Smd Grabber

[JAWS]

Smd Grabber!

To scared to perform a volt mod on your mobo? Afraid you might destroy it with the ol' soldering gun. The SMD Grabber's are a great substitute for soldering. They are little clips the snag the little legs on the HIP6301 voltage controller. Here's the link for the grabbers:
http://www.elexp.com/clp_5243.htm


I know most of you already know this, but I'll post it anyways!


Edit: Doc over at O/C found the SMD Grabber cheaper! Part# 885-5245

http://www.alliedelec.com/cart/partlookup.asp

[DaGooch]

Soldering gun? That is too imprecise! :p

[mackanz]

Thats the ones that both i and Paul use.
A bit expensive, but it doesn´t leave any marks for RMA issues.


Mac

[mdzcpa]

I've also used it with great success myself. I've run the "clip on" voltage mod on the KG7, KR7, and now the KX7 without incident. I was concerned about it falling off, but it never has.

[Hardass]

So you recommend these for someone who has never done a Vmod. And has no soldering experiance.

[mdzcpa]

Originally posted by Hardass
So you recommend these for someone who has never done a Vmod. And has no soldering experiance.

Absolutely. That was my issue. I just didn't have the soldering experience to feel comfortable going that route.

I wouldn't recommend it if it truly did not work so well.

Here was my first clip on (using the micro clip instead of the Grabber).


Simple yet effective (and no evidence if you smoke the board )

[Hardass]

Alright good, one less thing to worry about. Next will it work on a vid card. Or is that a diff type of mod? How do i purchase these single, 2 ends, 6 inch or 12 inch length. How many do i need?

[JAWS]

Originally posted by Hardass
So you recommend these for someone who has never done a Vmod. And has no soldering experiance.

Just think about this: If you ever want to disable your Vmod, just unhook! That's it! I used these (SMD) and some other ones at Radio Shack for both my KT7A Vmods.

[JAWS]

Originally posted by Hardass
Alright good, one less thing to worry about. Next will it work on a vid card. Or is that a diff type of mod? How do i purchase these single, 2 ends, 6 inch or 12 inch length. How many do i need?

Depends on which mod you decide to do. I needed two for my KT7A; one for pin 7 and another for pin 10. I think there might be a minimum of 20.00 you have to spend there, so I'll try to find a better deal.

[Hardass]

Kewl, Thanks

[mackanz]

Originally posted by mdzcpa


Absolutely. That was my issue. I just didn't have the soldering experience to feel comfortable going that route.

I wouldn't recommend it if it truly did not work so well.

Here was my first clip on (using the micro clip instead of the Grabber).


Simple yet effective (and no evidence if you smoke the board )

How´s the clip on compared to the grabber?
I have had the grabber falled off pretty easy, thats why i wonder.
Also, that clip on looks big or? No issues with the clip touching other contacts or so?

Cheers!

Mac

[mdzcpa]

Originally posted by mackanz


How´s the clip on compared to the grabber?
I have had the grabber falled off pretty easy, thats why i wonder.
Also, that clip on looks big or? No issues with the clip touching other contacts or so?

Cheers!

Mac

I had no issues with the micro clip being to big. Sometimes it looks like a tight fit, but it clips on without touching any of the other pins.

As far as how secure....there both about the same. Niether the grabber or micro clip is anywhere near as secure as soldering of course.

I would never move the case freely about without checking to make sure the clip is still connected. But, short of moving the computer around, there isn't much that is going to make the clip fall off. One of the tricks of using the clip on approach is to secure the extended lead to a nearby object. I used a small piece of elec tape to secure the lead near the 47k pot to the edge of the video card. This way i could adjust the pot without putting any pressure or movement on the clip.

Worked great this way every time

[mackanz]

Great stuff and thatks for the info!

How about pricing?
I findthe grabber outrageous expensive....around 6-7 dollars each here in europe.
Whats the pricing on the clip?

Mac

[mdzcpa]

I went to Radio Shack here in the US for all my pieces. Togther everything was under $15 USD.

You need the following:

2 leads, preferably 3 or so inches long (I used 9v battery leads)
1 Micro Size 47k-Ohm Potentiometer Part #271-283
1 Micro Allegator Clip Part # 270-373B
1 Insulated-Crimp Spade-Tongue connector Part #64-3125
1 package of heat shrink wrap tubing Part #278-1610

Sorry I don't have individual pirces...can't recall and no longer have receipt.

Solder in order:
Spade-Tongue-->battery lead-->47k Pot-->battery lead-->Micro Clip
Use shrink wrap if you prefer to cover the solder connection, but leave some battery lead wire exposed for flexability of the lines. Connect the Micro Clip to PIN 7 on the IC chip, and connect the Tongue-spade connector to a mobo screw mount. (Note, I prefer to mount the ground connection firmly to a mobo screw mount so as not to run the risk of having the ground clip come off while the clip on the IC chip is still connected...this would be very bad and would probably short something out.)

[deerhunter]

Thanks for the information. Vcore mod is on my immediate project list!

I read somewhere that using a fixed resistance was better (22K), since voltage protection kicks in above 2.05V.

Is this true?

[JAWS]

Originally posted by deerhunter
Thanks for the information. Vcore mod is on my immediate project list!

I read somewhere that using a fixed resistance was better (22K), since voltage protection kicks in above 2.05V.

Is this true?

The voltage protection kicked in at 2.10 on my old KT7A. So I had to clip another 47k trimmer on pin 10 to override it! I wouldn't recommend a fixed resistor, because you can only change your vcore in the bios.

