Datadrainer wrote on 2021-09-14, 12:33:

@HanJammer. Yep Would means VRC, but for me, except one is embedded, it's the same. But yes, for latter 486 till Pentium Pro, plugable voltage regulation modules was great.

I'm asking myself a question for a long time now. Could it be done to use tulip socket to insert caps? Or is something wrong with that. That question came following a thought about having a way to easily replace all components prone to fail on old hardware. I got capacitor who inflate to the point they broke the trace where they where soldered. With socket they can just pop out and they are easier to check.

Couple of reasons I can think of. One would be cost to the manufacturer for the parts, and possible reliability issues if capacitors fall out during shipping. The other is that you want the leg length to be as short as possible to reduce the inductance in the path from the power supply to ground. Also, the extra height could be a problem if they then clash with heatsinks/fans. So the benefit of time saved by having the socketed probably isn't worth the downsides. Generally they last pretty well, apart from the early-mid 2000s when someone managed to steal a bad formula for the electrolyte used in the capacitors: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitor_plague

Datadrainer wrote on 2021-09-14, 12:33:

I'm asking myself a question for a long time now. Could it be done to use tulip socket to insert caps? Or is something wrong with that. That question came following a thought about having a way to easily replace all components prone to fail on old hardware. I got capacitor who inflate to the point they broke the trace where they where soldered. With socket they can just pop out and they are easier to check.

Haha, I was thinking about the same thing today. Of course it would be possible - in fact bigger electrolytic caps are installed in the sockets even in some consumer equipment. But for the manufacturers it would increase the cost. And even when motherboard fails during it's warranty period - it's just easier and cheaper to replace it with a new one instead of repairing it. And for the enthusiasts it makes a little sense as well because the hardware is no longer used much so components don't deteriorate as quickly and the modern, good quality caps will work for the motherboards lifetime (or more likely a lifetime of it's user because once It dies, nobody will really care for it anyway and it will end up on the thrash pile 🤣).

snufkin wrote on 2021-09-14, 12:33:

Don't know if it's just a language change and doesn't change the costs, but Farnell have a Polish website as well:
https://pl.farnell.com/rubycon/6-3yxg1500mefc … v-20/dp/2346170
https://pl.farnell.com/rubycon/6-3zl4700mefc1 … v-20/dp/1144675

It's just a language I guess. Same with Mouser.

snufkin wrote on 2021-09-14, 13:12:

Couple of reasons I can think of. One would be cost to the manufacturer for the parts, and possible reliability issues if capacitors fall out during shipping. The other is that you want the leg length to be as short as possible to reduce the inductance in the path from the power supply to ground. Also, the extra height could be a problem if they then clash with heatsinks/fans. So the benefit of time saved by having the socketed probably isn't worth the downsides. Generally they last pretty well, apart from the early-mid 2000s when someone managed to steal a bad formula for the electrolyte used in the capacitors: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitor_plague

I assume Datadrainer was asking if it's possible to install such socket when replacing the cap, as for the new motherboards - I guess the caps would have to be glued with some silicone into the socket (just like in the power supplies - in fact some older PSUs had some press-fitted caps - no soldering at all). Extra height - I don't know, for modern parts with SMT caps they in fact do have a small plastic socket and they could surely made it that the socket is soldered onto the board and cap is press fitted or screwed in into it, but again - I don't really know what would be advantage of that - and there are several disadvantages (new type of cap package would have to be designed, instead of readly available standard package, more points of failure, bigger cost, more complicated technological process and so on).

snufkin wrote on 2021-09-14, 13:12:

Datadrainer wrote on 2021-09-14, 12:33:

@HanJammer. Yep Would means VRC, but for me, except one is embedded, it's the same. But yes, for latter 486 till Pentium Pro, plugable voltage regulation modules was great.

I'm asking myself a question for a long time now. Could it be done to use tulip socket to insert caps? Or is something wrong with that. That question came following a thought about having a way to easily replace all components prone to fail on old hardware. I got capacitor who inflate to the point they broke the trace where they where soldered. With socket they can just pop out and they are easier to check.

Couple of reasons I can think of. One would be cost to the manufacturer for the parts, and possible reliability issues if capacitors fall out during shipping. The other is that you want the leg length to be as short as possible to reduce the inductance in the path from the power supply to ground. Also, the extra height could be a problem if they then clash with heatsinks/fans. So the benefit of time saved by having the socketed probably isn't worth the downsides. Generally they last pretty well, apart from the early-mid 2000s when someone managed to steal a bad formula for the electrolyte used in the capacitors: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitor_plague

Yep, of course. But I was talking about fixing them when they first fail. Instead of soldering new one, put socket in place.

HanJammer wrote on 2021-09-14, 13:21:

Datadrainer wrote on 2021-09-14, 12:33:

I'm asking myself a question for a long time now. Could it be done to use tulip socket to insert caps? Or is something wrong with that. That question came following a thought about having a way to easily replace all components prone to fail on old hardware. I got capacitor who inflate to the point they broke the trace where they where soldered. With socket they can just pop out and they are easier to check.

Haha, I was thinking about the same thing today. Of course it would be possible - in fact bigger electrolytic caps are installed in the sockets even in some consumer equipment. But for the manufacturers it would increase the cost. And even when motherboard fails during it's warranty period - it's just easier and cheaper to replace it with a new one instead of repairing it. And for the enthusiasts it makes a little sense as well because the hardware is no longer used much so components don't deteriorate as quickly and the modern, good quality caps will work for the motherboards lifetime (or more likely a lifetime of it's user because once It dies, nobody will really care for it anyway and it will end up on the thrash pile 🤣).

That is the point, how can we be sure that capacitors from today will last more than 15 years? I don't know how long a common capacitor is certified to last. But as there is no more bad electrolytic formula, they have a limited lifespan, some can come from a bad series or anything else. What makes a recent capacitor better than a Japanese one from the 80's? That's why this question came to me: Why not using sockets when fixing old PCB? 😀