powerstream 600w... do I have leaky caps...

[azneinstein]

Hi guys,
Just wondering if this is why it died, or started whining like a little B****. I bought this from another member, that replaced the fan. Eventually, my computer wouldn't boot up sometimes, or shutoff... and later, it started whining and had this high pitch noise.

I haven't touched it in months, and finally decided to see if it was the modded/replaced fans that was the problem. Upon inspection, and while cleaning out the dust, I see this little brown stuff on the side of one of the capacitors: it's the Fuhjyyu capacitors (aren't those the known bad ones?), but yeah, so the cap had slight brown stuff on the side and on the top, there a bit there too.

Is that a leaky capacitor?

 

[J.C.]

Generally a vented capacitor will burst open the stamped seam on the top, or else the whole metal body lifts off the rubber plug and leads at the bottom.
picture

Cement is commonly used to secure some parts in place, and it often gets on the side of caps. If the PSU runs hot, particularly if the fan had failed, that cement will darken to a brown color (usually starts out white to cream colored).

So from your description it isn't clear whether the caps popped or it's just cement, or a little of both.

Why was the fan replaced? If the prior fan failed and it ran like that for a good while, especially with poor chassis ventilation to assist in passive airflow through it, it might have baked the PSU until it's remaining life was short.

Yes Fuhjyyu caps often fail, especially from high load and heat stress. If the prior fan had failed or if prior fan was replaced to lower noise (by reducing airflow) it would tend to have a direct effect on their lifespan.

 

[Bbq]

Sounds like it; the glue stuff that is used to keep everything in place is almost never brown. Capacitor Electrolyte is usually brownish.