LogicalDrm]

-> Moved to Troubleshooting

[jombsik]

@Founders I checked cables and everything seems fine to me - basically cables seem brand-new. I used single cable with double 8-pin (there are photos below).

@Caroline that I can 100% agree. Case doesn't feel worth the price.

@Kisai I checked them and they are warm but I wouldn't say hot. I was trying to do my best to not make cables contact with radiators. Only doubt I have is about CPU cooler cable but there is nothing more I could have done, I think. All parts are brand new.

 

I also double checked if I placed PSU correctly - it is fan-down-facing. I made some photos, maybe this will help. https://imgur.com/a/nHYnUgq

Is it possible that CPU or Case coolers are smelling bad because of a heat?

[jombsik]

OK guys I think there is a progress. Photos I delivered in previous post are after rearranging cables. Earlier, GPU cable was going under card, so heat was blowing on cable. Also CPU cooler cable and CPU cable from PSU were placed differently.

After small testing (20 mins in The Outer Worlds, doing nothing - I was AFK, room closed) I feel like there is no longer burn smell. I would say there is *some* smell - I would describe it like "heat smell" or maybe "working electronic smell" but it is not disturbing.

I will do gaming session later this afternoon to make sure. I'll keep you posted.

 

 

[Mark Kaine]

11 hours ago, Caroline said:

materials used are cheap, but the case isn't because NZXT likes to ripoff users

NZXT cases are indeed the worst quality component I've ever seen in my life... 

 

Had only issues with this crap +B450 Tomahawk max... 

 

The front USBs even stopped working completely after 1 week lol...

 

Back to my trusty inwin + B350M board,  no issues. I even fixed the stutters I always had since building this PC (it was a Windows memory leak thing and there's a standby list cleaner that fixes it,  it's totally awesome haha) 

 

51 minutes ago, jombsik said:

would describe it like "heat smell" or maybe "working electronic smell" but it is not disturbing.

Hmm.  Imo if you smell "something" it's definitely not a good sign... I'm not smelling anything from my PC.  @.@  

 

 

 

 

[jombsik]

Hi again, I think rearraning cables solved problem of smell.

But now I have even more disturbing problem. I was running The Outer Worlds in a background and watching TV series for about 3 hours. I was monitoring temps every 20-30 min and last time I checked they were 62~65*C for CPU and 68~70*C for GPU. Suddenly I lost DisplayPort signal - screen went black. I swapped cable for HDMI but it didn't help. PC was still running a whole time, GPUs leds were one, fans spinning. Can you help me?

 

@Kisai @Founders

[Kisai]

2 hours ago, jombsik said:

Hi again, I think rearraning cables solved problem of smell.

But now I have even more disturbing problem. I was running The Outer Worlds in a background and watching TV series for about 3 hours. I was monitoring temps every 20-30 min and last time I checked they were 62~65*C for CPU and 68~70*C for GPU. Suddenly I lost DisplayPort signal - screen went black. I swapped cable for HDMI but it didn't help. PC was still running a whole time, GPUs leds were one, fans spinning. Can you help me?

 

@Kisai @Founders

Well that GPU temperature is actually considered normal. My Geforce GTX 1080 peaks around 57 degrees. My CPU peaks at 84 degrees (Intel Haswell).

 

My opinion here is that if it went black, but was still running is that the power management might have kicked in. If it doesn't work after a reboot, then the cooling in the chassis might be insufficient.

[jombsik]

@Kisai Oh sorry, I forgot to mention reset helped. But I can imagine it will happen again.

 

Should I try to power GPU with two 8-pin cables instead of one cable with double 8-pin connector. Can I use two cables with double 8-pin connector but plug only connector on each cable (I am asking this because PSU is modular and I have second cable with double 8-pin)?

 

[Sir0Tek]

Is there enough fresh air in the area of the graphics card? The position of the cpu-cooler seems odd, could it be turned by 90° to take air from the back of the graphics card? I do see 2 exhaust fans right next to it, but I can't see any intake.

[Kisai]

19 hours ago, jombsik said:

@Kisai Oh sorry, I forgot to mention reset helped. But I can imagine it will happen again.

 

Should I try to power GPU with two 8-pin cables instead of one cable with double 8-pin connector. Can I use two cables with double 8-pin connector but plug only connector on each cable (I am asking this because PSU is modular and I have second cable with double 8-pin)?

 

I don't think that's the issue. I think the problem is that the chassis is probably too small.

[jombsik]

On 12/21/2019 at 1:22 AM, Sir0Tek said:

Is there enough fresh air in the area of the graphics card? The position of the cpu-cooler seems odd, could it be turned by 90° to take air from the back of the graphics card? I do see 2 exhaust fans right next to it, but I can't see any intake.

@Sir0TekI believe it is enough of air. Case doesn't have intake fans, it has air intake in the front of side panel -> I placed CPU cooler this way so the air flow is same as it is for exhaust fan in the back of case.

@Kisai I am sorry, does "chassis" mean "case"? If so, I am not sure if it is too small, but definitely for that price I could buy better one.

---

I think the problem of smell is solved and it was fault of cables placed in a way of hot air. But problem of crashing drivers and lost signal to a monitor (with PC still running on) is live. I've read (on reddit etc) that many people have that problem and it is fault of AMD drivers and there is nothing much I can do except waiting for update. Is that correct?

[Sir0Tek]

I was pointing on your airflow which isn't good, there's very little flow in the bottom area where your graphics card resides, so it is likely quick to heat up if not overheating. You got no intake fan so the air is likely to take a shortcut from the front-side to the two exhaust fans. Especially that space between your cpu-cooler and the graphics card happens to be almost exactly the place where the gpu-chip resides, but there's almost no flow.

But of course you're free to blame the card and the drivers.

[Juular]

GPU exhaust shouldn't be able to heat-up PSU cables plastic to the point then they start to smell, likely it was just normal smell of electronics, or rather plastic, it goes away shortly after some use or heating it up, nothing to worry about really, if there will be indeed smth burning you'll notice that as it will be way more pronounced.

[jombsik]

@Sir0Tek card is reaching 72*C max. Is this overheating?

[Sir0Tek]

10 minutes ago, jombsik said:

@Sir0Tek card is reaching 72*C max. Is this overheating?

Does it crash at 72°C?

[jombsik]

@Sir0Tek it does.

[Sir0Tek]

Did you do the fixes mentioned here? 

 

 

[jombsik]

@Sir0Tek

1. My BIOS is up to date

2. I am not sure if MSI B450 GAMING PLUS MAX has PCI Express 4 but I will check it in a BIOS

3. I did clean installation of a driver software with DDU (not 19.7.2 but 19.12.1 and 19.12.2)

5. I don't use Afterburner

6. I am using only HWInfo and I will shut it down and give it a try

7. Already did it

8. Also did this

11. I do have a cap

[Sir0Tek]

1 minute ago, jombsik said:

@Sir0Tek

1. My BIOS is up to date

2. I am not sure if MSI B450 GAMING PLUS MAX has PCI Express 4 but I will check it in a BIOS

3. I did clean installation of a driver software with DDU (not 19.7.2 but 19.12.1 and 19.12.2)

5. I don't use Afterburner

6. I am using only HWInfo and I will shut it down and give it a try

7. Already did it

8. Also did this

11. I do have a cap

So, if everything else can be ruled out it could be the heat?

[jombsik]

@Sir0Tek In FurMark it reaches 90*C and doesn't shut down.