[sdiy] Tantalums in general

[Steve Carter]

I have replaced far too many tantalums to trust them in old equipment  
and when they go it can be serious.  A dead short is common enough  
and, depending on how well designed the PSU is, it can either be an  
isolated issue or trainwreck damage. I had one go recently that filled  
my workshop with acrid fumes that you wouldn't want to breathe in.  It  
was only a tiny 10uF at 35V tant that had given up the ghost but you'd  
have sworn it was a 1930s locomotive given the amount of smoke! You  
could taste the smell for days afterwards.

A total recap on an ARP Omni 2 was necessary to bring it back to life;  
not as a precaution - all its tants were way out of spec. They were a  
matt blue colour. Another Omni of similar vintage but with tants by a  
different manufacturer (glossy brown) didn't need the same treatment,  
so I think some do better over time than others.  My trusty Oberheim 2  
voice has had extensive repairs that have all been the result of bad  
tantalums in the PSU and, because there is no protection, it spiked  
everything else and many consequential repairs to most of the modules  
were necessary.

In spite of all this, we're still talking component failure that's  
still way outside of the anticipated life cycle of the equipment so  
can't complain really.

Steve