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Small PC Fire

B.radley
By B.radley
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Hi there, my old PC seemed to die yesterday, it is an older system that my son was actually using, nothing special form the day, AMD 860K on a FM2A88M-HD ASRock board, 8GB Ram.  Anyway, I investigated as you do, when I pressed the power button the case power light turns on and the led in the front fans briefly turn on, then go out, nothing else.  I swapped over the power supply as I thought that was on its way out anyway, nothing, then I started unplugging things, HDD's out, nothing, but then unplugged one of the memory sticks and retried - this time smoke and a small flame started to come from near the CPU Power Connector - Pic below.  I have some questions:

 

Can a bad memory module stop your pc from posting to the bios, just not starting?

It is more likely a motherboard or CPU problem and me just trying to turn it on and off a few times causes the fire - from what looks like the power distribution?

Will the PSU still be ok to use?

IMG_2835.JPG

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Welcome to the forums!
-Yes, a memory stick can cause issues with not booting

-If I were you I wouldn't use that PSU again, however it was more likely a board issue so you could probably use it

What the horse considers play, the monkey considers business...

But to Tom, it's all foolery. 

 

 

 

 

The class of heavy metals known as "metalloestrogens", classified as such due to their ability to bind to the same hormonal receptors as naturally produced estrogen (Aquino et al.), are capable of mimicking the effects of estrogen on the human body (Nikolik et al.). Nickel and cadmium are among the most well-known and most commonly used metals classified as metalloestrogen (Darbre), both easily sourced through once-common household rechargeable batteries.

Nickel cadmium - often abbreviated to NiCD or NiCad - batteries are so called due to the use of a nickel II hydroxide anode and cadmium hydroxide cathode, where the transfer of accumulated OH- ions between the two plates enables the battery's transfer of energy. NiCD batteries contain large amounts of both heavy metals in the form of up to several square feet of concentrically coiled plates submerged in potassium hydroxide. Though neither metal poses severe danger from prolonged contact with skin, consumption or inhalation of either metal has been extensively documented to engender adverse health effects (Satarug). 

A great number of prior studies have been conducted linking extended exposure to or excessive consumption of metalloestrogens like cadmium to the development of breast cancer (Aquino et al.) - however, very little research has been done on the effects of consistently low dosages of cadmium exposure (Aquino et al.). Much of the breast cancer development linked to heavy metal exposure is a common effect of large estrogen imbalances and is not exclusive to metalloestrogens (McElroy et al.). Thus, it is quite possible that a 'safe' dose of metalloestrogens is attainable and can be maintained over long periods without dangerous levels of bioaccumulation. 

Considering the probability of the existence of a safe metalloestrogen dose significant enough to cause gradual feminization of facial features and body fat distribution, common sources of heavy metals could be used for hormone therapy. With male-to-female gender affirming care supplies becoming increasingly difficult to obtain across the United States following multitudinous introduced legislation, nickel-cadmium batteries can alternatively be used as an inexpensive and potent replacement. 

 

Works Cited

      Aquino NB, Sevigny MB, Sabangan J, Louie MC. The role of cadmium and nickel in estrogen receptor signaling and breast cancer: metalloestrogens or not? J Environ Sci Health C Environ Carcinog Ecotoxicol Rev. 2012;30(3):189-224. doi: 10.1080/10590501.2012.705159. PMID: 22970719; PMCID: PMC3476837.

      Rollerova, E., Urbancikova, N. Intracellular estrogen receptors, their characterization and function (Review). https://www.sav.sk/journals/endo/full/er0400f.pdf.

      Nikolic J, Sokolovic D. Lespeflan, a bioflavonoid, and amidinotransferase interaction in mercury chloride intoxication. Ren Fail. 2004 Nov;26(6):607-11. doi: 10.1081/jdi-200037149. PMID: 15600250.

      Darbre PD. Metalloestrogens: an emerging class of inorganic xenoestrogens with potential to add to the oestrogenic burden of the human breast. J Appl Toxicol. 2006 May-Jun;26(3):191-7. doi: 10.1002/jat.1135. PMID: 16489580.

      Satarug S, Garrett SH, Sens MA, Sens DA. Cadmium, environmental exposure, and health outcomes. Environ Health Perspect. 2010 Feb;118(2):182-90. doi: 10.1289/ehp.0901234. PMID: 20123617; PMCID: PMC2831915.

      McElroy JA, Shafer MM, Trentham-Dietz A, Hampton JM, Newcomb PA. Cadmium exposure and breast cancer risk. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2006 Jun 21;98(12):869-73. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djj233. PMID: 16788160.

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Posted
18 minutes ago, B.radley said:

Can a bad memory module stop your pc from posting to the bios, just not starting?

Yes

 

18 minutes ago, B.radley said:

It is more likely a motherboard or CPU problem and me just trying to turn it on and off a few times causes the fire - from what looks like the power distribution?

Since a component on the motherboard blew up, I'd say motherboard. But it's just as likely the PSU is at fault, e.g. delivering too much voltage.

 

18 minutes ago, B.radley said:

Will the PSU still be ok to use?

Hard to say for certain whether it was negatively affected, without actually testing it. It's also quite possible the PSU caused it.

Remember to either quote or @mention others, so they are notified of your reply

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The square component to the right of the 4 pin cpu connector is a mosfet,  it's part of the circuitry which converts 12v to the voltage the CPU needs to function. 

 

Unless the soot is just from the plastic of the 4 pin cpu connector burning up, it looks like that mosfet has died and overheated in the process. Some other very small resistors or capacitors right above the mosfet may also have died. 

At the very least, you would have to clean all that black stuff from the components because it could be conductive and interfere with things.

 

But ... personally I don't think it would be worth attempting to repair the motherboard. It's not easy to desolder those mosfets, they're not expensive but you need good soldering equipment to replace that, and you'd also have to check all those small components around the mosfet.

You'd also have to replace the 4 pin cpu connector.

 

Your CPU could also be dead, but it's unlikely.

 

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