New CPU Sets Smoke Detectors Off

[lando4commando]

Hello,

Two days ago, I installed my new AMD Athlon X4 880k and ever since I installed it, a very strong electrical smell has been emitting from my computer. I found that the smell was coming from inside of the heatsink, and I just thought it was the new CPU smell. I have also been dealing with my system getting very hot, so I keep a box fan running next to it. Today, I was playing a video game when suddenly, my house smoke detectors went off. We found that it was my PC when we opened the window in my room and the smoke detectors went back to normal. It would be appreciated if someone could give me a solution to this.

Thanks, Landon

Specs:

OS: Windows 10 Home 64-bit

CPU: AMD Athlon X4 880k

RAM: 8GB Dual Channel DDR3

Motherboard: Gigabyte F2A68HM-HD2

GPU: GTX 750 Ti

[Skiiwee29]

sounds like bad heatsink contact causing your CPU to likely overheat. 

[kelvinhall05]

If we didn't reply to your previous topics, it's because we don't know. Don't spam, please.

[lando4commando]

1 minute ago, legacy99 said:

sounds like bad heatsink contact causing your CPU to likely overheat. 

With the fan running on it, it only runs at about 60-70 degrees Celsius while gaming

[MrDrWho13]

Mate we already answered this yesterday. Have you read our solutions? 

 

[Emberstone]

Have you taken the CPU out to check for burn marks, or if the smell is imprinted onto it? I find it more likely that something like a capacitor is making that smell rather than the CPU itself.

 

Look for any leakage or blown caps on the motherboard, and take the PSU out to see if the smell is coming from there. Until you sort this out, I wouldn't turn the PC on unless you're fine with dead components anywhere down the road from now.

[lando4commando]

1 minute ago, MrDrWho13 said:

Mate we already answered this yesterday. Have you read our solutions? 

 

I actually found out that it wasn't from the PSU... the smell was coming from the heatsink so I created another post for tips on the heatsink

[lando4commando]

2 minutes ago, Emberstone said:

Have you taken the CPU out to check for burn marks, or if the smell is imprinted onto it? I find it more likely that something like a capacitor is making that smell rather than the CPU itself.

We took out the heatsink and put it back in. The smell was not coming from the CPU itself, nor was there burn marks. I could boldly smell it coming from the inside of the heatsink

[MrDrWho13]

Just now, lando4commando said:

We took out the heatsink and put it back in. The smell was not coming from the CPU itself, nor was there burn marks. I could boldly smell it coming from the inside of the heatsink

Maybe a capacitor blew and all the dust from that got pulled into the heatsink?

[lando4commando]

Just now, MrDrWho13 said:

Maybe a capacitor blew and all the dust from that got pulled into the heatsink?

I highly doubt it because we took out the PSU itself and it smelled nothing like the smell from the heatsink

[MrDrWho13]

Just now, lando4commando said:

I highly doubt it because we took out the PSU itself and it smelled nothing like the smell from the heatsink

There are capacitors on the motherboard too, have a look for scorch marks on any of them. (probably closer to the CPU if what you're describing is correct)

Could we have pics of this?

[Ryujin2003]

Care to send us a couple up close photos of everything?

[lando4commando]

5 minutes ago, Ryujin2003 said:

Care to send us a couple up close photos of everything?

 

6 minutes ago, MrDrWho13 said:

There are capacitors on the motherboard too, have a look for scorch marks on any of them. (probably closer to the CPU if what you're describing is correct)

Could we have pics of this?

Here you go

[MrDrWho13]

2 minutes ago, lando4commando said:

 

Here you go

Looks like this didn't quite go to plan...

[lando4commando]

Just now, MrDrWho13 said:

Looks like this didn't quite go to plan...

What happened?

[JakeNTech]

1 minute ago, lando4commando said:

What happened?

I think what was meant of pictures around the CPU socket with out the cooler on. But while you are at it, you could re-do the thermal paste just to make sure 

Spoiler

1- Get some thermal paste,either Artic Silver 5 or Thermal grizzly and some TIM cleaner, You could probably go with out, the TIM cleaner that is, it but it makes the job easier. Make sure you have an anti-static strap and your using it, its unlikely to matter anyway but better be safe then sorry. 
2- Disassemble you computer, to the level where you can remove the cooler(So if you have a PC don’t take the whole thing part unless you have to) then remove the heatsink.Once you have taken the heat sink off, put some TIM remover onto some tissue, toilet paper will be fine, and gently wipe over the CPU/GPU/North bridge(Select as appropriate). until there is no paste left, not even a trace should be left. If the TIM isn’t coming off easily then you can put some directly onto the chip.
3- Wait 2-3 minutes, this lets the tim cleaner lifts what has been missed. 
4- Wipe all the surfaces you have just cleaned with a material like your t-shirt, a first run of this stage could be done with some tissue then your t-shirt but it doesn’t really matter as long as it is gone.
5- Apply a line of thermal paste in a parallel line to the longest edge on the CPU/GPU/North bridge.
6- Spread it out most TIM kits include a spreader but you can always use some cling film over the end of your finger, I found the spreader easier but your milage may vary; you want a thin layer over the whole die, making sure that you can't see the die, if there is some on the socket latch (or on the green part,Mobile chips) then its not too important but some people may remove it, I personally don’t bother.
7- Place the heat sink down at a one or two degree angle and then turn it so that the mounting holes are all align, then wait a few minutes, this allows the air to escape.
8- Tighten the screws down in a star like pattern, make them all finger tight and then go around with a screw driver, the heatsink shouldn’t move at all. 
9- Make sure that it is all tight and reassemble you computer.
Thermal paste doesn’t last long and should ideally be replaced yearly. 

 

[MrDrWho13]

Just now, lando4commando said:

What happened?

Images didn't load, but now they have.  

Now onto the detective work...

[johnukguy]

Did you make sure that the plastic on the thermal paste which is on many stock heat sinks, was taken off before installing the CPU?

[lando4commando]

Just now, johnukguy said:

Did you make sure that the plastic on the thermal paste was taken off before installing the CPU?

Yes. I even took off the heatsink to see if that was the problem

[MrDrWho13]

Of the components that I can see, there doesn't seem to be any damage. If it were me, I would contact the motherboard manufacturer and see if they can take it back under warranty.

[Jrdiver]

Are the temperatures mentioned above from the Mobo or the CPU?  Programs like hwmonitor usually list them out separately and can be quite different from each other.

[lando4commando]

Just now, Jrdiver said:

Are the temperatures mentioned above from the Mobo or the CPU?  Programs like hwmonitor usually list them out separately and can be quite different from each other.

The temps are from the CPU. I use a program called Speccy

[Ryujin2003]

Yeah, I was you know.. Expecting the heatsink to be off so we could see the socket, NBD...

 

Out of curiosity, how much dust is trapped on the otherside of that fan? Between the fan and the heatsink?

[lando4commando]

7 minutes ago, Ryujin2003 said:

Yeah, I was you know.. Expecting the heatsink to be off so we could see the socket, NBD...

 

Out of curiosity, how much dust is trapped on the otherside of that fan? Between the fan and the heatsink?

There is not much dust since I just installed it a few days ago

[Ryujin2003]

Just now, lando4commando said:

There is not much dust since I just installed it a few days ago

Do you have another heatsink to try? Perhaps from another AMD CPU in the past?