Do bad capacitors stink?

66DarkMatter99 · 10-16-2021, 12:51 AM

So I just built a new desktop computer and when I play some games I hear a slight electrical squeal noise for a minute while the game loads then the sound goes away. I noticed this sound over the last couple days only right now its followed by an odd dullish, headache inducing smell. This isnt the first time I've smelt this smell from a computer and I'm curious if this is actually a symptom of a bad or blown cap. I haven't inspected yet but soon will. Any thoughts on this?

**stj** · 10-16-2021, 05:19 AM

leaking caps smell like cat piss,
look inside your psu

**PeteS in CA** · 10-17-2021, 10:54 AM

I’ve had caps new in the sealed bag smell like rotting fish. They were samples I was supposed to evaluate, but the stench made that unnecessary.

66DarkMatter99 · 10-17-2021, 08:15 PM

thanks for the clarification guys, cheers.

**momaka** · 10-20-2021, 12:38 PM

Yes, bad (leaked / vented) electrolytic capacitors can (and usually do) stink... and at least not in any good way I can think of. It's not like "burned/toasty electronics" type of smell, though. More organic.

As to the relation of that and the new desktop PC you build... I doubt you'd be having new caps leaking/venting this soon, even if they are cheapo brands... but I guess it is still possible. Without knowing more details about the hardware (particularly PSU brand, model, and production date) and age of the hardware (if motherboard or GPU is anything from the last 5-8 years or so, chances are it uses solid polymer capacitors, and those won't leak or vent, so they won't smell... unless they failed - which you would notice because they would produce a ton of smoke and/or short-circuit), I can't tell you more if that's what you're experiencing or not... but probably not, unless you're running a really cheap no-name PSU. With those, you never know what kind of surprises could be inside.

**eccerr0r** · 11-02-2021, 10:11 AM

Just pulled some Chemicon SXFs. The electrolyte is puddled all over the PCB. Nasty stink as well!

**RJARRRPCGP** · 11-02-2021, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 66DarkMatter99

I noticed this sound over the last couple days only right now its followed by an odd dullish, headache inducing smell. This isnt the first time I've smelt this smell from a computer and I'm curious if this is actually a symptom of a bad or blown cap. I haven't inspected yet but soon will. Any thoughts on this?

Check for spiders and webs on the motherboard and cards. Same with earwigs and house centipedes. (house centipedes are usually only seen in downtown areas)

I have yet to see a house centipede at the current house, as I'm outside of downtown Springfield, but still in Springfield. On Main St. in Springfield, OTOH, I regularly saw them.

But the dreaded earwigs are a common sight, right when I hoped that I wouldn't even see those tiny bastards! I'm outside of downtown enough to have earwig issues.

Earwigs are the bugs that are associated with wetter-than-normal weather. (like the years 2006 and 2011 in New England)

**redwire** · 11-02-2021, 05:00 PM

I came home to electrolytic capacitor stink for months, then it went away, then it came back. Gutted all my equipment to find it and eventually it was the ZyXEL DSL modem supplied by my ISP.
Inside is two huge 3,300uF caps and one had popped, so I exchanged it for a newer modem.
On another occasion it was an LED nightlight that popped a capacitor and made that dreaded stink.

For a new PC build, they off-gas all kinds of stink for a month or so. The power supply is the worst, fiberglass resins, glue curing etc.

**RJARRRPCGP** · 11-02-2021, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redwire

I came home to electrolytic capacitor stink for months, then it went away, then it came back. Gutted all my equipment to find it and eventually it was the ZyXEL DSL modem supplied by my ISP.
Inside is two huge 3,300uF caps and one had popped, so I exchanged it for a newer modem.
On another occasion it was an LED nightlight that popped a capacitor and made that dreaded stink.

For a new PC build, they off-gas all kinds of stink for a month or so. The power supply is the worst, fiberglass resins, glue curing etc.

For some reason, I like the smell of fresh motherboards! Especially the Asus Sabertooth 990FX R 2.0 that I got in summer, 2015. It's funny and punny how I literally like the smell of fresh motherboards during the morning!

Noticed that scent, when I was opening the motherboard package! (and afterwards)

It's not like fried electronics, which the smell of that, if believed to be from my PC, would make me panic!

