Burnt SMD because of a RGB LED Strip - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / repair

author: pelski6
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 19, 2021, 07:46:32 am
content: Hello. I have a problem with my Gigabyte B450 Aorus PRO. I bought a RGB LED strip. When I plugged it into the dedicated 5-pin RGB Fusion 2.0 slot (5 pin for 4 pin connector. good job gigabyte) the strip would turn on, but not display the correct colors (only green, purple and white would be displayed) so I thought the reason might be a faulty header. Meantime I have read in the User's Manual that next to the CPU socket there is a 4-pin RGB connector. As soon as I plugged the strip in and turned the pc on I heard a crack and then I noticed a burnt scent.Sent the motherboard to the retailer (a Romanian electronics store) and the first agent stated that it is a UID (User Induced Damage) because they have seen the burnt SMD's. I also contacted Gigabyte and they said they cannot do anything if the retailer said what it said.I'm now waiting for the final decision from the retailer's service.What are your thoughts?

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2021, 08:04:19 am
content: Looks like one of the 3 transistors burned up. Are you sure you used a compatible strip? Plugged it in the right way around?

author: pelski6
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 19, 2021, 08:09:27 am
content: Yes. the little arrow on the 12V pin (the bottom one according to the User's Manual)

author: fordem
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2021, 10:48:43 am
content: Quote from: pelski6 on March 19, 2021, 08:09:27 amThat would only mean the polarity is correct, not that the strip was compatible - it also does not rule out the possibility of a defective strip, and personally I would think the design of the motherboard to be poor if a short circuit or excessive current draw on a peripheral connector takes out the silicon, rather than a fuse.

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2021, 11:22:29 am
content: not any led strip will go on motherboards, see the user manual or the board specs ... some boards use led strip with data lines not the usual rgb lines

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2021, 05:22:51 pm
content: I would have expected something like addressable LEDs or SPI, but the cluster of 3 transistors implies direct 3 channel PWM control.

author: Algoma
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2021, 05:37:02 pm
content: All else fails, take the failed components off the board and find a different way to power the strip.. Provided nothing else is broken.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 21, 2021, 06:24:04 pm
content: Quote from: coromonadalix on March 19, 2021, 11:22:29 amAccording to the manual, that mobo supports both — but on separate headers. The one blown here is for “dumb” 12V LED strips.Quote from: pelski6 on March 19, 2021, 07:46:32 amRTFM, dude... that port supports RGBW (RGB+white) strips, hence the extra pin. The manual tells you how to plug in either an RGB or RGBW strip into it.Anyhow, what kind of strip did you buy? “RGB” doesn’t tell us much. There are many kinds, with various pinouts. The mobo manufacturer probably has the pinouts designed for their own LED products, which will not be totally universal.