Electrolytic caps ...

A

Arfa Daily

Guest
Here's a good example of what we often talk about on here with regard to
electros that are normally powered all the time, or at least every day, and
then fail immediately, after a period of non use.

One of my bench irons, is a temperature controlled Antex station with a 50
watt handpiece. Up until when I went away on holiday a couple of weeks ago,
it was on every day for 10 or more hours, and worked perfectly. Monday
morning, after returning from 2 weeks away, I stumbled jet-lagged and grumpy
into the workshop at 9am and switched the benches on. The display on the
Antex was going berserk, with the temperature figures flickering and
flashing. The up / down and menu buttons did nothing. So, first and much
un-needed job was to find out what had gone wrong with it. When I opened it
up, there was an unexpectedly complex board inside (considering that this is
not an expensive tool), and there, right by the side of a regulator on a
heatsink (where else, of course ... !!) was a 470uF 40v cap. It looked
physically ok. No discolouring of the sleeve, no leakage of electrolyte, and
no bulging, but when I ran the ESR meter over it, it went over 40 ohms.

A new cap of course cured the problem. I guess with its location being next
to a hot component, it had been on its way for some time, but it didn't get
to the point of causing any actual trouble, until it had not had volts
across it for a couple of weeks.

In this particular case, it was merely an annoyance to have to repair it
before I could start work. No damage had occured because the circuitry in
the power supply is all linear. However, it lets you see how these cascade
failures in switchers occur, when people power down their DVD player or
whatever to go on holiday, and then when they come home and repower them,
magic smoke gets released ...

Arfa
 
On Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:19:44 -0000, "Arfa Daily"
<arfa.daily@ntlworld.com> wrote:

Up until when I went away on holiday a couple of weeks ago,
it was on every day for 10 or more hours, and worked perfectly. Monday
morning, after returning from 2 weeks away, I stumbled jet-lagged and grumpy
into the workshop at 9am and switched the benches on. The display on the
Antex was going berserk, with the temperature figures flickering and
flashing.
(...)
A new cap of course cured the problem. I guess with its location being next
to a hot component, it had been on its way for some time, but it didn't get
to the point of causing any actual trouble, until it had not had volts
across it for a couple of weeks.
Click to expand...
Nope. Soldering irons require exercise. They also develop a rhythm.
It's like a cat. If I leave kitty cat alone and neglected for what it
considers an excessive amount of time, it will protest in a fairly
predictable manner. That's usually droppings behind the couch,
shredded furniture, sleeping on the clean laundry shelf, etc.
Soldering irons are like that. Once accustomed to your daily
attention, any change in the irons habits will result in a protest. In
this case, the iron protested by destroying the electrolytic
capacitor. Next time, it might be the display, heating element, cord,
or a more expensive device. I'm not sure if your soldering iron
requires your personal attention or if a surrogate soldering iron
operator is acceptable. In the future, it might be useful to arrange
with the neighbors to have them exercise your soldering iron if you
decide to vacate again.

--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558
 
"Jeff Liebermann" <jeffl@cruzio.com> wrote in message
news:7nfjh49j2h9kqb3j6ah7catk6i137677af@4ax.com...
On Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:19:44 -0000, "Arfa Daily"
arfa.daily@ntlworld.com> wrote:

Up until when I went away on holiday a couple of weeks ago,
it was on every day for 10 or more hours, and worked perfectly. Monday
morning, after returning from 2 weeks away, I stumbled jet-lagged and
grumpy
into the workshop at 9am and switched the benches on. The display on the
Antex was going berserk, with the temperature figures flickering and
flashing.
(...)
A new cap of course cured the problem. I guess with its location being
next
to a hot component, it had been on its way for some time, but it didn't
get
to the point of causing any actual trouble, until it had not had volts
across it for a couple of weeks.

Nope. Soldering irons require exercise. They also develop a rhythm.
It's like a cat. If I leave kitty cat alone and neglected for what it
considers an excessive amount of time, it will protest in a fairly
predictable manner. That's usually droppings behind the couch,
shredded furniture, sleeping on the clean laundry shelf, etc.
Soldering irons are like that. Once accustomed to your daily
attention, any change in the irons habits will result in a protest. In
this case, the iron protested by destroying the electrolytic
capacitor. Next time, it might be the display, heating element, cord,
or a more expensive device. I'm not sure if your soldering iron
requires your personal attention or if a surrogate soldering iron
operator is acceptable. In the future, it might be useful to arrange
with the neighbors to have them exercise your soldering iron if you
decide to vacate again.

