old capacitors are killing old commodore computers....

d0c · Post by **d0c** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 9:00 am

i read this....

http://www.amiga.org/modules/newbb/view ... 90&forum=8

it got me worried about my vic20/c64/c128.... are we going to suffer the same fate?.. as the amigas. anyone here that have experienced that old electrolytic capacitors have killed their c64?? or are we safe from this?....

or what about the commodore monitors?? i cant live without my 1702....

PaulQ · Post by **PaulQ** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 6:21 pm

Nothing lasts forever, no matter how much we'd like them to. Even we are fated to die, and so is our tiny little planet. I'm actually quite used to failures with the Vic 20; my first one kept having banks of keys fail for no good reason. My current Vic 20 I bought at a flea market, which needed its keyboard replaced, has been my most reliable Vic ever. I am actually impressed that they still work today.

The exception to this is, of course, the 1701/1702 monitor. I am certain these monitors will survive our sun going supernova.

Our equipment will fail. Some of us can repair it and keep it running indefinitely (as long as spare parts are available), while others will keep a stockpile to keep them going. Our best bet is to keep everything on the latest media of the day; schematics, programs, and manuals. We will always have our emulators and library of software, which continues to grow to this day! Clever people will create new solutions. I can envision someone making a suitable motherboard replacement for the Vic 20, possibly even a "Vic on a chip." Without a doubt, it will come from this community, and my bet would be on Brian Lyons; the guy's a genius with this stuff. His mega cart is a huge step forward in preservation.

My advice is, don't worry and simply enjoy it while you can. Contribute to preservation projects, and our Vic/C64/C128/Amiga will live on forever.

eslapion · Post by **eslapion** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 10:39 pm

it got me worried about my vic20/c64/c128.... are we going to suffer the same fate?.. as the amigas. anyone here that have experienced that old electrolytic capacitors have killed their c64?? or are we safe from this?....

All electrolythic capacitors eventually degrade in performance to the point where they can damage the electronic components that are connected to them.

I believe I said that about 2 years ago...

d0c · Post by **d0c** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 6:35 am

no one of mine old computers have died yet... hopefully they will be working 35 more years, at age 70 i dont give a damn if they die!

Overdoc · Post by **Overdoc** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 9:52 am

It is not such a big problem in the C64 and VC20 like in the Amiga 4000/1200/600 ones (e.g. sound problems).
The C64 only uses a hand full of electrolyt capacitors for lowering voltage ripple, but even if they fail it will not die immediately. If you want to be sure, however, you can swap them for new ones just to be sure, they don't cost that much and are easy to get.

eslapion · Post by **eslapion** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 10:25 am

Overdoc wrote:It is not such a big problem in the C64 and VC20 like in the Amiga 4000/1200/600 ones (e.g. sound problems).

Electrolithic capacitors are used in the power supplies of these computers. I believ that's what the thread on Amiga.org is about.

The C64 only uses a hand full of electrolyt capacitors for lowering voltage ripple, but even if they fail it will not die immediately. If you want to be sure, however, you can swap them for new ones just to be sure, they don't cost that much and are easy to get.

Yes, they are cheap, easily obtained and generally easy to replace.

vic user · Post by **vic user** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 8:27 am

a fellow vintage computer collector in Ottawa, mentioned to me to turn on my old computers from time to time, as he said that would help keep the electrolytic capacitors from going kaput.

so, every 6 months or so, i try and fire up the ones i just keep on shelves.

eslapion · Post by **eslapion** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 9:51 am

vic user wrote:a fellow vintage computer collector in Ottawa, mentioned to me to turn on my old computers from time to time, as he said that would help keep the electrolytic capacitors from going kaput.

so, every 6 months or so, i try and fire up the ones i just keep on shelves.

AFAIK, it is true. Leave them on for at least 4 hours when you turn them on.

vic user · Post by **vic user** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 10:27 am

4 hours, ok i was only leaving them on for like 30 minutes

eslapion · Post by **eslapion** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 12:04 pm

vic user wrote:4 hours, ok i was only leaving them on for like 30 minutes

Don't take this for absolute cash.

There is a ton of information available about capacitor aging. For accurate figures you need to know the manufacturer of the capacitors involved, the exact chemistry of the electroliths and the dielectric used, the manufacture date, temperature, capacity and voltage rated, etc...

Is 4 hours better than 30 minutes. I think so. Is it really better than 1 hour? I don't really know.