Restoration of an old Oltronix power supply

I decided to completely disassemble the power supply to take precise measurements for designing new top and bottom covers. Once I had the dimensions, I created the CAD models for both covers and sent them off to be manufactured. It felt great to be making progress on restoring the supply.

However, before I could finish all the measurements, I noticed something concerning: some of the capacitors in the large capacitor bank were leaking. Upon closer inspection, it became clear that I would likely need to replace the entire bank to ensure the supply could operate reliably again.

This discovery was probably a blessing in disguise, as these capacitors were from the notorious "Rifa" brand. Rifa capacitors are infamous for failing spectacularly—often exploding in a fiery mess as they age. Considering their reputation for starting fires, replacing them seemed like the safest course of action.

I then created a detailed list of replacement capacitors, cross-referencing the manual and searching for modern alternatives on Digikey. My plan was to replace not just the electrolytic capacitors but also the paper-film ones. It felt like the responsible thing to do, given the supply's age and the potential hazards of keeping those old components in place.

While comparing the current components to the manual, I came across another interesting detail. The manual specifies that the smaller capacitor bank, which uses lighter-colored caps, should have two 3300uF capacitors. However, upon inspecting the unit, I realized that I only had one installed.

It became clear that someone had removed one of the capacitors at some point and never replaced it. You can see the empty spot where the second capacitor should have been installed, located at the top right of the bank. Without the manual, I probably would have missed this completely and continued without realizing a critical component was missing.

Thanks to the manual, I now know I'll need to order a replacement capacitor to restore the supply to its proper working condition. It's amazing how easily these details can be overlooked without proper documentation!