First time capping questions

[jtinley]

Hi and thanks in advance.

I have a dell optiplex 745 - read others on this forum with same issues. I do see at least one cap that is bulging with a tiny yellow stuff coming out so I'm assuming that's my issue. I troubleshooted it this way so please confirm my thinking that it's the caps: will not post - tried re-seating cards with no joy, not one beep (ram) but a buzzing noise. video card works fine on another dell.
fan on psu running and cpu fan so I'm assuming it's the board.

2. read the faq but did not see what size tip I need to use. the station I'm buying is a Hakko 937. there are three sizes 900, 907, and 908. someone here recommended a chisel tip. What do the numbers mean, which will work, and do I need a chisel tip?

3. Should I replace every single cap on the board while I'm at it? still not sure which caps I need my 6.3v 2200uf ones look the most bulged.

thanks a bunch
James

[yyonline]

Re: First time capping questions

2. read the faq but did not see what size tip I need to use. the station I'm buying is a Hakko 937. there are three sizes 900, 907, and 908. someone here recommended a chisel tip. What do the numbers mean, which will work, and do I need a chisel tip?

3. Should I replace every single cap on the board while I'm at it? still not sure which caps I need my 6.3v 2200uf ones look the most bulged.

2 - Get the 907 or 908 iron. The tips are a matter of personal preference. I prefer a 2.4mm chisel tip for cap work. Others may prefer different tips. My suggestion would be to get a few and see which you like best. Don't get super-tiny tips. They aren't large enough to hold enough heat to melt the solder on thicker boards.

3. It's usually not necessary to replace every cap on the board. Most boards use a variety of brands and series. It may only be necessary to replace the "bad" brands. Some people choose to leave the "bad" brand caps if they are small, or in an area that doesn't see much stress. Other people choose to replace all the "bad" brand caps regardless of size. Replacing "good" brand caps that aren't having any issues won't do any good, and may actually do harm, as there is always some risk involved when soldering a board. This is especially true when you are just starting out.