I thought I'd seen the last of them - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Excavatoree
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2022, 02:18:30 am
content: I saw a wireless access point at a charity shop for only 5 US dollars that was nicer than the one I am using, so I thought, what the heck. I checked the AC adaptor before trying it and found It was dead. I couldn't resist cracking it open, and I found them - C(r)apXon capacitors! I've replaced a lot of them over the years, but I thought I'd seen the last of them - I didn't expect to see two more.

author: Whales
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2022, 02:39:46 am
content: CapXon CapXoff.They are very much still active.I presume their formulations are better than in the past. They're just one of many lower-tier capacitor makers, not much more to say than that.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2022, 06:12:31 am
content: Quote from: Whales on July 11, 2022, 02:39:46 amFYI that’s just a link to all 29000 electrolytics LCSC carries. Whatever filters you applied aren’t reflected in the URL.

author: Berni
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2022, 06:31:44 am
content: All the crappy electrolytic cap manufacturers probably fixed there electrolytic formulations by now.In the 2000s some manufacturers badly cloned the design of good capacitors. There are stories of industrial espionage where the electrolyte formula was stolen from Rubycon, got mangled along the way, then they used the slightly wrong formula to produce caps.

author: Whales
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2022, 11:59:41 am
content: Quote from: tooki on July 11, 2022, 06:12:31 am*rustles through box of excuses*Ahah!Quote from: Berni on July 11, 2022, 06:31:44 amIt'd be interesting to do an accelerated-death shootout and see what happens. Eg 20degC above their ratings and see if their life is the ~1/4 expected or if they boil & misbehave in much faster ways.I'd really love to see an at-actual-rated-temp comparison, but that would take most of a year.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2022, 12:25:58 pm
content: Quote from: Berni on July 11, 2022, 06:31:44 amAnyone else think the flawed formula was "leaked" on purpose to sabotage the competitors who used it?

author: mclute0
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 13, 2022, 11:44:00 pm
content: If you are a Wikipedia believer, they have history page for it with a catchy name....https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitor_plague#History

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 14, 2022, 01:31:01 am
content: I have a laptop adapter that's been in nearly continuous service for 14 years now, it's got CapXon inside it, still fine as far as I know.Reality is more nuanced than you'd think.The confirmation bias here is: all the cheap stuff uses cheap types, from affordable brands -- CapXon being just one of many. Cheap stuff which isengineered to fail. And indeed in that respect, that it fails just when it does (whether it be just after a 90 day warranty period, or >10 years), is testament to the incredible refinement of modern industrial processes.The blame lies, not on the manufacturers who make them, nor the engineers who pick them, but the managers who design those specs -- and corporate execs who pressure them to, in turn.And blaming any of those subordinates, greatly benefits the upper-levels, absorbing the heat they so rightfully deserve.Tim

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 14, 2022, 06:44:04 am
content: CapXon stuff is fine. Their parts appear in some very very high end kit and they are quite popular because they do some very decently specified low total thickness capacitors. I just bought something very expensive stuffed with them and I expect to extract 5-10 years of value out of it.Also I can’t say I’ve had any problems with any electrolytic manufacturer for at least 7-8 years now and when I did it was Rubycon capacitors in a Samsung TV power supply.