--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558
Click to expand...
Oh you are a jolly little tinker, Jeff ... !! d;~}

Arfa
 
On Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:19:44 -0000, "Arfa Daily"
<arfa.daily@ntlworld.com> put finger to keyboard and composed:

Here's a good example of what we often talk about on here with regard to
electros that are normally powered all the time, or at least every day, and
then fail immediately, after a period of non use.

One of my bench irons, is a temperature controlled Antex station with a 50
watt handpiece. Up until when I went away on holiday a couple of weeks ago,
it was on every day for 10 or more hours, and worked perfectly. Monday
morning, after returning from 2 weeks away, I stumbled jet-lagged and grumpy
into the workshop at 9am and switched the benches on. The display on the
Antex was going berserk, with the temperature figures flickering and
flashing. The up / down and menu buttons did nothing. So, first and much
un-needed job was to find out what had gone wrong with it. When I opened it
up, there was an unexpectedly complex board inside (considering that this is
not an expensive tool), and there, right by the side of a regulator on a
heatsink (where else, of course ... !!) was a 470uF 40v cap. It looked
physically ok. No discolouring of the sleeve, no leakage of electrolyte, and
no bulging, but when I ran the ESR meter over it, it went over 40 ohms.

A new cap of course cured the problem. I guess with its location being next
to a hot component, it had been on its way for some time, but it didn't get
to the point of causing any actual trouble, until it had not had volts
across it for a couple of weeks.

In this particular case, it was merely an annoyance to have to repair it
before I could start work. No damage had occured because the circuitry in
the power supply is all linear. However, it lets you see how these cascade
failures in switchers occur, when people power down their DVD player or
whatever to go on holiday, and then when they come home and repower them,
magic smoke gets released ...

Arfa
Click to expand...
I notice you referred to it as "one of my bench irons". It would have
been interesting had it been your only iron. ;-)

- Franc Zabkar
--
Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.
 
"Franc Zabkar" <fzabkar@iinternode.on.net> wrote in message
news:srukh4hntce86rktu3vrsmivi1hnhs8303@4ax.com...
On Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:19:44 -0000, "Arfa Daily"
arfa.daily@ntlworld.com> put finger to keyboard and composed:

Here's a good example of what we often talk about on here with regard to
electros that are normally powered all the time, or at least every day,
and
then fail immediately, after a period of non use.

One of my bench irons, is a temperature controlled Antex station with a 50
watt handpiece. Up until when I went away on holiday a couple of weeks
ago,
it was on every day for 10 or more hours, and worked perfectly. Monday
morning, after returning from 2 weeks away, I stumbled jet-lagged and
grumpy
into the workshop at 9am and switched the benches on. The display on the
Antex was going berserk, with the temperature figures flickering and
flashing. The up / down and menu buttons did nothing. So, first and much
un-needed job was to find out what had gone wrong with it. When I opened
it
up, there was an unexpectedly complex board inside (considering that this
is
not an expensive tool), and there, right by the side of a regulator on a
heatsink (where else, of course ... !!) was a 470uF 40v cap. It looked
physically ok. No discolouring of the sleeve, no leakage of electrolyte,
and
no bulging, but when I ran the ESR meter over it, it went over 40 ohms.

A new cap of course cured the problem. I guess with its location being
next
to a hot component, it had been on its way for some time, but it didn't
get
to the point of causing any actual trouble, until it had not had volts
across it for a couple of weeks.

In this particular case, it was merely an annoyance to have to repair it
before I could start work. No damage had occured because the circuitry in
the power supply is all linear. However, it lets you see how these cascade
failures in switchers occur, when people power down their DVD player or
whatever to go on holiday, and then when they come home and repower them,
magic smoke gets released ...

Arfa

I notice you referred to it as "one of my bench irons". It would have
been interesting had it been your only iron. ;-)

- Franc Zabkar
--
Click to expand...
Ha! Yes, I suppose it would ... Fortunately, I have another fixed temp
Antex, and the Weller with the permanently burnt-out tip (see thread from a
few weeks ago)

I don't know why I took the holiday in the first place. I've been back a
couple of days, and feel as knackered now as before I went. Roll on
Christmas ... :)

Arfa
> Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.
 
