Recap PS? Replace? Old friend - thoughts?

[Goldenvoice]

I know it's not the norm, but... I still have and occasionally run an old Sony Vaio P4 desktop: Illustration software and scanning. Sony Vaio PCV-RX860 running x86 XP.

Anyway, I've never had an issue with the old gal, she's a great machine, but I'm wondering if perhaps I should eyeball MB caps, and/or perhaps recap the PS or replace the PS for good measure, if I'm wanting to keep her available on the back-desk into the future. Or just run her 'till one day she's done. I do hate the thought of having to pay a monthly fee to use the new Illustrator, since I only use it on occasion...

Thoughts?
Joe

[stj]

Re: Recap PS? Replace? Old friend - thoughts?

yearly inspection of caps & fans and removal of any dust is always wise.

[momaka]

Re: Recap PS? Replace? Old friend - thoughts?

Since this is a desktop from the Pentium 4 -era, I would suggest you post some pictures (motherboard and PSU) so we can see what you have. Major manufacturers like Dell, HP, and Gateway (and Sony too) pretty much have always used good quality OEM PSUs (like Delta, HiPro, Lite-On, and Astec). So even if the PSU has bad caps, it's better to replace them than to buy something new and cheap that will have the same crappy caps.

[stj]

Re: Recap PS? Replace? Old friend - thoughts?

Major manufacturers like Dell, HP, and Gateway (and Sony too) pretty much have always used good quality OEM PSUs (like Delta, HiPro, Lite-On, and Astec)

not true,
the DELL H240AS-00 is a pile of crap!

[momaka]

Re: Recap PS? Replace? Old friend - thoughts?

^ Well sure, every manufacturer has some bad models (Bestec ATX250-12E anyone?). That doesn't make Delta bad. Most of their other PSUs are rock-solid. Given that this is a Pentium 4 -era PC, I would expect a solid 250W PSU to be in there... Unless it's one of those SFF desktops with a cramped custom PSU jobs.

[cruzinforit]

Re: Recap PS? Replace? Old friend - thoughts?

not true,
the DELL H240AS-00 is a pile of crap!

True but the Dell H240ES (same application, but 80PLUS Gold) is much better. I use an optiplex 390 SFF with the H240ES as my HTPC, it runs super cool compared to the standard 240AS version.

[Wester547]

Re: Recap PS? Replace? Old friend - thoughts?

^ Well sure, every manufacturer has some bad models (Bestec ATX250-12E anyone?). That doesn't make Delta bad. Most of their other PSUs are rock-solid. Given that this is a Pentium 4 -era PC, I would expect a solid 250W PSU to be in there... Unless it's one of those SFF desktops with a cramped custom PSU jobs.

The model stj was referencing was actually a Hipro, and it's a poor design choice on the primary side (underspec'd snubber capacitor that often causes the main switcher to fail, and like cruzinforit said, the unit itself simply runs too hot). I agree that one dud model doesn't make Hipro a shoddy company. All the OEMs will build cheaply if contracted to do so. H240AS is a SFF model. As to the thread, occasional maintenance is always a good thing, for the sake of preventing potential issues.

[momaka]

Re: Recap PS? Replace? Old friend - thoughts?

The model stj was referencing was actually a Hipro, and it's a poor design choice on the primary side (underspec'd snubber capacitor that often causes the main switcher to fail, and like cruzinforit said, the unit itself simply runs too hot).

You mean this, I guess:
https://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthread.php?t=50864

[stj]

Re: Recap PS? Replace? Old friend - thoughts?

that's it.
btw, have done another since.
i now know what the zeners are:
z301 - 18v 500mw zener
z302 - 5v1 500mw zener

[momaka]

Re: Recap PS? Replace? Old friend - thoughts?

^ Perhaps post that in the other thread so that ben7 can see it :smille: .

[stj]

Re: Recap PS? Replace? Old friend - thoughts?

done