So I recently performed a recapping on an Antec Smart Power PSU. I chose to replace all electrolytic capacitors, I used mostly Panasonic FC series and a couple of Nichicon HE's. I finally reassembled it into the case and fired it up, the 12V rail was fluctuating pretty extensively, but the 5V rail was rock steady. I thought that I just needed to apply a load and maybe it would even out. But as I was contemplating my next step, steam started pouring out of one of the two Panasonic FC 3300μF 16V capacitors, it almost looked like the steam coming out of a tea kettle, and surprisingly it did not smell as bad as I was lead to believe, it almost had a toasted almond aroma to it (perhaps there is some cyanide ion in the electrolyte?). So I immediately cut the power once I realized what was happening.
I did a little investigating and discovered that I had indeed reversed the polarity, I couldn't believe it, normally I am not that careless. But there it is, I got to see my first capacitor venting right in front of me, I guess it was kind of neat to see, but I would have rather not had it happen to such an expensive capacitor or to a device that was such a pain to both disassemble and reassemble.
So my question is, should I replace both of Panasonic FC 3300μF 16V capacitors, or just the one that failed? They both got quite warm, of course the vented one was much warmer than the other. What do you guys think? This is the first time I've made this stupid mistake.
I did a little investigating and discovered that I had indeed reversed the polarity, I couldn't believe it, normally I am not that careless. But there it is, I got to see my first capacitor venting right in front of me, I guess it was kind of neat to see, but I would have rather not had it happen to such an expensive capacitor or to a device that was such a pain to both disassemble and reassemble.
So my question is, should I replace both of Panasonic FC 3300μF 16V capacitors, or just the one that failed? They both got quite warm, of course the vented one was much warmer than the other. What do you guys think? This is the first time I've made this stupid mistake.
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