That capacitor order from Digi-Key that sat in my mailbox for 4 days in July

I was working on a dead power supply in my garage in Phoenix last July and needed 3 specific 220uF caps. They sat in my mailbox for 4 days because I forgot to check tracking and the heat fried the electrolyte inside. Has anyone else had components die just from sitting in extreme temps before you even touched them?

3 comments

3 Comments

logan5611mo ago

Yeah, that's not really how electrolytic capacitors fail (heat damage takes way longer).

karenb971mo ago

Hmm, that's a fair point about heat damage taking way longer. But I mean, Phoenix in July is a whole different beast. Maybe it's not just the heat itself but also how fast the caps go from a hot mailbox to an even hotter garage and back. I've read that rapid temperature cycling can mess with the seals on electrolytics, especially if they're older stock already. Plus, if the electrolyte was already a bit dried out from sitting on a shelf somewhere, a few days at 115F could be the last straw. Idk, maybe it's a stretch, but I wouldn't rule it out completely.

the_terry1mo ago

Maybe the caps are just getting heat exhaustion from running errands in the Arizona sun. Next thing you know they'll be complaining about the dry air and asking for a humidity vacation. Either way, sounds like a good excuse to blame the weather and move on.