I bought a lovely ATX power supply in 2006 that has kept ticking until now. I remember I chose this one because it came with individual testing and certification paperwork. signed, embossed. And I don't regret it. 17 years. I can't think of much other electronics I have that have lasted that long, in near continuous use unless you count mains cabeling in the walls. Maybe a pole transformer outside, but maybe not honestly....
https://photos.app.goo.gl/fGcDj8s1BNUDWjZJ8http://www.pcpowerandcooling.com/Several electrolytic capacitors were bubbling, and I pulled them and found a couple burnt out on bottom. I pulled every one that looked suspect, plus any others of the same dimensions.
All in all, I extracted:
9x 2200uf 16v sc105degC 12/05 TEAPO green
1x 4700uf 16v sc105degC 04/06 TEAPO green
2x 3300uf 6.3v sc105degC 08/05 TEAPO green
1x 1500uf 10v sz105degC 12/05 TEAPO blue
I went on mouser to start picking out the replacements, and I saw "Hours" in their search. but the numbers were conspicuously low. 2000, 5000, 10000. Even 10k is just a year and change. Surely they're made to last longer than a year? The ones I'm replacing lasted about 150k hours before two of them went.
The spec sheet even says "Long life, up to 10,000 hours"
https://www.mouser.com/datasheet/2/447/KEM_A4010_EST-3316716.pdfDoesn't sound very long to me. I want a damn socket if its going to go out in a year. not worth heating up an iron that often.
I just went to
https://www.mouser.com/c/?q=capacitor%204700uf%2016v&sort=pricing&qty=1 and put in Vishay (name cred), radial, high temp. Any more to it than that guys?
What recommendations would you have if I want to get another 17 years out of this thing post repair. It didn't even have the 'warranty void' sticker if removed on the case. It's a keeper!
How would you source new caps for something like this. I "can't" replace all of them. it's got a super dense riser board set up and I don't know how I could unsolder the riser boards peacefully. but fortunarely everything suspect looking was accessible. Thanks PC Power and Cooloing!
One last question. Is is simply age that kills these things, or age while powered on? if I find old (but unused) inventory somewhere, should I avoid it?