Date   : Sun, 12 Feb 2006 13:52:25 +0000 (GMT)
From   : Sprow <info@...>
Subject: Re: Pop goes the PSU

In article <B9B729B835B3466D8B350070BB5C6127.MAI@...>,
   Ian Wolstenholme <BBCMailingList@...> wrote:
> Just to be absolutely clear about this...
>
> When a BBC B power supply goes pop, giving out the usual clouds
> of smoke etc., is it still safe to use afterwards?

If the airbags in your car went "pop" and there were clouds of smoke would
you keep driving? I would suggest that replacing the faulty component(s) and
soak testing it would be a good move. 

If it appears to be working that would suggest the cloud of smoke was from a
capacitor, so you may be either subjecting the motherboard to excess ripple,
or injecting lots of switching noise back onto the mains.

This was detailed recently on this list,
Sprow.