Extending the life of a camcorder through refrigeration?

I would not advice anyone to put ANY electronics inside a refrigerator. Would you store your camcorder under water?

The only solution to bad capacitors is to replace them. I suggest you visit this url:

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Regards Fernando

Reply to
fcassia
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I think it would cause you far more problems with condensation than it would save you from bad electrolytics.

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Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
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Reply to
Tim Wescott

The cycling of electronic components and boards will probably do just as much damage as keeping it out of the fridge.

I'd store the camcorder in a sealed vapor proof bag along with a dessicant to keep the humidity away in a temperature and humidity controlled environment (or just a cool place).

I would not worry too much -- camcorders were designed to go thousands of hours, and you can expect most to last years under good care and use.

Also, with new DV camcorders going for as low as $150, why worry too much?

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Reply to
David Chien

Since I just had one 8mm camcorder go bad, ostensibly due to electrolytic caps going out, I wonder if there's anything that can be done to extend the life of the components. Would storing a camcorder in a thermal bag in the refrigerator during periods of non-use have any obvious good or bad effect?

Thanks

Reply to
Doc

They seem to have solved the problem that cuaed the caps to leak. I haven't seen wide spread SMD electrolytic failure in anything made recently. Andy Cuffe snipped-for-privacy@psu.edu

Reply to
Andy Cuffe

NO.

Reply to
nappy-iou

"Doc" wrote

If you store it in a hermetic container, add some rice/si gell to mop up water if you live in the south, it most likely won't do any harm. But I am not sure it will do any good. From what I remember on electrolytic failure modes most of the wear out is with the power on. If they just sit there they are in danger of drying out over the decades, so high humidity may help.

I doubt if you will see an difference in reliability - it would take analysis of failure rates and causes for 100 camcorders with refrigeration Vs 100 kept in the hall closet to prove any effect.

I would settle your mind:

1) Electrolytics don't wear out in storage. 2) There were batches of bad electrolytics in the early 90's when China first started to make them. Recently there have been no problems. I don't know that any of the bad ones were surface mount, all/most were cans rated at much higher voltage for the size than any Japanese or US caps. 3) It may not be an electrolytic that failed: if the repairman was able to isolate the failed cap then he would/could have replaced it for $0.50. Experience says you probably got the run-around from the repair man, seeing as how things like miniature camcorders tend to be unrepairable anyway.

Conclusion: Keep the 'corder in the closet.

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Nicholas O. Lindan, Cleveland, Ohio
Consulting Engineer:  Electronics; Informatics; Photonics.
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Reply to
Nicholas O. Lindan

the

effect?

Store it in a cool, dry place. I don't recommend the refrigerator as condensation will be an issue when you take it out to use it. The cold won't hurt it, I store plenty of equipment in my garage where it gets down near freezing regularly in the winter, but I don't tend to power anything up until it's warmed. Excessive heat will dry up the capacitors quicker but you don't have to keep them cold, just don't leave it in the trunk of your car in the hot sun or a hot upstairs closet in the summer. Human-comfortable temperatures are generally comfortable for your equipment as well.

Reply to
James Sweet

I have had items written off due to cracking of brass interference fit parts at sub-zero temperatures. I assume it was hard brass and that there was stress from the interference fit to start with. Possibly one part was heated then force fitted, whereupon the additional cooling knackered it. Repair worked out quite expensive.

Reply to
ato_zee

near

Sub-zero is one thing, but we're talking about refrigerator temperatures here. Your main enemy with anything getting very cold is the stresses of cooling down and warming up, particularly very large temp swings.

Reply to
James Sweet

Most electrolytic caps are endurance/shelf tested at 85C. Room temperatures aren't going to affect them very much, I think.

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   Robert Monsen
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Reply to
Robert Monsen

the

effect?

Has it been long enough to know yet? When I've ordered replacement caps I was somewhat shocked at the lifetime ratings, many of them are only rated

2-3k hours, only a couple times longer than the average life of a common incandescent lightbulb.
Reply to
James Sweet

Me neither - even camcorders I've recapped years ago are still going strong (which is either good or bad depending on how you look at it). One thing that does help is to actually USE the camcorder rather then just let it sit about gathering dust, being pressed into service at Christmas and the odd birthday party. That type of use gives the caps all the time they need to for the electrolyte to break down - and once its then powered up again the liquid almost boils and consequently leaks.

But its not as much of a problem these days - just the odd bad batches of leaky caps that ruin motherboards...

....

Reply to
Harvey

We know not because of testing, but because we know what the problem was. A Chinese capacitor manufacturer stole an electrolyte formula from another Chinese capacitor manufacturer and got the wrong formula. Now everyone is back to formulas that have been is service for many years, so that particular problem is gone.

First of all those ratings are for how long it will take for the capacitance to drop below the rated capacitance, not how long before it fails. Your circuit may work fine at 50% capacitance.

Second, the life time is the time the capacitor will perform within the stated specification (usually ±20% of the initial capacitance) at the maximum rated voltage ripple current and temperature. When operating at temperatures below the maximum rated temperature, the life expectancy of the component will roughly double for every ten degrees C lower than the rated temperature.

For example:

2,000 hours at 105 degrees C 4,000 hours at 95 degrees C 8,000 hours at 85 degrees C 16,000 hours at 75 degrees C 32,000 hours at 65 degrees C 64,000 hours at 55 degrees C 128,000 hours at 45 degrees C (14 years+) 256,000 hours at 35 degrees C (28 years+)

Also, the life increases if the applied voltage is less than the rated voltage, down to 60-79% of the rated voltage. A typical figure is eight times the life at 60% voltage.

Having a low ripple current and not having voltage spikes helps, as does avoiding long (years) periods at zero volts.

Reply to
Guy Macon

Don't do it. If nothing else, thermal cycling can cause things to loosen.

Reply to
L David Matheny

the

effect?

leaks the electrolyte. Military and most automotive electronics use caps that are sealed in plastic (longer life and higher useable temp range).

Reply to
Jeff Rigby

Condensation will wreak havoc on internal workings of a camcorder when you remove it from the freezer.

the

effect?

Reply to
Mike

It's the other way around - they leak because they go bad. The problem isn't with the cases, it's with the electrolyte itself; the bad ones are made using an incomplete formula that was stolen by a stupid thief.

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Bill Funk
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Reply to
Big Bill

No, do not fill your brain with capacitor electrolyte, either the good stuff or the stuff missing the secret ingredient.

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Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
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Reply to
Tim Wescott

Wow. I lean new stuff every day. The question is, does my brain need to be filled up with stuff like this?

-- Owamanga!

Reply to
Owamanga

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