How-to: Pencil mod your HD 3870!

sneekypeet · Mar 18, 2008

For resistance and pencil'ing I always had the card out of the machine.

Cold Storm · Mar 18, 2008

Freak, never be sorry for asking question over and over.. its something you haven't done, and no way you want to kill the card.. So all is good. and good so far

freaksavior · Mar 18, 2008

is this the resister?

edit and should i use the 4 h or 4b/ i got both

sneekypeet · Mar 18, 2008

no

Check it against RM's pic in post #1

freaksavior · Mar 18, 2008

??

sneekypeet · Mar 18, 2008

Yes sir I do believe you have it correct now! I called RM to come and correct us!

Random Murderer · Mar 18, 2008

freaksavior said:
??

correct, r1222.

freaksavior · Mar 18, 2008

ok. thanks. Now, i have it set to omega 2k and its not reading anything. the card is just sitting on my desk....i feel like an idiot lol

@ random, u should use that pic in your post so its a little easier to find the R1222 resister.

Dr. Spankenstein · Mar 18, 2008

That's right. It coincides with the labeling screened above it the three vertically arranged resistors are from top to bottom:R1222, R685, and R684. The one you originally pointed to has C1221 screened on the PCB in the same orientation as the resistor.

Maybe take a breather for a few and come back. I can tell you are chomping at the bit to use your new "Rampage". Take it slow, my brother...

You should try to use the extreme tips of the leads on the ends of the resistors. It is hard to get and keep a steady reading on such a small contact area.

sneekypeet · Mar 18, 2008

I had to read mine funny by setting it on top of each side instead of on the sides....get my drift?

freaksavior · Mar 18, 2008

i dont need to plug in the card do i? its not reading it...

Cold Storm · Mar 18, 2008

it takes some time to find the right way to hold it in order to get it to read.. this mod takes time to do.. worst thing about it!

DanishDevil · Mar 18, 2008

No. When measuring resistance, a small electrical charge is sent from the multimeter through the resistor to the other wire, and that is how the multimeter gets its reading. It should not be plugged in.

One thing that may help that I did was taking a nail file and trying to lightly scrape off some of the epoxy or whatever it is that they love to spray these cards with. I think that's the reason you're not getting a reading. It's gotta be bare metal to bare metal. And yes, use the very tips.

You may also try placing them here:

[x]llllll[[x]

rather than on the edges. Though, I found the edges easier, as I've got big hands.

Dr. Spankenstein · Mar 18, 2008

^^Listen to him in regards to this! And remember to change the setting on your DMM to Vm when checking core volts!

No power is required. You are only testing the resistance.

Like I said, it's kinda tough to just contact the ends of the resistor. Try not to get too flustered!

freaksavior · Mar 18, 2008

it says 1.9.

DanishDevil · Mar 18, 2008

Which card are you working on first?

If it's the HIS, these are some results I got:

Also, a trick when shading. If you press too soft, nothing happens. If you press too hard, you'll scrape graphite off and get less of a reading. Play with it. Listen to some good music while you do it. It's really very mechanical of an operation once you get going. And if you would like, you could make a voltage/resistance chart like I did.

freaksavior · Mar 18, 2008

his card

1.620 for the diamond

Random Murderer · Mar 18, 2008

freaksavior said:
ok. thanks. Now, i have it set to omega 2k and its not reading anything. the card is just sitting on my desk....i feel like an idiot lol

@ random, u should use that pic in your post so its a little easier to find the R1222 resister.

done.

Dr. Spankenstein · Mar 18, 2008

Yeah, 1.89 is about standard for stock resistance.

DanishDevil · Mar 18, 2008

I'd start with the HIS, as the readings from the Diamond are a little different than stock. See what kind of results you get!

freaksavior · Mar 18, 2008

ok so 1.9 for his and 1.62 for diamond. now i guess i just lightly rub the pencil across it measuring it each time.

Dr. Spankenstein · Mar 18, 2008

You got it. Here is where some "technique" come into play. Some like to use a wide lead (like if you drew back and forth on a sheet of paper while so as to make the tip as wide as the resistor) then you could shade in one stroke.

Some like a super sharpened pencil and make lots of tiny parallel lines from end to end, some do circles. (I think you can end up removing as much as you're applying with too ramdom of a pattern.)

Go with whatever works for you.

freaksavior · Mar 18, 2008

its at 1.186 and does it matter if the pencil dust hits the other points?

Dr. Spankenstein · Mar 18, 2008

Um, yes. It does! Ask DanishDevil.

If you have some compressed air, try and blow the excess graphite away from any other components or it will act upon them the same way it does on the resistor you're shading.

Keep it clean. :toast:

Shoot for 1.00 on your resistance.

freaksavior · Mar 18, 2008

its at .95

the dust is clear but i think i shaded around the resister also so other spots have the lead on it.

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How-to: Pencil mod your HD 3870!

not-so supermod

Battosai

To infinity ... and beyond!

not-so supermod

To infinity ... and beyond!

not-so supermod

The Anti-Midas

To infinity ... and beyond!

not-so supermod

To infinity ... and beyond!

Battosai

To infinity ... and beyond!

To infinity ... and beyond!

The Anti-Midas

To infinity ... and beyond!

To infinity ... and beyond!

To infinity ... and beyond!