superjer2000
Well-known member
I just finished pulling the analog boards from my 5 Classics/Classic IIs so I could recap the analog boards. I had done the logic boards before and had varying degrees of SMD leakage. Same with my other Macs, different amounts of leakage from the logic board cans and zero leakage from my SE30 and prior compact mac analog boards.
What surprised me with the Classics is that every single one of them had analog board leakage by the "tank farm" and wherever else the Nichicon low impedance (brown) caps were used.
So my question is: Was there an issue with the way Apple used these caps (maybe the same mistakes made as in the leaky cap LC PSUs) or was there an inherent problem with his batch of caps that seems to have a 100% failure rate? I have been using Nichicons in a number of recap projects (shifting more to Panasonic lately) but I'd hate to think I should have been avoiding Nichicon from day 1. Any theories as to what is causing these failures on such a consistent basis?
Also, as others have noted the two rectifiers in the area DP5 and 7 seem to wick up this electrolyte causing the plastic rectifier shell to lose the labelling and make it appear as though the rectifiers themselves are leaking. I found this odd But I'm sure the rectifier aren't leaking fluid. (I hope). Anyways, You can really tell Apple cheaped out on these macs versus the Plus series and SE series. The 3+ different versions of the Classic analog boards made ordering capacitors a real treat too.
What surprised me with the Classics is that every single one of them had analog board leakage by the "tank farm" and wherever else the Nichicon low impedance (brown) caps were used.
So my question is: Was there an issue with the way Apple used these caps (maybe the same mistakes made as in the leaky cap LC PSUs) or was there an inherent problem with his batch of caps that seems to have a 100% failure rate? I have been using Nichicons in a number of recap projects (shifting more to Panasonic lately) but I'd hate to think I should have been avoiding Nichicon from day 1. Any theories as to what is causing these failures on such a consistent basis?
Also, as others have noted the two rectifiers in the area DP5 and 7 seem to wick up this electrolyte causing the plastic rectifier shell to lose the labelling and make it appear as though the rectifiers themselves are leaking. I found this odd But I'm sure the rectifier aren't leaking fluid. (I hope). Anyways, You can really tell Apple cheaped out on these macs versus the Plus series and SE series. The 3+ different versions of the Classic analog boards made ordering capacitors a real treat too.