Checked out a new surplus electronics warehouse in Tacoma last weekend

They had a whole section of 'refurbished' power supplies, but the caps on at least half of them looked bulged from across the aisle. I picked up a 24V unit to look closer and the date code was from 2009. The guy at the counter said they just 'test for output voltage' before they sell them. Has anyone else run into shops selling old gear as refurbished without a proper recap?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_tara1d agoTop Commenter

What do you even say to a seller like that? I had the same thing happen at a flea market last year. I just put the unit back and walked out. @the_sandra is totally right about it being a scam. A real refurb means they actually opened it up and fixed the known weak points. That voltage check is just lazy and tells you nothing about how long it will last. I only buy old power supplies now if I can see clear photos of the inside board first, or if I'm planning to recap it myself the second I get home.

the_sandra10d ago

Total scam calling that refurbished. A proper recap is the bare minimum for old electronics. That shop is selling future failures.

lewis.troy10d ago

Bulging caps on a 2009 unit is a huge red flag. Refurbished should mean new capacitors, not just a quick voltage check. That old electrolytic fluid dries out over time. Seen it a lot with old computer power supplies. They're selling a ticking time bomb. You dodged a bad buy.