Again this is with older hardware. Mobo vmods probably have changed a little.

[majormav]

anyone know where i can get them in the UK cheers

[SOCOM]

Originally posted by mdzcpa
1 Insulated-Crimp Spade-Tongue connector Part #64-3125

Id personally use these for even more security.
http://www.radioshack.com/product.as...5Fid=64%2D3117
Same thing but a ring connector.
http://www.radioshack.com/product.as...Fid=910%2D0231
These are what alot of people use as well.. I like them a little better then the aligator clips.



I remember the KT7 days where almost everyone used different value resistors instead of a micropot.. I'm wondering if a standard resistor might provide more consistant resistance, although it may be into the 100th's of a volt range.

-SOCOM

[mdzcpa]

Originally posted by SOCOM


Id personally use these for even more security.
http://www.radioshack.com/product.as...5Fid=64%2D3117
Same thing but a ring connector.


Probably not needed really. The chance of a spade connector coming off a properly tightened screw is remote. In addtion, you will find the spade connector is much easier to mount in the confines of a case because you do not need to remove a motherboard screw or case screw completely to mount it (unlike the loop)...just loosen the screw, tuck it under, and tighten.


http://www.radioshack.com/product.as...Fid=910%2D0231
These are what alot of people use as well.. I like them a little better then the aligator clips.


I found these did not work as well as the micro alligator clips myself...but, hey, to each there own These prolly work good too.


I remember the KT7 days where almost everyone used different value resistors instead of a micropot.. I'm wondering if a standard resistor might provide more consistant resistance, although it may be into the 100th's of a volt range.

Absolutely not. You need the adjustability of the potentiometer. Every system is a bit different, and the adjustability is needed to tune the voltage. If you were to just use a resistor, you'd be playing hit n miss until you found the exact resistence needed....just not practical. In addition, the pot let's the user decide just how much over volt above the BIOS set voltage they wish to use.

BTW, for more info about the clip on voltage mod...check this article at Liquid Ninjas

[SOCOM]

Originally posted by mdzcpa
Absolutely not. You need the adjustability of the potentiometer. Every system is a bit different, and the adjustability is needed to tune the voltage. If you were to just use a resistor, you'd be playing hit n miss until you found the exact resistence needed....just not practical. In addition, the pot let's the user decide just how much over volt above the BIOS set voltage they wish to use.

The way it was done, there was table of exact resistances & the voltage ranges with your bios you could produce. You would then adjust your vcore along with that table to achieve different voltages dependant on different resistances used. (IE: Set the bios to 1.85, you get 2.0v, set it to 1.55, you get somewhere near 1.75v.) Most people stuck with a certain resistor based on how much max voltage they would need. I never did it this way, since it was very hoakey, but it was one vcore mod I have seen done. IE: Set the bios to 1.85, you get 2.0v, set it to 1.55, you get somewhere near 1.75v.

-SOCOM

[mdzcpa]

Originally posted by SOCOM


The way it was done, there was table of exact resistances & the voltage ranges with your bios you could produce. You would then adjust your vcore along with that table to achieve different voltages dependant on different resistances used. (IE: Set the bios to 1.85, you get 2.0v, set it to 1.55, you get somewhere near 1.75v.) Most people stuck with a certain resistor based on how much max voltage they would need. I never did it this way, since it was very hoakey, but it was one vcore mod I have seen done. IE: Set the bios to 1.85, you get 2.0v, set it to 1.55, you get somewhere near 1.75v.

-SOCOM

Oh yeah...that's right...I remember those tables. I think I had seen them on a few sites. Yep, that would take some of the hit n miss out of the process for sure. But, I still think every system is a bit different and that on the fly adjustability is the way to go IMOHO.

BTW, my previous comment of "absolutely not" was referring more to the general use a resistor vs. a pot for on the fly adjustability purposes. Reading it over, I think my response was poorly worded. In fact, I beleive you are correct that using a resistor might provide marginally better consistent resistance.

Cheers

[SOCOM]

Originally posted by mdzcpa
But, I still think every system is a bit different and that on the fly adjustability is the way to go IMOHO.

I would agree with ya there!

What do you think about the looks of this volt mod?
http://socomoc.homestead.com/files/iwillmodstage2.jpg

That is the one that did 3.35 vcore.
-SOCOM

[JAWS]

Originally posted by SOCOM


The way it was done, there was table of exact resistances & the voltage ranges with your bios you could produce. You would then adjust your vcore along with that table to achieve different voltages dependant on different resistances used. (IE: Set the bios to 1.85, you get 2.0v, set it to 1.55, you get somewhere near 1.75v.) Most people stuck with a certain resistor based on how much max voltage they would need. I never did it this way, since it was very hoakey, but it was one vcore mod I have seen done. IE: Set the bios to 1.85, you get 2.0v, set it to 1.55, you get somewhere near 1.75v.

-SOCOM

Absolutely right! In fact that's how I did my first board. I think it was a fixed 1/4 22k resistor. (R131 to ground) Then I went with the variables, and tweaked in via monitor.

[Trik Nik]

I've been looking around for the Cermet variable resistors that MrIcee recomended but I have been unable to find a place on the web to order them. Would any of these be a valid subsitute? If so which ones.

http://www.action-electronics.com/pots.htm

A link to the Cermet VR's that MrIcee recomends would be great too!

Thanks, this will be my first vcore and vmem mod on a kx7 333r and hopefuly it goes smooth!

[JAWS]

Doc over at O/C found the SMD Grabber cheaper! Part# 885-5245

http://www.alliedelec.com/cart/partlookup.asp