Leaky capacitors shorting circuits; problem spreads

[muckshifter]

Failing capacitors are sending shock waves up the electronics food chain—literally. PCs are crashing and televisions and camcorders are going on the fritz, and the problem is becoming more widespread, according to those who replace those components.

At the heart of this controversy are low-ESR aluminum electrolytic capacitors, all of which were made in Taiwan. According to systems integrators who build custom PCs and those who repair them, the capacitors start leaking electrolytic fluid within days or weeks after the computer is turned on. In most cases, the leaking fluid causes short circuits. Less commonly, they actually explode.

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BY ED SPERLING -- Electronic News, 10/28/2002

 

[Quadophile]

Mucks,

THAT IS SCARY!

What a disaster, I hope nobody on this forum has had any bad experience due to this problem.

 

[Eric Portelance]

This is the first I've heard of that. I'd love to see pics, though. Wouldn't want that happening to me.

 

[Richard Slater]

I have had a couple of caps explode, when I say explode I mean a loud pop usualy followed by the computer becomming unstable, on inspection of the motherboard all you can see is a very black cap with goo leaking out the side, simple soloution is to solder out the duff cap and solder in a new identical one.

Still all rather scary