Commander Kinsey wrote:
Motherboards used them over a decade ago, so why do I still find leaking
electrolytics in TVs?
https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/...herboard-line?


They're polymer capacitors (polymer takes place of liquid electrolyte)
and are used selectively in equipment. See the second picture down on
the right, for a typical appearance. They lack pressure relief seams.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymer_capacitor

After the "capacitor plague", where poorly made (bad pH value) electrolyte
was used to make some capacitors, some motherboard makers sought to "distance
themselves" from electrolytics. The slightly different shape of the
polymer capacitors was a "see, ma, no leaky cans" kinda thing. It
was a visual distinction, intended to fool/convince buyers that
they had nothing to fear. Before that introduction, polymer caps
were already being used on video cards. They were more popular
there. They're probably also a bit more expensive.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitor_plague

In the retail motherboard business, the customers see what's
on the motherboard. You have to market to appearances.

In your TV set, the components are not exposed in the same way.
Marketing consists of "look, thin bezels", or "now with built
in spyware". No mention is made of what corners are cut
in the power supply section. If you look at LCD monitors and
the power board in there, the absolute cheapest manufacturing
is used for the power board (sorta the equivalent of what you'd
find in a $20 ATX PSU).

There is nothing wrong with electrolytic capacitors if they're
made properly. Consequently, just because you find a cap
with a pressure relief pattern embossed in the top of the
cap, is no reason to panic.

It's hard to say whether any scumbag is still making caps
using that stolen/incorrect electrolyte formula.

And as to "why do people continue to do bad things",
it's a calculus. "Will I be executed or put in jail?"
That's the question they have to ask themselves every day.

"22 May 2019 Ozone layer: Banned CFCs traced to China say scientists"

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-48353341

Paul