A simple trick for finding a short on a motherboard that saved me hours

I keep seeing people pull out every part one by one when a board won't post. Last month, a client brought in a gaming PC from a shop in Tempe that said the board was dead. I used a $15 thermal camera from my phone and spotted a tiny capacitor near the RAM slots heating up to 140F in seconds. Replaced that one part and it booted right up. What's your go-to method for tracking down shorts without a full teardown?

2 comments

2 Comments

gibson.sean10d agoTop Commenter

That thermal camera trick is brilliant. It's funny how often the right tool just cuts through what looks like a huge problem. Reminds me of finding a water leak with food coloring instead of tearing up the whole floor.

parkerkim10d ago

My go-to method is a $5 can of freeze spray from the auto parts store, but half the time I'm just sniffing for that magic smoke smell like a weirdo. Gibson.sean is right about the right tool, I just wish my tools were less embarrassing. Last week I spent an hour looking for a short with a multimeter, only to realize the problem was a loose 24-pin cable I knocked while testing. Felt like a real genius that day.