I have electronics equipment in use from:
1960's
1970's
1980's
1990's
and this century.
For the first four of those decades, I have had no elcap failures, and that includes hi fi stereo kit subject to heavy, and often daily usage.
My Linsley Hood audio amplifier from 1960's is still in use. Ok, it has been bettered, but for about three decades it retained its top spot, and you can still buy kit of parts from a range of suppliers to make this device.
My oscilloscopes, have more capacitors than I care to count: all have continued fault free functioning.
So, things went bad around the Millennium. But, we learned of the great capacitor scandal. Mobo manufactures emblazoned their packaging with banners declaring "Japanese Capacitors" (Implying you could avoid the counterfeits)
And, of course, some slipped through. I have had to replace elcaps on a few boards from early this century.
So, I had expected that things would be getting better.
However, equipment manufactured from year 2010 onwards seem to be particularly subject to elcap failure!
One factor I have observed is that the voltage rating of the capacitor is probably too low: only just above the quiescent voltage that the item is exposed to, and so possibly exposing the capacitor to excessive voltage due to transients at switch on, and hence maybe exposed to cumulative deterioration resulting from this.
Also, I see from discussions by repairers that the quality expected from different manufacturers of capacitor apparently varies considerably.
It's a fairly basic item! I think we have the right to expect reasonable longevity from them.
OK, some people do not expect long life from their electronic devices. When the functionality of later designs moves on, this is fair enough.
This does not apply to everything electronic however. My 2019 bench power supply does not provide me with any more functionality that does my 1988 model.
Before someone tells me, I know: planned obsolescence!
But it is recent, rather than older kit, which is falling over as a result of this. And, sadly, paying more to buy seemingly more expensive brand does not rescue you from this trap.
Rant over.
1960's
1970's
1980's
1990's
and this century.
For the first four of those decades, I have had no elcap failures, and that includes hi fi stereo kit subject to heavy, and often daily usage.
My Linsley Hood audio amplifier from 1960's is still in use. Ok, it has been bettered, but for about three decades it retained its top spot, and you can still buy kit of parts from a range of suppliers to make this device.
My oscilloscopes, have more capacitors than I care to count: all have continued fault free functioning.
So, things went bad around the Millennium. But, we learned of the great capacitor scandal. Mobo manufactures emblazoned their packaging with banners declaring "Japanese Capacitors" (Implying you could avoid the counterfeits)
And, of course, some slipped through. I have had to replace elcaps on a few boards from early this century.
So, I had expected that things would be getting better.
However, equipment manufactured from year 2010 onwards seem to be particularly subject to elcap failure!
One factor I have observed is that the voltage rating of the capacitor is probably too low: only just above the quiescent voltage that the item is exposed to, and so possibly exposing the capacitor to excessive voltage due to transients at switch on, and hence maybe exposed to cumulative deterioration resulting from this.
Also, I see from discussions by repairers that the quality expected from different manufacturers of capacitor apparently varies considerably.
It's a fairly basic item! I think we have the right to expect reasonable longevity from them.
OK, some people do not expect long life from their electronic devices. When the functionality of later designs moves on, this is fair enough.
This does not apply to everything electronic however. My 2019 bench power supply does not provide me with any more functionality that does my 1988 model.
Before someone tells me, I know: planned obsolescence!
But it is recent, rather than older kit, which is falling over as a result of this. And, sadly, paying more to buy seemingly more expensive brand does not rescue you from this trap.
Rant over.
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