Start up kit.

[robes]

G'day Guys (and ladies),

<Long bit of background, actual question coming...>
I currently live in a remote town in Queensland, Australia and have started doing some basic parts replacement and troubleshooting as a bit of a sideline business (My day job is IT also). I've been reading recently on this bad caps forum and have been intrigued about 'actually' repairing a motherboard as opposed to replacing it. This would be ideal for me because if I have a supply of caps and that's all that's needed to get a customer back up and running then it certainly beats waiting two weeks for a motherboard to arrive on the barge (yes our post comes in on a barge).

<actual question>
So, what I don't currently have is a supply of caps and the necessary tools to do the replacements with. Does anyone have some advice on what tools are necessary before I start practicing on motherboards? (I'll make sure I practice on a few before I charge someone for my services).

Thanks.

[stevo1210]

Re: Start up kit.

Hey Mate.... greetings from Sydney,

I do motherboard repair for my clients (e.g. bad caps replacement, connector replacements etc.), in my opinion all you need is a soldering iron of about 40-60W and of course the replacment parts. I source my caps off ebay most of the time. The caps I get off eBay are usually Panasonic FJ and Sanyo WG. If you want Rubycon caps, you can contact Topcat to purchase some. If you want Samxon branded caps you can contact Bigpope or Davmax. I have received Samxon caps from Davmax before and they are very good. Davmax is located in Western Australia so I guess shipping could be faster since you are in Queensland.

To practice doing board level repairs, you should first start off with some trash motherboards or some old motherboards that you don't really mind about screwing up. de-solder/ resolder caps on them or similar and see if the end result is good. Do this once or twice and you'll get the hang of it and you can then fix your clients motherboards and be sure of what you're doing.

This would be ideal for me because if I have a supply of caps and that's all that's needed to get a customer back up and running then it certainly beats waiting two weeks for a motherboard to arrive on the barge (yes our post comes in on a barge).

A bit off topic here, but if I remember correctly, is Weipa that town up at the Gulf of Carpentaria that has a lot of mining activities? Is it an island off the coast or is it still on the Australian mainland? Sorry, I really suck at AU geography. I even thought Adelaide was in WA.

Thanks.

[robes]

Re: Start up kit.

Good to meet you Stevo,

Weipa is on the (the gulf side) Western Cape York peninsula, probably about four hours drive south from the tip. The 'barge' thing probably threw you. We don't have an 'all weather' road from Cairns to here so we end up having to have it barged over the cape and around to us for six months of the year during the wet season. We mine mainly bauxite which we send to alumina refineries like the ones in Gladstone.

Do you keep a supply of Caps or do you order them on an as needs basis? For instance, could I order a bunch of caps that would cover me for most boards?

Cheers and thanks.

[stevo1210]

Re: Start up kit.

I ususally order caps as I need them. Most of the time I will over order by 1 or 2 caps just in case I screw up something (Also because my capacitor seller only sells in lots of 5, 10, 12 or 20).
I buy my caps off ebay so I can get them when I need them. I guess since you are living far away, you should overorder your caps since delivery will take a while. It takes a week for my caps to get delivered to me here in Sydney.

Thanks.

[starfury1]

Re: Start up kit.

Read willawake FAQ on recapping its not that hard to do

https://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthread.php?t=485

you will find mostly MB around the 2000 ~2003 maybe 4 period
are liable to have bad caps
newer systems with Electrolytics, sure its possible too just a little less likely
as some manufactures woke up and the bad formula jobs were gone (hopefully)

but depending on age and abuse other too
(most stuff older has probably been dumped)
but there could be a few older systems running
esp possibly server side of things
most of the new stuff uses pollys so lot less chance of it these days

computers run in high heat areas are possible victims too.
Also PSU are good for crap and stuffed caps but beware of them they connect directly to the mains and can kill you quite easily if you don't know what your doing

defiantly do some reading around here

also caps kits can be got from TC forum owner state side,
I think he will now ship to OZ
if you want to go that way
(Edit: oh that I think is, he will now repair MBs from OZ)
but since your in Oz you best bet is RS components or farnels.

If you want to use the Samxon range Big pope forum member here can supply from HK

if you are not familiar with how to solder etc practice on junk MB first.

there enough info round here to help you work out if its a fair bet you got bad caps in an MB

HTH

Cheers