SMD capacitors on the A600, A1200, CD32 and A4000
The later Amigas use surface-mount electrolytic capacitors. Over time they leak electrolyte onto the board: weak or missing sound, a noisy picture, failed start-ups. The fix is to replace them, known as a recap.
Difficulty: WorkbenchTime: 3 h
⚠ Before you start
- This is bench work. Pulling off an SMD capacitor by twisting it usually takes the trace with it and creates a much bigger repair.
- Observe the polarity: an electrolytic capacitor fitted the wrong way round can burst.
Symptoms
The most common signs are sound disappearing from one channel or becoming muffled, noise or lines in the picture, and machines that only start after warming up or that stop starting altogether. You can often see an oily residue or stains around the capacitors, especially in the audio section.
How a recap is done
Before you start, note down the value, voltage and orientation of each capacitor (a good-quality photograph helps). The community has put together capacitor lists for each board revision.
- 10Remove the capacitors by heating both sides at the same time (two irons, soldering tweezers or hot air), without forcing them.
- 20Clean off any leaked electrolyte with isopropyl alcohol. If it has soaked in, the board may need careful washing and thorough drying.
- 30Check the traces under each capacitor: electrolyte corrodes copper and may already have cut connections.
- 40Fit the new ones observing the polarity. Good-quality capacitors from well-known manufacturers last for decades.
- 50Test sound, picture and repeated start-ups before closing the case.
When to bring it to us
If you have no experience with SMD soldering, bring the machine in. It is one of the repairs we do most often, and it is much cheaper to do it before the electrolyte eats the traces.
Request a repairThese guides are for information. Working on old electronics carries risks: do it at your own risk, with the machine unplugged, and never open power supplies or CRT monitors. If in doubt, bring the machine to us.