TAICON Capacitors?

**Topcat** · 03-05-2004, 01:31 PM

I've got an Intel SIA2 server board packed FULL of Taicon caps. The board runs perfectly... Although, it's not very old. I've never heard of Taicon, and they don't look like the highest of quality, but the board is still working fine, so I havent changed them out.

You don't have to worry about the Rubycon caps, those aren't common to failure, so if the board is acting flaky, you might try swapping out the Taicons just to eliminate them as a factor.

**willawake** · 03-05-2004, 02:23 PM

Thanks for the info TC. Interesting to see the SAi2 having taicon. Intel are usually careful with their components which is why I am installing Intel exclusively presently for office computers.

I was looking at the SAi2 board on ebay. Does it use only ECC ram or is normal SDRAM possible?

I know the rubycon are good, always nice to see them Ks.

Think i will take that asus board for a media pc (...er I mean for extensive testing.) Anyway we have probs on our net though it looks like we will have some good funding for upgrades. Anyway we will see if the problems related to this board are replicated on the new install or not next week.

Can you please elaborate on the power rails fluctuating issue which I think you posted as related to bad caps although I cannot find the post.

**Topcat** · 03-05-2004, 07:28 PM

The SAI2 uses ONLY ECC memory. NON-ECC will not work. I've been using it as a SQL/file server with a pair of 1.4GHz tualatin-S CPU's, and it's a remarkably stable box. I have not recapped it, it still has the Taicon caps, and they run cool... I've never heard of Taicon, but on the brighter side, I've never seen a bad Taicon either... The board has been running non-stop for about 2 months, a year down the road should tell the tale as to the quality of the caps, but I'm not worried. If they do croak, I can recap it...

You were asking about voltage fluctuations in VCORE and other voltages... The prime suspect for that would be power supply. If you are using a known good supply and the voltage is still erratic, you might look at your caps. Bad capacitors WILL cause your system voltages to be sporadic, out of tolerence, or look like noisy garbage under a scope. Even if they aren't bloated and swollen, this can happen. I have seen brand new motherboards be flaky out of the box because of poor caps, and since the board was new, they weren't swollen, but the boards were unstable and unusable. One was an ECS D6VAA dual socket-370 board, the other was a Gigabyte (forgot the model #)... New boards with bad caps isn't common, but it does happen...

**willawake** · 03-06-2004, 06:51 AM

Thanks for the info. Sounds like a kickass server. I will check the mobo with an Addtronics PSU I have lying around. Its good only for testing really because the fan sounds like a vacuum cleaner (gotta change it some day with a papst). I will see if I replicate the voltage fluctuations.

Anyway it is good to know you have never seen a bad Taicon. Otherwise it is a good board for recapping. Only 9 caps would have to be changed.

**willawake** · 03-12-2004, 11:18 AM

For the record I have found that Taicon (Taiwan Capacitor Ltd.) was established by Nichicon Japan in 1969 as a joint venture. Remains part of the "Nichicon Family". I guess that is a good sign as they would hopefully be using Japanese electrolyte formula.

**kc8adu** · 03-12-2004, 01:43 PM

i looked through a 5 gallon pickle bucket of dead caps as i poured them into the dumpster today.
no tiacons in there i could see.

**willawake** · 03-12-2004, 02:17 PM

Thanks kc8adu I appreciate you checking.

Guess they will be allocating a personal landfill for you soon lol

.

**davedog** · 10-24-2006, 10:57 AM

Re: TAICON Capacitors?

Was googling "TAICON CAPACITORS" and came across this thread. Nice site by the way. I just replaced 17 BAD (blown) Taicon 1000uF 6.3 Capacitors on a ASRock P4i65GV Motherboard. Putting a fresh load of WinXP on this system, and so far so good.

-dave