On Nov 12, 3:10 am, "Arfa Daily" <arfa.da...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
"Franc Zabkar" <fzab...@iinternode.on.net> wrote in message

news:srukh4hntce86rktu3vrsmivi1hnhs8303@4ax.com...





On Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:19:44 -0000, "Arfa Daily"
arfa.da...@ntlworld.com> put finger to keyboard and composed:

Here's a good example of what we often talk about on here with regard to
electros that are normally powered all the time, or at least every day,
and
then fail immediately, after a period of non use.

One of my bench irons, is a temperature controlled Antex station with a 50
watt handpiece. Up until when I went away on holiday a couple of weeks
ago,
it was on every day for 10 or more hours, and worked perfectly. Monday
morning, after returning from 2 weeks away, I stumbled jet-lagged and
grumpy
into the workshop at 9am and switched the benches on. The display on the
Antex was going berserk, with the temperature figures flickering and
flashing. The up / down and menu buttons did nothing. So, first and much
un-needed job was to find out what had gone wrong with it. When I opened
it
up, there was an unexpectedly complex board inside (considering that this
is
not an expensive tool), and there, right by the side of a regulator on a
heatsink (where else, of course ... !!) was a 470uF 40v cap. It looked
physically ok. No discolouring of the sleeve, no leakage of electrolyte,
and
no bulging, but when I ran the ESR meter over it, it went over 40 ohms.

A new cap of course cured the problem. I guess with its location being
next
to a hot component, it had been on its way for some time, but it didn't
get
to the point of causing any actual trouble, until it had not had volts
across it for a couple of weeks.

In this particular case, it was merely an annoyance to have to repair it
before I could start work. No damage had occured because the circuitry in
the power supply is all linear. However, it lets you see how these cascade
failures in switchers occur, when people power down their DVD player or
whatever to go on holiday, and then when they come home and repower them,
magic smoke gets released ...

Arfa

I notice you referred to it as "one of my bench irons". It would have
been interesting had it been your only iron. ;-)

- Franc Zabkar
--

Ha! Yes, I suppose it would ... Fortunately, I have another fixed temp
Antex, and the Weller with the permanently burnt-out tip (see thread from a
few weeks ago)

I don't know why I took the holiday in the first place. I've been back a
couple of days, and feel as knackered now as before I went. Roll on
Christmas ...  :)

Arfa



Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -
Click to expand...
Can you use some other words for "knackered" that those of us on the
west side of the big pond would understand???

Bob Hofmann
 
"hr(bob) hofmann@att.net" <hrhofmann@att.net> wrote in message
news:c10c9d4a-c9e0-43fb-871b-62d6ef017cd5@c22g2000prc.googlegroups.com...
On Nov 12, 3:10 am, "Arfa Daily" <arfa.da...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
"Franc Zabkar" <fzab...@iinternode.on.net> wrote in message

news:srukh4hntce86rktu3vrsmivi1hnhs8303@4ax.com...





On Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:19:44 -0000, "Arfa Daily"
arfa.da...@ntlworld.com> put finger to keyboard and composed:

Here's a good example of what we often talk about on here with regard to
electros that are normally powered all the time, or at least every day,
and
then fail immediately, after a period of non use.

One of my bench irons, is a temperature controlled Antex station with a
50
watt handpiece. Up until when I went away on holiday a couple of weeks
ago,
it was on every day for 10 or more hours, and worked perfectly. Monday
morning, after returning from 2 weeks away, I stumbled jet-lagged and
grumpy
into the workshop at 9am and switched the benches on. The display on the
Antex was going berserk, with the temperature figures flickering and
flashing. The up / down and menu buttons did nothing. So, first and much
un-needed job was to find out what had gone wrong with it. When I opened
it
up, there was an unexpectedly complex board inside (considering that
this
is
not an expensive tool), and there, right by the side of a regulator on a
heatsink (where else, of course ... !!) was a 470uF 40v cap. It looked
physically ok. No discolouring of the sleeve, no leakage of electrolyte,
and
no bulging, but when I ran the ESR meter over it, it went over 40 ohms.

A new cap of course cured the problem. I guess with its location being
next
to a hot component, it had been on its way for some time, but it didn't
get
to the point of causing any actual trouble, until it had not had volts
across it for a couple of weeks.

