Is my speaker going bad?

The plating around the magnet has failed and it encrouches into the voice coil where it will short it and destroy the PS2 5v board. Don't run it until you replace the speaker.  Also, inspect the caps on the PS2 board for buldging ends.

The one cap I always replace if I have a 5V board is the 330uf 35V cap if it is the WINCAP brand.  That cap has shown the effects of age more than any other on those boards.  Given the vintage of the boards, I suspect that that particular brand may have been a part of the infamous capacitor plague of the early 2000's.

If it hasn't failed now, it's seriously thinking of it.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

The one cap I always replace if I have a 5V board is the 330uf 35V cap if it is the WINCAP brand.  That cap has shown the effects of age more than any other on those boards.  Given the vintage of the boards, I suspect that that particular brand may have been a part of the infamous capacitor plague of the early 2000's.

If it hasn't failed now, it's seriously thinking of it.

John - Do you have a recommended part number?  I looked at the Mouser catalog and the selection is endless. 

I don't have a part number handy, I have a bunch of the proper caps in my parts box.  You just need to look for a 330uf 35V cap with the same physical size and lead spacing.  Actually, as long as the diameter and height are the same or smaller, all you need to worry about is lead spacing, it just has to fit into the space.

It is a little tricky to remove the old cap and install the new one as the soldering is done between the boards.

I pry the boards apart a bit and then clip the leads of the old cap as short as possible.

Reach in with a fine tipped soldering iron to the far lead and heat that connection, rock the cap toward the outside.  Do the same thing with the near lead and rock the cap back toward the middle.  A couple times and the old cap is out.

Clean out the holes with a solder sucker and you're ready to install the new cap.

I trim the leads to they just will protrude about 1/16" through the board.  Reach in and solder the new cap down and you're done.

Thank you John.  I have saved your comments for easy reference.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I don't have a part number handy, I have a bunch of the proper caps in my parts box.  You just need to look for a 330uf 35V cap with the same physical size and lead spacing.  Actually, as long as the diameter and height are the same or smaller, all you need to worry about is lead spacing, it just has to fit into the space.

It is a little tricky to remove the old cap and install the new one as the soldering is done between the boards.

I pry the boards apart a bit and then clip the leads of the old cap as short as possible.

Reach in with a fine tipped soldering iron to the far lead and heat that connection, rock the cap toward the outside.  Do the same thing with the near lead and rock the cap back toward the middle.  A couple times and the old cap is out.

Clean out the holes with a solder sucker and you're ready to install the new cap.

I trim the leads to they just will protrude about 1/16" through the board.  Reach in and solder the new cap down and you're done.

John,

That's a helpful description for replacing the WINCAP brand cap on the PS2 5v board.

To further help those looking at part numbers trying to find a suitable replacement, and without seeing what you are, it sounds like you're describing a Radial lead configuration on a Polarized 330 uF 35V electrolytic.  Is this correct?

If so, then before removing the old cap, it would be prudent to note the negative lead orientation, if it's not indicated on the PCB, and reinstall the replacement with the same orientation.

Correct, those are radial leads and obviously the big stripe means it's a polarized cap.

Yes, you do want the cap in with the same orientation to avoid loud noises of exploding caps!

Any of the caps on this list from Digikey should be good:  Replacement 330uf 35V Polar Caps

@Jeff_the_Coaster_Guy posted:

Maybe it's zinc dust from the original casting? Just wipe it off?

Zinc is non magnetic. It's not zinc dust.

@RoyBoy posted:

Zinc is non magnetic. It's not zinc dust.

LOL, well I guess I should have thought of that! 

I've got several 16 ohm speakers, but I'm actually thinking of stealing a PS3 board from another engine I got from the MTH auction and upgrading this guy.  It's a Beautiful Premier R2 2-8-8-2 engineering sample from the MTH auction.  Thankfully, it had a complete motor and driveline installed (which puts me way ahead of where I was with my S1 project), but no board.  I'm probably going to steal a PS3 board from another steamer I got at the auction and convert it, so I'll need a different speaker anyway.

Thanks guys!

A big thank you to gunrunnerjohn and all those who have contributed.  After reviewing this thread, I started to go through my fleet of MTH engines and have replaced 12 "Wincap" capacitors (I never realized so many of my engines were of this vintage).  While only one or two looked suspect, I am happy to know there won't be an expensive board failure due to that capacitor.  During this process I also found a zinc rot speaker as other minor issues one can only find after opening up a 15+ year old engine.