Wild_Bill wrote:

That article was from 2003, pointing out that the problem could've started
as early as 2001.
Any of the caps made with that bad electrolyte would have failed by now,
even if they were sitting on a shelf.
Any motherboard manufacturer that intends to make more than 1 batch of
motherboards would know better than to use old stock caps for production.


That is the standard failure mode for low ESR electrolytics in
SMPS. I saw it long before the cheap caps brought a lot of attention to
the problem. I was seeing them in 1987 in computer terminals. Most
electrolytics are rated for 2000 hours of service at the rated operating
temperature. As soon as the ESR starts to rise, the capacitor starts to
generate internal more heat from the AC current that flows through them,
to ground. That causes the ESr to continue to rise, generating more
heat. If the equipment can operate long enough, the electrolyte will
boil, and bulge the can, blow the vent, or literally blow the can off
the circuit board, if the vent fails.

Make sure you use good quality, low ESR replacements, and the same,
or higher rated temperature.


Failed electrolytic capacitors are common in many different types of
consumer grade electronic equipment, and it's extremely unlikely that any of
the failures today have anything to do with the stolen/counterfeit
electrolyte formulas as reported years ago.
The reasons for the failures are known, as most selected electrolytic
capacitors only minimally meet the application requirements, or not at all
(good enough to get the product onto store shelves).

The story writers need a new conspiracy theory, such as several large
warehouses full of the caps that have the bad electrolyte were re-wrapped
with new counterfeit labels/skins and sold to various equipment
manufacturers about a year ago.
The caps were discovered while administering the estate of a prominent Asian
businessman that died under questionable circumstances a number of years
ago.
I'm sure this scenario is lacking in an adequate level of drama, which for
any good writer, shouldn't be a problem.

--
WB
.........
metalworking projects
www.kwagmire.com/metal_proj.html

"catguy" wrote in message
...

http://www.geek.com/articles/chips/c...ndors-2003027/

..............Paul



--
You can't have a sense of humor, if you have no sense!