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My EVGA GTX980 backplate leaks something sticky from the termalpads

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Jackos
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Friday, July 24, 2015 9:34 AM (permalink)
I was playing The Witcher 3 when suddenly my computer turned off and I could smell something burned. I opened my PC case and noticed my EVGA GTX980 had something sticky on it. After investigating I noticed that the termalpads on the backplate leaked something sticky.
The graphics card still works, but I'm a bit worried to use it again.
 
Shall I send the card (and backplate?) for RMA? I attached pictures of my issue.
 
  

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    ManBearPig
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    Re: My EVGA GTX980 backplate leaks something sticky from the termalpads Friday, July 24, 2015 10:20 AM (permalink)
    That is just residue from the thermal pads on the back plate; 100% normal.  All of my EVGA video cards with a back plate have it gotten it.
     
    http://forums.evga.com/Gellike-substance-and-oily-residue-on-the-back-of-my-4GB-GTX670-SC-m1806289.aspx
    http://forums.evga.com/GTX480-Backplate39s-Thermal-Pad-question-m1035558.aspx


     
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    Jackos
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    Re: My EVGA GTX980 backplate leaks something sticky from the termalpads Friday, July 24, 2015 10:27 AM (permalink)
    Thanks for your answer. Seems really not to affect the card. Oil doesn't transfer current.
     
    What about the burning smell? I checked every part of my system and there is nothing suspicious. I even unscrewed my power supply to check, if there is any damage.
     
    Is it safe to use the card? I put it back into my system and I can play Witcher 3 perfectly fine. Even the fps seems fine...
     
    If it wasn't for the burning smell I wouldn't even bother to create a forum topic...

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    jonkrmr
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    Re: My EVGA GTX980 backplate leaks something sticky from the termalpads Friday, July 24, 2015 2:20 PM (permalink)
    Crappy/cheap thermal pads. Buy better thermal pad material and replace the stock thermal pads and that will not happen again. The burning smell was most likely the pad itself or the oil from the pad heating up from the heat generated on the back of the PCB and chips on the back. Those pads rest right on the back of the GPU on the back of the PCB. The hottest place on the back of the PCB. You should be OK to use the card. The pads and the oil from the pads are not electrically conductive. The burning smell will go away as the oil from the pads evaporate away from the heat. The oil or the pad will not actually burn as the temps generated on the back of the PCB are no where near the flash temp for the oil or the pad to ignite.

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    Jackos
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    Re: My EVGA GTX980 backplate leaks something sticky from the termalpads Friday, July 24, 2015 2:23 PM (permalink)
    I guess so. Shall I clean the oil from the card and backplate?

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    CoercionShaman
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    Re: My EVGA GTX980 backplate leaks something sticky from the termalpads Friday, July 24, 2015 2:26 PM (permalink)
    I clean mine off with alcohol and a lint free rag.  But then again, I clean out my entire rig way more than I probably need to.  So, could you?  Sure.  Do you have to?  No.

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    Jackos
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    Re: My EVGA GTX980 backplate leaks something sticky from the termalpads Friday, July 24, 2015 2:28 PM (permalink)
    Thanks guys, helpful as always :)

    Haswell RIG: MSI Z87 MPOWER; Intel Core i7-4770K; Corsair Vengeance Pro 2133Mhz CL11 16GB; EVGA GeForce GTX 980 ACX 2.0 w/ backplate; Samsung SSD PRO 850 256GB + Intel SSD 530 Series 180GB + Samsung SSD EVO 840 250GB; 2x WDC Black 3TB RAID0; CHIEFTEC BPS-750C2; Fractal Design Define R3 w/ USB3; Logitech MX Master + Wireless Illuminated Keyboard K800; Samsung PX2370; Windows 8.1 RTM Genuine

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    jonkrmr
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    Re: My EVGA GTX980 backplate leaks something sticky from the termalpads Friday, July 24, 2015 2:29 PM (permalink)
    If you want but most likely it will continue until all the oil from the pads has evaporated away or leaked out of the pads. Does no harm to the hardware, just looks ugly as heck. Same thing happened to me. I just replaced all the thermal pads with better quality thermal pads. I always do that on the cooler side of the card anyway. The thermal pads that come from the factory are the lowest end cheap pads so the mfg can save a couple of cents per card. Cut 2 deg C on the PCB & VRM temp on the PCB of the card using better quality thermal pads.

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