Comments on: Motherboard Electrolytic Capacitor Replacement http://www.neufeld.newton.ks.us/electronics/?p=1495 Sun, 08 Dec 2024 17:19:24 -0600 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Keith Neufeld http://www.neufeld.newton.ks.us/electronics/?p=1495&cpage=1#comment-29929 Keith Neufeld Wed, 02 May 2012 15:17:19 +0000 http://www.neufeld.newton.ks.us/electronics/?p=1495#comment-29929 Anton, I don't have a good solder sucker, hence my various methods. In fact, neither do I have the coordination and dexterity to manipulate a solder sucker with one hand while heating the joint with the other. :-) Anton, I don’t have a good solder sucker, hence my various methods. In fact, neither do I have the coordination and dexterity to manipulate a solder sucker with one hand while heating the joint with the other. :-)

]]> By: Anton Eliasson http://www.neufeld.newton.ks.us/electronics/?p=1495&cpage=1#comment-29913 Anton Eliasson Mon, 23 Apr 2012 18:33:40 +0000 http://www.neufeld.newton.ks.us/electronics/?p=1495#comment-29913 My most successful method has been putting a good solder sucker on one side of the board while heating the other. Still, it's not an easy job. Fortunately, I've found that motherboards are more durable than they look and can actually take being heated up and cooled down again repeatedly. My most successful method has been putting a good solder sucker on one side of the board while heating the other. Still, it’s not an easy job. Fortunately, I’ve found that motherboards are more durable than they look and can actually take being heated up and cooled down again repeatedly.

]]> By: John Laur http://www.neufeld.newton.ks.us/electronics/?p=1495&cpage=1#comment-29868 John Laur Mon, 16 Apr 2012 15:33:47 +0000 http://www.neufeld.newton.ks.us/electronics/?p=1495#comment-29868 More info on this (relatively enormous and ridiculously long-term) industry problem is here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitor_plague Whenever I do a cap replacement, I don't stop at the failed units; I do them all. The other ones are almost guaranteed to fail given time, and sometimes they fail without bulging noticeably out of the top. More info on this (relatively enormous and ridiculously long-term) industry problem is here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitor_plague

Whenever I do a cap replacement, I don’t stop at the failed units; I do them all. The other ones are almost guaranteed to fail given time, and sometimes they fail without bulging noticeably out of the top.

]]> By: Al http://www.neufeld.newton.ks.us/electronics/?p=1495&cpage=1#comment-29863 Al Mon, 16 Apr 2012 12:52:17 +0000 http://www.neufeld.newton.ks.us/electronics/?p=1495#comment-29863 Nice work, I've done this a couple of times and it's pretty satisfying to bring something back to life. I used a solder sucker and had good results at clearing away the remaining solder (I had to add a little new solder to get things moving). Did you try a sucker after the braid? They're normally pretty good at removing solder filling holes. I'm not really a fan of braid (except for SMD work). Nice work, I’ve done this a couple of times and it’s pretty satisfying to bring something back to life.

I used a solder sucker and had good results at clearing away the remaining solder (I had to add a little new solder to get things moving). Did you try a sucker after the braid? They’re normally pretty good at removing solder filling holes. I’m not really a fan of braid (except for SMD work).

]]> By: Julian Calaby http://www.neufeld.newton.ks.us/electronics/?p=1495&cpage=1#comment-29852 Julian Calaby Sun, 15 Apr 2012 23:26:00 +0000 http://www.neufeld.newton.ks.us/electronics/?p=1495#comment-29852 I did this a few years ago with a P4 board that had been seriously cooked in a poorly ventilated case. My issue was a combination of difficulties working with RoHS compliant solder (I believe - but now you mention your copper plate issues, I'm not so sure) and densely packed capacitors. I ended up solving the first by pouring a *lot* of heat into the area and applying my old-school solder to the area which seemed to make it easier to work with. The second problem I solved by using every last milimeter of the up-rated replacement caps' leads to move them off the board and eventually hot-glued them on their sides a couple of cm away from their pads. The board has been through a lot and is still running today =) I did this a few years ago with a P4 board that had been seriously cooked in a poorly ventilated case.

My issue was a combination of difficulties working with RoHS compliant solder (I believe – but now you mention your copper plate issues, I’m not so sure) and densely packed capacitors.

I ended up solving the first by pouring a *lot* of heat into the area and applying my old-school solder to the area which seemed to make it easier to work with. The second problem I solved by using every last milimeter of the up-rated replacement caps’ leads to move them off the board and eventually hot-glued them on their sides a couple of cm away from their pads.

The board has been through a lot and is still running today =)

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