--- In
motm@yahoogroups.com, "Tkacs, Ken" <ken.tkacs@j...> wrote:
>
> There has been a lot of talk lately about the "age" of power
supplies. Why
> is this so important? Especially if the supplies have never been
used?
>
> I mean, I know that parts age, and that things like power supplies
and
> capacitors are filled with all sorts of mysterious goo that can run
out, dry
> out, etc., over time. But how bad ∗IS∗ this? I mean, I have my old
Korg
> MS-10 that I bought in 1977 still running strong; its power supply
hasn't
> exploded, caught fire, or generally quit. I've got loads of
equipment from
> the late seventies and eighties all running in mint condition. So
why is it
> that people on this list seem suddenly terrified of buying a circa
1989
> power supply for $9, and instead would rather buy one from 1996 for
$160?
>
> It's leaving me with this queasy feeling that I'm spending years
assembling
> this monster modular and that by the time I'm "finished" I
shouldn't really
> expect it to work because it's become "old," not outdated but
actually
> ∗non-functional?∗ I mean, seriously, why is a 12-year-old power
supply so
> bad? Especially at these savings. Is there something I should know?
Should I
> really be bracing myself for leakage and multiple explosions in the
near
> term...?
>
> Man, I still have a TV set downstairs that we bought in 1964 or
something.
> If it quit tomorrow, I wouldn't be surprised, but I hope my modular
doesn't
> just shut down in ten years. Jeez!! I was expecting it to last into
my
> retirement, if not as an heirloom!
I think you bring up a very good point! I wouldn't really worry at
all about any unplanned obsolescence. Having fixed many, many
keyboards and such in the past, I can only say that its usually the
overall wear and tear by the user, (and world touring, etc) that
prematurely destroys things. Major power problems, lightning hits
and all do mess with things too.
It seems that the further back something was made, the better it was
made and longer it lasts...unfortunately, we can't go too far back to
do any meaningful analysis of computers and a host of other sensitive
electronic stuff cause it just plain didn't exist!
Watch out though cause you'll get a lot of different opinions on this
topic and end up completely confused - don't worry. Just get a
decent power conditioning device for your electronics (this topic is
way beyond this list topic - and my typing skills)and you should have
your heirlooms till death do you part!
My 2 cents,
Rog