Nvidia EVGA GTX 1080 Catches Fire On Video, VRM Burn Out Caught On Camera

 

Three days ago we reported on a devastating issue plaguing EVGA’s Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 & GTX 1070 cards causing them to catch fire. The issue centers around the voltage regulation modules inside EVGA’s dual fan GTX 1080 and GTX 1070 cards which are very susceptible to overheating. Primarily due to a design oversight which left them without any proper cooling. The extreme thermal conditions these VRMs are subjected to overtime ends up in them failing, often in a dramatic fashion, engulfed in flames.

 

EVGA Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 and GTX 1070 owners have been reporting instability issues, occasional black screens and hardware failures over the past couple of months. The issues led to investigations which have pin-pointed the voltage regulation circuitry as the culprit behind the electronic gremlins that users have been complaining about. The issue affects all of EVGA’s dual fan Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 and GTX 1070 cards except the Classified. These include the GTX 1080 and 1070 ACX, SC, FTW and FTW DT models.

 

Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 EVGA FTW Graphics Card Catches Fire, On Video

 

More recently, owners took to EVGA’s forum as well as reddit to report incidents of their graphics cards catching fire and dying.  One such incident, in fact, has been recorded on video.

 

The video shows the VRMs of an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 EVGA FTW card suddenly going up in flames. This footage, taken by Michael Duncan, is the first that we know of which documents the infamous event some EVGA owners were unfortunate enough to experience themselves.

 

Speaking to Wccftech.com Mr. Duncan said that his EVGA GTX 1080 FTW had been for one month working without any notable issues prior to the incident. One day, however, he came back home to find that all of a sudden his machine would no longer boot up when he attempted to turn it on.

 

He began troubleshooting his machine, testing one part at a time, when he caught the ill-fated incident on camera. You can clearly see in the video that the auxiliary 8-pin and 6-pin power connectors were not plugged in for the purposes of troubleshooting. Although that in no way prevents power from going to the graphics card vie the PCIe slot. Which is why we clearly see the LED lights and the fans turn on before the VRMs suddenly go up in flames.

 

Mr. Duncan confirmed that while troubleshooting, and before the graphics card had caught fire, the computer failed to boot up whenever the graphics card was installed. Which would indicate that after a month of wear and tear, without proper cooling, the VRMs finally gave in and ended up failing without notice as they did. A scenario professional overclocker “buildzoid” explained is typical of these cases.

 

“VRMs do not exhibit any signs of approaching a breaking point that can be measured without monitoring the temperature of said VRM. When the VRM hits the critical amount of stress, it will [enter a state of] thermal runaway and burn out with no warning.”

 

If you want to find out more about the issue and what EVGA has done in response to address it, you should visit our original article where we explain all the details.

 

What To Do If You Have An Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Or GTX 1070 From EVGA

 

I’m going to repeat what I had mentioned in the original article because I feel it’s really important. Users should find some relief in that EVGA was quick to acknowledge the issue. It admitted that the lack of VRAM and VRM cooling was an oversight and will cover any damaged hardware under warranty. The company has already taken steps to address concerns and is now installing VRM thermal pads in all graphics cards coming off the production line.

 

Nvidia GTX 1070 Memory Issue To Be Addressed Via BIOS Update

 

Additionally, EVGA is also offering GTX 1080 and GTX 1070 owners a VRM thermal pad kit for free. Which you can apply for directly via the official EVGA website. Alternatively, you can send your graphics card directly to EVGA and they will install the thermal mod for you.

 

With that being said, if you’re currently in the process of buying a dual fan EVGA GTX 1080 or GTX 1070 we would strongly advise you to hold off until the new revisions begin shipping. If you’re already an owner of a dual fan GTX 1080 or GTX 1070 from EVGA there’s really no reason whatsoever not to apply for the thermal mod. If you do not wish to install it yourself, send your card to EVGA and they will do it for you. There’s no reason to risk potential damage to your valuable hardware by leaving the VRMs without proper cooling.

 

11/01/2016

 

EVGA GeForce GTX 1080/1070 PWM Operating Temperature Update

 

Recently, it was reported from several sources, that the EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 FTW PWM and memory temperature is running warmer than expected during Furmark (an extreme stress utility).

 

EVGA has investigated these reports and after extensive testing, below are our findings:

 

On ACX 3.0, EVGA focused on GPU temperature and the lowest acoustic levels possible. Running Furmark, the GPU is around 70C +/- and the fan speed is running approximately 30% duty cycle or lower.

 

However, during recent testing, the thermal temperature of the PWM and memory, in extreme circumstances, was marginally within spec and needed to be addressed.

 

Conclusion: EVGA offers full warranty support on its products, with cross-ship RMA*, and stands behind its products and commitment to our customers.

 

To resolve this, EVGA will be offering a VBIOS update, which adjusts the fan-speed curve to ensure sufficient cooling of all components across all operating temperatures. This VBIOS will be released in the next few days and users can download it and update their cards directly. This update resolves the potential thermal issues that have been reported, and ensures the card maintains safe operating temperatures.

 

For those users who want additional cooling beyond the VBIOS update, EVGA has optional thermal pads available. This update is not required, however; EVGA will make it available free of charge to any customer who is interested. To request the thermal pad kit, please visit www.evga.com/thermalmod.

 

Any customer who is not comfortable performing the recommended VBIOS update, may request a warranty cross-shipment* to exchange the product to EVGA for an updated replacement.

 

All graphics cards shipped from EVGA after 11/1/2016 will have the VBIOS update applied.

 

* The EVGA EAR(Advanced RMA Program) and Cross Shipping options are available in the Continental United States, Hawaii, Alaska, Canada, EU, UK, Norway, and Switzerland. EVGA offers Standard RMA replacement options in the Middle East, Africa, India or outside of the before mentioned supported areas.

 

FAQ

 

Q. Which cards are supported by these updates?

 

A. EVGA ACX 3.0 GeForce GTX 1080, 1070 or 1060 cards with the following part numbers:

 

GTX 1080GTX 1070GTX 1060 6GGTX 1060 3G

 

08G-P4-618108G-P4-517106G-P4-626203G-P4-6365

 

08G-P4-618308G-P4-517306G-P4-636603G-P4-6367

 

08G-P4-628408G-P4-617106G-P4-6265

 

08G-P4-628608G-P4-617306G-P4-6264

 

08G-P4-638408G-P4-627406G-P4-6267

 

08G-P4-638608G-P4-627606G-P4-6368

 

06G-P4-6167

 

06G-P4-6165

 

* Founders Edition, Blower type, HYBRID, and HYDRO COPPER cards do not need these updates.

 

Q. If my Graphics Card is not an ACX 3.0 design is it affected?

 

A. No, all other GPUs sold by EVGA including Founders Edition, Blower type, HYBRID, and HYDRO COPPER editions are unaffected.

 

Q. Does the VBIOS fix the temperature issues?

 

A. Yes, the VBIOS update will fix the temperature issues.

 

Q. Is my card damaged from running at a higher temperature?

 

A. No, but should any future warranty service be needed, EVGA stands behind its products.

 

Q. What happens if my card is accidentally damaged during the optional thermal pad installation?

 

A. EVGA will stand behind its customers with full warranty and cross-shipment.

 

Q. What if I am not comfortable updating my VBIOS?

 

A. While EVGA has very user friendly ways to update VBIOS's, if you still do not feel comfortable, we will support you with and advanced RMA and ship you a replacement card with the latest VBIOS.

Thanks for the post i really wouldnt have known

 

 

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