Started working on another S17+, this one is a real mess. One hashboard had 9 heatsinks fall off, some with chips still attached.

The heatsinks that fell off look like they came off with the film from the top of the chip. Without the film on the chip, it is impossible to get solder to flow evenly on the top of the chip, so impossible to get a good contact with the heatsink. I saw the same issue on some chips on another S17+. Looks like a manufacturing issue with the chip packages. Or maybe it just breaks down if it gets too hot for too long.

To save the chips, I'd have to use a thermally conductive adhesive instead of solder to attach the heatsinks. Not too excited about that idea. A lot of the chips got hot enough to melt the solder holding them to the board and slid down towards the bottom of the miner. Pretty sure some/most of them would be toast anyway so might just replace them all.

Pretty sure this board is going in the "maybe later" pile.





These chips would normally be covered in solder, or would be an amber color if a heatsink was never attached.


Most of the film from the chip is still stuck to the heatsink