In this particular case, it was merely an annoyance to have to repair it
before I could start work. No damage had occured because the circuitry
in
the power supply is all linear. However, it lets you see how these
cascade
failures in switchers occur, when people power down their DVD player or
whatever to go on holiday, and then when they come home and repower
them,
magic smoke gets released ...

Arfa

I notice you referred to it as "one of my bench irons". It would have
been interesting had it been your only iron. ;-)

- Franc Zabkar
--

Ha! Yes, I suppose it would ... Fortunately, I have another fixed temp
Antex, and the Weller with the permanently burnt-out tip (see thread from
a
few weeks ago)

I don't know why I took the holiday in the first place. I've been back a
couple of days, and feel as knackered now as before I went. Roll on
Christmas ... :)

Arfa



Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.- Hide
quoted text -

- Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -
Click to expand...
Can you use some other words for "knackered" that those of us on the
west side of the big pond would understand???

Bob Hofmann


How about "Bushed"?


Or McCained"?




Gareth.
 
hr(bob) hofmann@att.net <hrhofmann@att.net> wrote in message
news:c10c9d4a-c9e0-43fb-871b-62d6ef017cd5@c22g2000prc.googlegroups.com...
On Nov 12, 3:10 am, "Arfa Daily" <arfa.da...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
"Franc Zabkar" <fzab...@iinternode.on.net> wrote in message

news:srukh4hntce86rktu3vrsmivi1hnhs8303@4ax.com...





On Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:19:44 -0000, "Arfa Daily"
arfa.da...@ntlworld.com> put finger to keyboard and composed:

Here's a good example of what we often talk about on here with regard to
electros that are normally powered all the time, or at least every day,
and
then fail immediately, after a period of non use.

One of my bench irons, is a temperature controlled Antex station with a
50
watt handpiece. Up until when I went away on holiday a couple of weeks
ago,
it was on every day for 10 or more hours, and worked perfectly. Monday
morning, after returning from 2 weeks away, I stumbled jet-lagged and
grumpy
into the workshop at 9am and switched the benches on. The display on the
Antex was going berserk, with the temperature figures flickering and
flashing. The up / down and menu buttons did nothing. So, first and much
un-needed job was to find out what had gone wrong with it. When I opened
it
up, there was an unexpectedly complex board inside (considering that
this
is
not an expensive tool), and there, right by the side of a regulator on a
heatsink (where else, of course ... !!) was a 470uF 40v cap. It looked
physically ok. No discolouring of the sleeve, no leakage of electrolyte,
and
no bulging, but when I ran the ESR meter over it, it went over 40 ohms.

A new cap of course cured the problem. I guess with its location being
next
to a hot component, it had been on its way for some time, but it didn't
get
to the point of causing any actual trouble, until it had not had volts
across it for a couple of weeks.

In this particular case, it was merely an annoyance to have to repair it
before I could start work. No damage had occured because the circuitry
in
the power supply is all linear. However, it lets you see how these
cascade
failures in switchers occur, when people power down their DVD player or
whatever to go on holiday, and then when they come home and repower
them,
magic smoke gets released ...

Arfa

I notice you referred to it as "one of my bench irons". It would have
been interesting had it been your only iron. ;-)

- Franc Zabkar
--

Ha! Yes, I suppose it would ... Fortunately, I have another fixed temp
Antex, and the Weller with the permanently burnt-out tip (see thread from
a
few weeks ago)

I don't know why I took the holiday in the first place. I've been back a
couple of days, and feel as knackered now as before I went. Roll on
Christmas ... :)

Arfa



Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.- Hide
quoted text -

- Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -
Click to expand...
Can you use some other words for "knackered" that those of us on the
west side of the big pond would understand???

Bob Hofmann

________

knackered over here has the same meaning as the name that appears on Homer
Simpson's favourite/favorite cans of beer.
But does "duff" have the same maeaning in USA?


--
Diverse Devices, Southampton, England
electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on
http://home.graffiti.net/diverse:graffiti.net/
 
On Wed, 12 Nov 2008 09:10:22 -0000, "Arfa Daily"
<arfa.daily@ntlworld.com> put finger to keyboard and composed:

"Franc Zabkar" <fzabkar@iinternode.on.net> wrote in message
news:srukh4hntce86rktu3vrsmivi1hnhs8303@4ax.com...

