Re: Turn on Apple to preserve it?

[John <zzzjoki@yahoo.com>]

On Mar 12, 10:00 pm, "Michael J. Mahon" <mjma...@aol.com> wrote:
> JK wrote:
>
> > (from sci.electronics.design )
> > "
> > The electrolytic capacitors go bad in perhaps as few as 10 years if
> > they are not powered on from time to time.  The nonconductive surface
> > on the aluminum electrode can gradually erode away.  Under bias, this
> > doesn't happen.
> > "
>
> > If this is true, does this mean powering an A2 up from time to time
> > helps the aluminum capacitors stay healthy?
>
> Right.  In fact, powering up *anything* electronic at least every few
> years, for a half-hour or so, helps keep its electrolytics healthy.
>
> Of course, some electrolytics are more prone to deforming than others...
>
> One way to go easier on possibly deformed electrolytics is to disconnect
> the power supply connector from the Apple main board, then plug the
> line cord into a Variac (variable transformer) and slowly increase the
> voltage from about 10v to 120v in 10 volt increments over an hour
> (about every 5 minutes).
>
> This will re-form the electrolytics in the 120v section of the supply,
> which is the biggest source of problems.
>
> The low voltage part of the supply will attempt to regulate and fail
> until the input voltage rises above some threshold, but that shouldn't
> be a problem under no-load conditions.
>
> -michael
>
> NadaPong: Network game demo for Apple II computers!
> Home page:  http://members.aol.com/MJMahon/
>
> "The wastebasket is our most important design
> tool--and it's seriously underused."

Thanks for the response.

Huh. I had not heard of this. Maybe this is why some fail after
sitting on the shelf for a few years.

I should probably power up the old computers periodically.