Tektronix 2431L Repair

[PixieDust]

As per "Reply #52" from https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/blew-up-my-first-oscilloscope!!!/msg5088502/#msg5088502

One of my capacitors has died. I have previously, years ago replaced all the RIFAs. Question is, should I go ahead and replace all the remaining capacitors in the whole thing or just replace this one bad one and call it a day?

I don't see much consensus on this issue. Some people say replace all the old caps. Others say replace just the ones that are bad.

[PixieDust]

I decided to follow the dictum "if it aint broke, don't fix it". Lets see how that goes.

[PixieDust]

Well, I finally got around to repairing that capacitor. Repair went really well with the Engineer SS-02 solder sucker. Excellent product.

Turned it on, more magic smoke. Another capacitor, just like it on the same board... toast. Time to replace them all I guess. Or save up and get a modern scope.

I attached the offending cap that I replaced.

Didn't take a photo of the new victim.

[adinsen]

IMO repair should not exclude getting modern equipment and vice-versa. I prefer the strategy of not fixing things that aint broke, so if capacitors look good, I'd leave them in - except if they're connected to live mains.

I still regret not attempting to repair (or at least shelve it for later) my Philips PM3055 when it failed... but my space was (and still is) limited, and analogue scopes take up a lot.

[Jeff eelcr]

2400 series DSO's have power supply capacitors that are going bad.
All of these scopes I repair first by replaceing all of those.
After that, one unit blew that tant cap and damaged the one next to it.
I do not remember if I replaced other same value tant's or not but after that no other problems.
It was proably damaged from bad filtering from the power supply.
Jeff

[PixieDust]

Yep, I replaced those caps when I got the scope .