Need to replace a cap but the ones i have are slightly higher/lower in capacitance.

[Cory_S.]

I need to replace a bad capacitor in a dell optiplex gx270.

I decided to sit down and play some gmod last night and it completely locks up on me after woke it from sleep then opened my computer.When I restart theres no display and no beep from the bios.

After I troubleshooting for a minute or two I finally think to check the caps and sure enough I find a bad cap by the agp slot.I checked them a few months ago when i heard about them being over filled and there was no sign of problems with them.

Anyway,i`m curious as to whether or not i could replace the 3.6v 1500uf with either a 3.6v 1000uf or 1800uf,which are the only ones i have right now.It would be nice if i could so I dont have to order one from radio shack but at the same time I like to do things right and I dont want to have to worry about it putting too much stress on the motherboard or something and having it crap out in another 6 months.

I've got to get it running again,this old hp/ubuntu combo isn't cutting it.

[Spitz]

Re: Need to replace a cap but the ones i have are slightly higher/lower in capacitanc

I need to replace a bad capacitor in a dell optiplex gx270.Anyway,i`m curious as to whether or not i could replace the 3.6v 1500uf with either a 3.6v 1000uf or 1800uf,which are the only ones i have right now.It would be nice if i could so I dont have to order one from radio shack but at the same time I like to do things right and I dont want to have to worry about it putting too much stress on the motherboard or something and having it crap out in another 6 months.

The 1800uf one should work. By the way those are 6.3v caps.

[eppidrummer]

Re: Need to replace a cap but the ones i have are slightly higher/lower in capacitanc

Our company has just began recapping boards and we have over 200 gx270 and gx280's in stock. Most with bad caps.
The caps that run along side the heatsink on those boards are normally always bad so I would at least change those also while your in there.

-Eppidrummer

[Th3_uN1Qu3]

Re: Need to replace a cap but the ones i have are slightly higher/lower in capacitanc

And don't buy from radio shack.

[Cory_S.]

Re: Need to replace a cap but the ones i have are slightly higher/lower in capacitanc

@Spitz,yeah that was a typo.It was late and was tired.

Im thinking ill just see what i cant find on the store instead.The prices seem pretty reasonable and i would feel better about it if i had the exact same one.Also money is pretty tight and the shack is likely going to be over priced judging from my experience with them.

@Eppidrummer,thanks for the heads up.

Oh,about the grounding strap,ive never used one(i know,im terrible),ive just always been careful and until now ive never had to replace components on something as delicate as a pc mobo.Say my soldering iron has a third ground plug,wouldnt a ground strap still be necessary and if so,would i want to attach a wire to the shaft of the iron then gator clip to to say one of the mobo mounting holes?I know,a bit amateurish to ask but at least i realize the importance of it.

[retiredcaps]

Re: Need to replace a cap but the ones i have are slightly higher/lower in capacitanc

Also money is pretty tight and the shack is likely going to be over priced judging from my experience with them.

Radio Shack tends to sell only general purpose caps. Applications like power supplies require low ESR caps. Radio Shack doesn't stock them. Thus the "don't buy" from Radio Shack comments that you see.

The same goes for a lot of big chains that only carry general purpose caps.

[Cory_S.]

Re: Need to replace a cap but the ones i have are slightly higher/lower in capacitanc

Yeah see I wouldnt have caught that,my technical knowledge about electronics components is somewhat basic.Now is a good time to learn I suppose,thats why I came here.I would have read the part in the FAQ about different types of capacitors had it not been so late last night.

Thanks for making that clear.