Help identify a high-end motherboard capacitor - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / repair

author: kfrench581
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 20, 2023, 05:35:00 pm
content: Hi everyone,I've been a long-time lurker of the forums and have been watching Dave's stuff for years now, but what happened recently has driven me to post for the first time. If you want to skip the story, the picture should be at the bottom of the post, I'm hoping I did this right, if I didn't please be kind and I'll try to edit in a fix.Background:I've been messing around with electronics since the 70's when my parents bought me the RadioShack 150-in kit when I was 9. I loved it but also didn't have the math to really understand the finer points. I've done repairs of laptops (like remove everything to swap out a cooling fan, or replace a broken touchscreen) and Nintendo DS screens, to dabbling with arduinos and WS8512b stuff. I'm not an expert but I'm familiar with ohms law, most normal components like resisters and their color bands and ratings, diodes, general capacitors, etc.Problem:I assembled a new desktop gaming rig 6 months ago and recently found time to insert the SSD drives from my previous laptop. In doing so, I needed to remove a cover over the M.2 sockets which had screws but also a button to release the cover. When I tried the button, the cover didn't release so I found a round bit near where the cover was stuck and pushed on it but that didn't work, yes your right, I shouldn't have done that but I'll get back to that. It was then I found the screw holding the cover and THEN the real button successfully released the cover and I finish the job of adding the SSD. It was then I find a loose capacitor rolling around on the motherboard and my heart almost stopped, this board is probably around $4-500 and I'm thinking I just bricked my primary desktop, aaaaaahhhhhhh!After taking a breath, I look at the capacitor and realize that it is not surface mount and is large enough so I think I can resolder it to the motherboard, I have several soldering irons and solder, desolder braid, solder sucker, etc. so I'm not that worried about the skill part, only the how to not damage my very expensive board part.I put the cap in a bag so I can come back to it and reassemble the PC and it boots but won't let me get into the BIOS, so I figure the cap was doing something with the boot sequence / keyboard as opposed to regular operation, I've been about to keep using the PC for weeks now but the missing cap continues to bug me. When I went back to identify the cap I realized that I can't tell what it's value or rating or anything is and the leads broke up inside the cap so there are probably two leads still sticking up out of the motherboard, I hope so because I'm thinking I'll need to get out a multimeter (or scope if I have to) to detect which lead is negative for when I find the replacement.Where you come in:I have a picture of the cap and the codes written on it and will post a picture here if at all possible. My problem is the cap has the look of a 'regular' electrolytic cap but I can tell it is different and that makes me very nervous knowing that there are some cases where small details matter (hi there hobby electronics!) and so I'm being cautious. On top of that, the codes on the cap are different enough that even with searching through Digikey, I can't seem to identify the cap. Instead of the normal blue case, it is all black with a white strip (chord is probably more accurate) of paint on the end which I'm guessing is for polarity. When I searched Digikey I tried going through each manufacturer looking for ones that make this style of cap but no real match. The style is more refined than the typical electrolytic and looks more like the can style for poly or solid (not ceramic) electrolytic caps.Details:Code on the cap is written below vertically to match how it appears on the cap.FP1ZCG27116My Guess:Maybe FP is a reference to 'poly'271 means 270 (pico farads?)16 means voltage DC?Question:What type of capacitor is this including value, ratings, etc.Can I use an equivelant and what would that values be?

author: factory
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2023, 06:05:14 pm
content: Looks very like the Nichicon Functional Polymer (FP) range, just a custom color for the motherboard maker.https://www.nichicon.co.jp/english/products/pdf/2013fpcap_catalog_all.pdfThere doesn't seem to be anything in the pdf to identify the markings.271 is 270uF,16 is 16VDavid

author: kfrench581
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 20, 2023, 06:41:20 pm
content: Thanks so much for the information and the link! I've been reading through the doc and have found at least two part series that have 270uf/16v caps of the FP type and wanted to ask a follow up because the rest of the code on the cap doesn't really match up with the doc (maybe it's not a Nichicon, don't really care, I'm glad to have a place to start) and my follow up is about the other ratings like temp and tolerance (is that the same as endurance). I'm assuming that they chose the FP type over regular electrolytic because of wanting better performance like frequency or lifespan so I'd like to know which of those won't shoot me in the foot if my goal is replacing the part safely.

author: factory
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2023, 07:14:15 pm
content: Apparently the unidentified code is a "lot number". Seems Nichicon don't put the product code on their FP-caps, but Kemet & Panasonic do.You should measure the length, diameter & lead pitch of the broken cap, take note if the the plastic/rubber bung sticks outornot (important if tracks run underneath) and see how many match in the datasheet. If you have more than one the same dimensions, find out which are available from your chosen supplier.David