MOTM

--- In motm@yahoogroups.com, "Tkacs, Ken" <ken.tkacs@j...> wrote:
> 
> There has been a lot of talk lately about the "age" of power 
supplies. Why
> is this so important? Especially if the supplies have never been 
used?
> 
> I mean, I know that parts age, and that things like power supplies 
and
> capacitors are filled with all sorts of mysterious goo that can run 
out, dry
> out, etc., over time. But how bad *IS* this? I mean, I have my old 
Korg
> MS-10 that I bought in 1977 still running strong; its power supply 
hasn't
> exploded, caught fire, or generally quit. I've got loads of 
equipment from
> the late seventies and eighties all running in mint condition. So 
why is it
> that people on this list seem suddenly terrified of buying a circa 
1989
> power supply for $9, and instead would rather buy one from 1996 for 
$160?
> 
> It's leaving me with this queasy feeling that I'm spending years 
assembling
> this monster modular and that by the time I'm "finished" I 
shouldn't really
> expect it to work because it's become "old," not outdated but 
actually
> *non-functional?* I mean, seriously, why is a 12-year-old power 
supply so
> bad? Especially at these savings. Is there something I should know? 
Should I
> really be bracing myself for leakage and multiple explosions in the 
near
> term...?
> 
> Man, I still have a TV set downstairs that we bought in 1964 or 
something.
> If it quit tomorrow, I wouldn't be surprised, but I hope my modular 
doesn't
> just shut down in ten years. Jeez!! I was expecting it to last into 
my
> retirement, if not as an heirloom!

I think you bring up a very good point!  I wouldn't really worry at 
all about any unplanned obsolescence. Having fixed many, many 
keyboards and such in the past, I can only say that its usually the 
overall wear and tear by the user, (and world touring, etc) that 
prematurely destroys things.  Major power problems, lightning hits 
and all do mess with things too. 

It seems that the further back something was made, the better it was 
made and longer it lasts...unfortunately, we can't go too far back to 
do any meaningful analysis of computers and a host of other sensitive 
electronic stuff cause it just plain didn't exist!

Watch out though cause you'll get a lot of different opinions on this 
topic and end up completely confused - don't worry.  Just get a 
decent power conditioning device for your electronics (this topic is 
way beyond this list topic - and my typing skills)and you should have 
your heirlooms till death do you part!

My 2 cents,

Rog