Avoiding the YLOD on an early model CECHH00 PS3

Hey guys! I recently picked up a CECHH00 model PS3 to replace my temperamental launch model PS3. The original plan was to get a late model fat PS3, the ones with thinner chips. But I found this model in as-new condition for a good price, it's a nice-looking white model and it's also made in Japan. From what I've read, this model does use a thinner GPU and a less hot PSU than my launch model, so it shouldn't be as prone to the YLOD issue. However, since it still is an early model I'm worried that it might still YLOD in the future.

I found this long guide to preventing the YLOD, and it seems to come down to the following points: Replace the thermal compound, replace the fan if it's not a 19 blade one and replace the PSU if it's the older one. Point one is a bit of a worry for me, as changing the thermal compound was the nail in the coffin for my launch model PS3, from what you guys mentioned on the topic I made, removing the heatsink probably stressed the solder and made it crack. That guide doesn't even mention anything like that, so I'm not sure how much of a common issue it is. It does mention that removing the heatsink on my model is more difficult than other models and could result in making things worse. I'm not sure if they mean it genuinely is difficult to put the heatsink back on properly or that there's just a few things you need to make sure you do when you're reassembling. For the PSU, is my model using one of the better, later ones or is it still one of the early ones and should be upgraded? Based on what the guide said, there's only really two PSU models of interest, the launch one and the later, more efficient one.

What do you guys think?

 

The best way to prevent the ylod is to get a reball.
What I did on my buddys ps3 was heatgun it,replace the paste and installed a potentiometer to adjust the fan.

Sounds like you have the 40gig model,the psu on that one doesn't get that hot.

 

I would replace the thermal paste and the fan. I wouldn't touch the PSU, it rarely causes problems. I don't think that your console will fail so soon if it's in good condition. If it does fail, just get a reball, reflows don't last long.

 

you could do something similar to what i am doing , Fan mod that is externally powered and i have flashed CFW not only for games but i can control the stock Fan speed of the internal Fan.


btw avoid the Fan mod with a Potentiometer it ruined one of my Slims

 

I have found a few guys on Yahoo Auction who does YLOD repair, but I can't find mention if he replaces the solder balls with a lead-based one. He says his shop also does manufacturing, so I'd hope he'd be smart enough to know this. Otherwise, he'd have previous customers coming back a few years later complaining that it failed again! proarturs' idea of only repalacing the thermal paste and fan and leaving the YLOD repair for if that happens sounds good, but again, I'm a little worried about breaking the solder while I'm removing the heatsink though, any tips to avoid this, or is this just not a common problem? Also, any idea what that guide I linked to means by

s8n: That kinda spoils the look of the console if you ask me

 

When I did one I used a 250k pot and it works just fine,did you have the fan running on 12v the whole time.



And FireAza,what FW are you running,if you could install custom firmware you could control the fan via software.

 

i followed a Youtube clip on how someone else did their POT mod and it worked initially , then i raised the speed via the POT and pop something went out.


ive actually been working on what went out with someone from PS3hax forums and the person has come to the conclusion the syscon is gone

 

That comic sans though...

 

Latest version (4.3 I think). But controlling the fan seems unnecessary, it seems to be doing it's job just fine! I'm just looking to patch up the flaws in Sony's design of the PS3 that eventually kills it. Using lead-free solder was the biggest mistake, but it seems like the thermal paste they used was poor quality too. The fan working harder would also help, but increasing the amount of heat being delivered to the fan would also accomplish a similar goal.

 

He's not from a fortune 500 company he can damn well use whatever font he wants.

 

So you've got a CECHH PS3 which is already a pretty good ps3 model as it has lower die size on both the cpu and the gpu, the psu doesn't produce that much heat and moreover it has a plastic housing which limits heat transfer between psu and the metal plate over the motherboard, the fan is also a 17 blade and you can't replace it with a 19 blade one because they're different in shape/size.

Thus you can't do that much to prevent ylod because in fact, those models aren't prone to ylod. i'd advise you to simply make it clean (blow all the dust) and replace the thermal paste over the cpu and the gpu with a good one (Arctic MX-2 is a pretty good one, easy to apply, cheap and good quality).

In the extreme case where the fan turns super loud after 1-2 minutes of operating time, it'll be due to the paste under the ihs that gone dry. If that happens, you'll need to open the cpu and rsx IHS and although the RSX one is pretty easy to remove, the CELL one is a pain in the ass, even more on those late fat model ps3. I wouldn't advise you to do this as if it's your first time, you've got more chances to destroy it beyond repair than having better temps.

In conclusion, don't worry that much with your PS3 because it's a good one. Just replace thermal paste and make sure it spreads all over the cpu/gpu surface and you'll be good !

 

Someone on here liquid cooled theirs not too long ago. 

 

-Clean it out
-Replace thermal paste
-Use potentiometer to speed the fan a bit (optional).
-Set Power Savings mode so the system doesn't stay on indefinitely if you're not using it... I set mine to 2 hours

That's what I'd recommend... it's the most convenient and cost-effective (no replacing parts, etc, and potentiometers and a bit of wire cost barely anything). I've tried in the past replacing a power supply with a lower-wattage power supply from another system and it's a bad idea. The system would turn off randomly while gaming when I tested it. IMO, stick with the stock power supply, it's rated the way it is for a reason.

Why would you reball a perfectly good system? Not to mention the costs involved in doing that... only seems like a good idea if you have your own reballing station, but if you did I doubt you'd be asking how to avoid YLOD.

 

That's a relief to hear. I think I'll replace the thermal paste at some point, which brings me back to that point about the heat sink supposedly being tricky to replace on my model. I'm familar with the heat sink on launch model PS3s and I'm an old hand at PC heat sinks, what makes the heat sink of this model so unusual?

That sounds like a good plan, I just hope that if something does happen later down the line that someone is still able to reball it! Well, doing these preventive measures should help things.

 

I plan on doing this mod on my CECHA-01 since it keeps everything original.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KxP9V6g4nGg

 

There's nothing "special". You'll just need to lift the motherboard after you've removed all the screws. It might be kind of "stuck" because the old thermal paste acts as glue. So to make is easier to lift it, just heat it up with a hair dryer, then just remove it slowly from different angles and it'll come in a short period of time.

Ho, by the way, I was wrong about the RSX die size in CECHH model, it's still in 90nm. But as I said, don't worry, a good thermal paste and a good clean will do the job .

 

Do you guys have any reccomendations for thermal pastes? The usual kind used in desktop PCs is often too thin for consoles, any idea if the PS3 needs a thicker one?

 

I used MX-4 on mine. Seems to work well, and it's thick (if that matters).

 

The one in the silver or white tube? I have the MX-4 in a white tube and it seems pretty runny.

 

I just use some generic grey paste personally, which is fairly thick. Paste is paste, I don't think it matters if it's on a console or a desktop.

Remember that less is more when it comes to paste and you only need a minute amount.