page_title: Capacitor plague
section_title: Public attention
hierarchical_section_title: Capacitor plague / History / Public attention
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Aufnahme einer Platine, auf der es durch ausgelaufenen Elektrolyten zu einem Brand gekommen war
context_page_description: The capacitor plague was a problem related to a higher-than-expected failure rate of non-solid aluminium electrolytic capacitors, between 1999 and 2007, especially those from some Taiwanese manufacturers, due to faulty electrolyte composition that caused corrosion accompanied by gas generation, often rupturing the case of the capacitor from the build-up of pressure.
  High failure rates occurred in many well-known brands of electronics, and were particularly evident in motherboards, video cards, and power supplies of personal computers.
context_section_description: The news from the Holzman publication spread quickly on the Internet and in newspapers, partly due to the spectacular images of the failures — bulging or burst capacitors, expelled sealing rubber and leaking electrolyte on countless circuit boards. Many PC users were affected, and caused an avalanche of reports and comments on thousands of blogs and other web communities.
  The quick spread of the news also resulted in many misinformed users and blogs posting pictures of capacitors that had failed due to reasons other than faulty electrolyte.
caption: Results of fire on a printed circuit board, caused by leaked electrolyte which short-circuited conductors carrying power
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