On Tue, Mar 11, 2014 at 11:42:21PM +0200, Sami Jumppanen wrote:
> After fixing a number of devices by replacing capacitors only, I recommend
> you always begin with them if it's likely a power issue. Electrolytes, no
> other types. Medium sized, not the smallest or biggest (depending on the
> device, there may not be large capacitors). By the numbers: usually 470 to
> 2200 micro F and from 15 to 63 volts.
... and I generally recommend people scrap equipment that's been subjected to "re-capping" when they bring it round for me to resurrect.
I've pretty much only ever seen electrolytics fail in cheap crappy switched-mode power supplies (think Amstrad satellite receivers from the 80s and 90s). Of the rest, I've replaced maybe half a dozen electrolytics that were actually the cause of a fault and only one of them in an analogue synth.
Electrolytic capacitors just don't fail that often.
DO NOT just start ripping them out because you suspect there's some sort of fault. You'll only make matters worse.
--
Gordonjcp MM0YEQ