10-16-2021, 12:51 AM	#1
66DarkMatter99 New Member Join Date: Aug 2021 City & State: Alberta My Country: Canada I'm a: Knowledge Seeker Posts: 8	Do bad capacitors stink? So I just built a new desktop computer and when I play some games I hear a slight electrical squeal noise for a minute while the game loads then the sound goes away. I noticed this sound over the last couple days only right now its followed by an odd dullish, headache inducing smell. This isnt the first time I've smelt this smell from a computer and I'm curious if this is actually a symptom of a bad or blown cap. I haven't inspected yet but soon will. Any thoughts on this?

10-16-2021, 05:19 AM	#2
stj Great Sage 齊天大聖 Join Date: Dec 2009 City & State: Europe My Country: some shithole run by Israeli agents I'm a: Professional Tech Posts: 25,822	Re: Do bad capacitors stink? leaking caps smell like cat piss, look inside your psu

10-17-2021, 10:54 AM	#3
PeteS in CA Badcaps Veteran Join Date: Aug 2005 City & State: San Jose, CA My Country: USA, Unsure of Planet Line Voltage: 120VAC, 60Hz & 115VAC, 400Hz I'm a: Professional Tech Posts: 3,305	Re: Do bad capacitors stink? I’ve had caps new in the sealed bag smell like rotting fish. They were samples I was supposed to evaluate, but the stench made that unnecessary. __________________ PeteS in CA Power Supplies should be boring: No loud noises, no bright flashes, and no bad smells. ************************** All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; - J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring ************************ To kill personal responsibility, initiative or success, punish it by taxing it. To encourage irresponsibility, improvidence, dependence and failure, reward it by subsidizing it. ************************** Laughable prediction, https://principia-scientific.com/doc...l-most-people/ ; Fully Vaxxed May 2021; Viva CallSJ "5K" (actually 3.26 miles), 9/19/21, 51:19; ZombieRunner Halloween 10K, 10/31/21, 1:49:30; ZombieRunner Quarry Lakes half marathon, 4:19:07, 12/12/21

10-17-2021, 08:15 PM	#4
66DarkMatter99 New Member Join Date: Aug 2021 City & State: Alberta My Country: Canada I'm a: Knowledge Seeker Posts: 8	Re: Do bad capacitors stink? thanks for the clarification guys, cheers.

10-20-2021, 12:38 PM	#5
momaka master hoarder Join Date: May 2008 City & State: VA (NoVA) My Country: U.S.A. Line Voltage: 120 VAC, 60 Hz I'm a: Hobbyist Tech Posts: 10,684	Re: Do bad capacitors stink? Yes, bad (leaked / vented) electrolytic capacitors can (and usually do) stink... and at least not in any good way I can think of. It's not like "burned/toasty electronics" type of smell, though. More organic. As to the relation of that and the new desktop PC you build... I doubt you'd be having new caps leaking/venting this soon, even if they are cheapo brands... but I guess it is still possible. Without knowing more details about the hardware (particularly PSU brand, model, and production date) and age of the hardware (if motherboard or GPU is anything from the last 5-8 years or so, chances are it uses solid polymer capacitors, and those won't leak or vent, so they won't smell... unless they failed - which you would notice because they would produce a ton of smoke and/or short-circuit), I can't tell you more if that's what you're experiencing or not... but probably not, unless you're running a really cheap no-name PSU. With those, you never know what kind of surprises could be inside.

11-02-2021, 10:11 AM	#6
eccerr0r Solder Sloth Join Date: Nov 2012 City & State: CO My Country: USA Line Voltage: 120VAC 60Hz I'm a: Hobbyist Tech Posts: 6,788	Re: Do bad capacitors stink? Just pulled some Chemicon SXFs. The electrolyte is puddled all over the PCB. Nasty stink as well!

11-02-2021, 05:00 PM	#8
redwire Badcaps Veteran Join Date: Dec 2010 City & State: Alberta My Country: Canada Posts: 2,274	Re: Do bad capacitors stink? I came home to electrolytic capacitor stink for months, then it went away, then it came back. Gutted all my equipment to find it and eventually it was the ZyXEL DSL modem supplied by my ISP. Inside is two huge 3,300uF caps and one had popped, so I exchanged it for a newer modem. On another occasion it was an LED nightlight that popped a capacitor and made that dreaded stink. For a new PC build, they off-gas all kinds of stink for a month or so. The power supply is the worst, fiberglass resins, glue curing etc. Last edited by redwire; 11-02-2021 at 05:02 PM..

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