Questions electronics fail after storage

[cloudff7]

Why do some electronic devices that were working stop working if they remain unpowered for long periods? Is there an explanation for this and is it possible to avoid it?

[Landvader07]

6 minutes ago, cloudff7 said:

Why do some electronic devices that were working stop working if they remain unpowered for long periods? Is there an explanation for this and is it possible to avoid it?

This can happen if the silicon degrades or breaks down while in storage. or if it get damaged or someone breaks it. And you can't avoid the device breaking down or degrading because that will happen eventually but you should use your parts with care and not man handle them to avoid breaking them.

[Needfuldoer]

I'm going to preface this by saying no, your modern electronics will not break if you leave them sitting for only a few years. Component failure takes decades of neglect. (Then again I have computers that are nearing 40 years old that still work.)

 

What gets most mid-2000s electronics is usually the electrolytic capacitors aging. The oxide layer built up inside that makes them work dissolves back into the liquid electrolyte solution. Smaller ones are generally okay if you YOLO them and just apply power, but big ones need to be "reformed" after they've been unpowered for years and years.

 

 

Of course, tantalum capacitors can also fail "short", which means the magic smoke comes out when they're suddenly powered on.

 

 

As for prevention, all you really have to do is store electronics in a comfortable, dry space and check them once every few years.

 

[cloudff7]

I have old electronic devices from the 90s and 2000s stored that use electrolytic capacitors. I power these devices once a year. Is the main problem with storage humidity? Does it oxidize and corrode PCB tracks, metals, and render the device useless after a period of storage?

In the future, I intend to have a specialist technician replace the electrolytic capacitors, but if the ICs, chips, and resistors die, it will be more difficult to recover the PS2 Slim 90k, SNES, 29" CRT TV, TV boxes, power supplies, SATA DVD drives.

Do compact devices stored with IPS LCD that have SMD components and do not have electrolytics also need to be powered?