Showerthought: I think people are too quick to replace old power supplies

I was in my garage last week trying to get my old Packard Bell 486 running again. The thing just wouldn't turn on, and everyone online said the power supply was a goner and to just buy a new old stock unit. I pulled it out, opened it up, and found one bulging capacitor. I replaced that single 1000uF cap for about two bucks, and the whole machine booted right up. It's been running fine for three days now. I get that PSUs can be dangerous, but a full replacement for a simple cap job feels wasteful. Has anyone else had luck with just fixing the specific part that failed?

3 comments

3 Comments

black.margaret3mo ago

Lol, of course the internet's first answer is always "just throw the whole thing out.

sarahsullivan3mo ago

Totally feel you on this. It's so satisfying to fix something with a two dollar part instead of buying a whole new unit. The internet's default to replace everything makes me nuts, especially with older tech where the fix is often obvious. Good on you for actually opening it up and looking.

wade5581mo ago

...and on top of that, a working original power supply is usually way better built than the cheap junk they sell now. I had the exact same thing happen with an old Gateway from 2001. The fan was making a grinding noise and everyone told me to toss the whole PSU. I pulled it apart, cleaned out a dust bunny the size of a mouse, and put a drop of 3-in-1 oil on the fan bearing. It's been humming smooth for two years now. People act like these things are black boxes full of magic, but it's just caps and coils and solder joints. I bet half the old hardware that gets scrapped just needs one bad cap or a loose connection. Saves money and keeps another hunk of metal out of the landfill.