I notice you referred to it as "one of my bench irons". It would have
been interesting had it been your only iron. ;-)

- Franc Zabkar
--

Ha! Yes, I suppose it would ... Fortunately, I have another fixed temp
Antex, and the Weller with the permanently burnt-out tip (see thread from a
few weeks ago)

I don't know why I took the holiday in the first place. I've been back a
couple of days, and feel as knackered now as before I went. Roll on
Christmas ... :)

Arfa
Click to expand...
My current iron had an intermittent heating fault from new. Ironically
[pun intended] the problem was a dry solder joint. I fixed it by
holding the joint closed with an insulated rod and allowing the iron
to warm up. I then unplugged it and used the residual heat to reflow
the joint.

In your case I would have held a good cap in parallel with the bad one
until the tip warmed up.

- Franc Zabkar
--
Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.
 
Gareth Magennis wrote:
"hr(bob) hofmann@att.net" <hrhofmann@att.net> wrote in message
news:c10c9d4a-c9e0-43fb-871b-62d6ef017cd5@c22g2000prc.googlegroups.com...
On Nov 12, 3:10 am, "Arfa Daily" <arfa.da...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
"Franc Zabkar" <fzab...@iinternode.on.net> wrote in message

news:srukh4hntce86rktu3vrsmivi1hnhs8303@4ax.com...





On Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:19:44 -0000, "Arfa Daily"
arfa.da...@ntlworld.com> put finger to keyboard and composed:
Here's a good example of what we often talk about on here with regard to
electros that are normally powered all the time, or at least every day,
and
then fail immediately, after a period of non use.
One of my bench irons, is a temperature controlled Antex station with a
50
watt handpiece. Up until when I went away on holiday a couple of weeks
ago,
it was on every day for 10 or more hours, and worked perfectly. Monday
morning, after returning from 2 weeks away, I stumbled jet-lagged and
grumpy
into the workshop at 9am and switched the benches on. The display on the
Antex was going berserk, with the temperature figures flickering and
flashing. The up / down and menu buttons did nothing. So, first and much
un-needed job was to find out what had gone wrong with it. When I opened
it
up, there was an unexpectedly complex board inside (considering that
this
is
not an expensive tool), and there, right by the side of a regulator on a
heatsink (where else, of course ... !!) was a 470uF 40v cap. It looked
physically ok. No discolouring of the sleeve, no leakage of electrolyte,
and
no bulging, but when I ran the ESR meter over it, it went over 40 ohms.
A new cap of course cured the problem. I guess with its location being
next
to a hot component, it had been on its way for some time, but it didn't
get
to the point of causing any actual trouble, until it had not had volts
across it for a couple of weeks.
In this particular case, it was merely an annoyance to have to repair it
before I could start work. No damage had occured because the circuitry
in
the power supply is all linear. However, it lets you see how these
cascade
failures in switchers occur, when people power down their DVD player or
whatever to go on holiday, and then when they come home and repower
them,
magic smoke gets released ...
Arfa
I notice you referred to it as "one of my bench irons". It would have
been interesting had it been your only iron. ;-)
- Franc Zabkar
--
Ha! Yes, I suppose it would ... Fortunately, I have another fixed temp
Antex, and the Weller with the permanently burnt-out tip (see thread from
a
few weeks ago)

I don't know why I took the holiday in the first place. I've been back a
couple of days, and feel as knackered now as before I went. Roll on
Christmas ... :)

Arfa



Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.- Hide
quoted text -
- Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Can you use some other words for "knackered" that those of us on the
west side of the big pond would understand???

Bob Hofmann


How about "Bushed"?


Or McCained"?




Gareth.


How 'bout just plain ol' wore out....?
Click to expand...

jak
 
Ha! Yes, I suppose it would ... Fortunately, I have another fixed temp
Antex, and the Weller with the permanently burnt-out tip (see thread from
a
few weeks ago)

I don't know why I took the holiday in the first place. I've been back a
couple of days, and feel as knackered now as before I went. Roll on
Christmas ... :)

Arfa



Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.- Hide
quoted text -

- Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -
Click to expand...
Can you use some other words for "knackered" that those of us on the
west side of the big pond would understand???

Bob Hofmann

Given the context, I'm sure you could work it out, Bob. However, see

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/knackered and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knacker

for descriptions of this word, common on the east side of the pond. You will
see that there is an entry from the American Heritage Dictionary, so I am
surprised that you have not come across this word, and the obvious
connections to a 'knacker's yard' where worn out horses used to go, given
that the primary mode of transport in the great US continent, was the humble
horse, not so many decades ago ...

Arfa
 
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