Broken RGB header on GPU

[GoddessFreya]

So I have the 6900xt sapphire toxic aio gpu and yesterday I was fixing up my cables to look cleaner and my argb plug fell out and trying to get it to stay on broke one of my pins so I was wondering if there was a way I could fix it. It's a 3 pin plug, I do not know where the original pin went so if I also need to know if I can just harvest a pin from something else to replace it? 

[Average Nerd]

Can you post a picture of the header?

[GoddessFreya]

5 minutes ago, Average Nerd said:

Can you post a picture of the header?

[Average Nerd]

6 minutes ago, GoddessFreya said:

One of the pins is bent, you might be able to bend it back with a pocket knife or a tooth pick. I'd pull the card out of the case for that so you can get to the header more easily.

If the pin breaks off, you can replace it with a 4-pin 2,54mm right-angle header with one pin pulled out, similar to this one:

Spoiler

If you don't feel comfortable (de-) soldering components on your GPU, you can ask an electronics repair shop if they can do it for you.

[GoddessFreya]

18 minutes ago, Average Nerd said:

One of the pins is bent, you might be able to bend it back with a pocket knife or a tooth pick. I'd pull the card out of the case for that so you can get to the header more easily.

If the pin breaks off, you can replace it with a 4-pin 2,54mm right-angle header with one pin pulled out, similar to this one:

  Hide contents

If you don't feel comfortable (de-) soldering components on your GPU, you can ask an electronics repair shop if they can do it for you.

if I have never soldered before is it something easy to do? and or is there a large chance of damaging my card by attempting to do it? 

 

also would these pins work part of why I think it broke was that it had no housing 

[Average Nerd]

17 minutes ago, GoddessFreya said:

also would these pins work part of why I think it broke was that it had no housing 

Maybe, but there's a significant chance that the RGB cable won't fit into them.

18 minutes ago, GoddessFreya said:

if I have never soldered before is it something easy to do?

To be completely honest I wouldn't recommend you to do your first soldering job on what is probably a very expensive component.

[GoddessFreya]

36 minutes ago, Average Nerd said:

Maybe, but there's a significant chance that the RGB cable won't fit into them.

To be completely honest I wouldn't recommend you to do your first soldering job on what is probably a very expensive 

am I able to use a 4 pin cable on a 3 pin header like if I get headers I sent and then use an sm4p cable will it work fine just having nothing in one of the 4 pins? 

[Average Nerd]

7 minutes ago, GoddessFreya said:

am I able to use a 4 pin cable on a 3 pin header like if I get headers I sent and then use an sm4p cable will it work fine just having nothing in one of the 4 pins? 

Yes. As long as the correct pin is unpopulated.

Keep in mind though that if you can't get a prefabricated cable with the JST connector already on it, you'll have to crimp one on yourself which is a royal pain.

[GoddessFreya]

1 minute ago, Average Nerd said:

Yes. As long as the correct pin is unpopulated.

Keep in mind though that if you can't get a prefabricated cable with the JST connector already on it, you'll have to crimp one on yourself which is a royal pain.

would this not work?

[Average Nerd]

5 minutes ago, GoddessFreya said:

would this not work?

Not with the headers you sent.

They need this conector (JST XH 4pin)

E: you should be able to find prefabricated cables that you can splice onto a normal RGB cable.

Edited June 12, 2024 by Average Nerd

[GoddessFreya]

3 hours ago, Average Nerd said:

Not with the headers you sent.

They need this conector (JST XH 4pin)

E: you should be able to find prefabricated cables that you can splice onto a normal RGB cable.

OK SO I had an idea I wanted to ask you if it would work, I was thinking of ordering this 

 

and then harvesting the pin set off this and practicing desoldering on cheap crummy rgb controller before i do it on expensive gpu

[Average Nerd]

Just now, GoddessFreya said:

OK SO I had an idea I wanted to ask you if it would work, I was thinking of ordering this 

 

and then harvesting the pin set off this and practicing desoldering on cheap crummy rgb controller before i do it on expensive gpu

You could do that, have you tried unbending the bent pin on the header that is on your GPU before you get into the weeds of soldering?

[GoddessFreya]

1 hour ago, Average Nerd said:

You could do that, have you tried unbending the bent pin on the header that is on your GPU before you get into the weeds of soldering?

one of the pins fell off already, actually the bent one is just a bonus broken pin I fear 

[Average Nerd]

1 minute ago, GoddessFreya said:

one of the pins fell off already, actually the bent one is just a bonus broken pin I fear 

Oh, I couldn't see that in the picture. In that case, replacing the header is pretty much the only option.

 

[Blue4130]

10 hours ago, GoddessFreya said:

 

You really need to find the missing pin. Having a small piece of conductive metal floating around is just asking for trouble.

[GoddessFreya]

On 6/12/2024 at 4:40 PM, Blue4130 said:

 

You really need to find the missing pin. Having a small piece of conductive metal floating around is just asking for trouble.

don't worry it fell off outside the case so it should b ok