I used to think you had to replace every bad power supply, but now I test the caps first

Back in my shop in Dayton, we'd just swap the whole unit if a computer wouldn't boot. After a $30 ESR meter showed me that 70% of the time it's just one bulging capacitor, I started repairing them. Anyone else still doing component-level fixes on PSUs, or is that just too risky now?

3 comments

3 Comments

emma_lee229d ago

Honestly, it's the only way to keep some older but perfectly good systems running, right? I mean, a quality recap on a solid unit is way better than some cheap modern replacement that might fry the whole board. But you have to know which brands are worth the time and which are just fire hazards waiting to happen.

the_jessica9d ago

You know what, @emma_lee22, this is really about knowing value when you see it, isn't it? I see this everywhere now, people just throwing stuff out instead of fixing the good thing they already have. It's like we forgot how to tell a well-made older piece from actual junk. A smart repair on something built to last always beats buying some new disposable thing. That goes for way more than just electronics, too.

abbyf799d ago

Exactly! It's a skill you have to learn.