Panasonic FZ-1 Capacitor Replacement Guide

Community drawing of the FZ-1 power section (NTSC US), with measured voltages

The Panasonic FZ-1 has between 24 and 27 electrolytic capacitors on its main board, depending on the board (counting the separate DRAM board of the first type), and seven on the CD-ROM drive board. Panasonic published a parts list for each of three main board assemblies, and the values below are taken from those lists. Console5's lists, read from production boards, agree with them and add a fourth board and the drive board. The 3DO Development Repo lists the power-section capacitors as the FZ-1's most common failure, with C35 and C36 the ones most often found leaking, and adds that the RAM decoupling capacitors also leak.

Identify the board

• Panasonic's supplement CPD9311017S1 sorts the early consoles by the serial-number label on the rear. Suffix "A" means the first board type, covered by the original service manual; suffix "B" or later means the second type, covered by the supplement.
• Supplement IMD9411005S1 applies from serial number 4IKSI01001 and covers board assembly DL3U10649HAA.
• The boards themselves carry a Panasonic number and a copyright year: DFUP0576 on the 1993 boards, DFUP0648 or DFUP0649 on the 1994 boards.

Read the number off the board before ordering. The lists below differ in more than the count.

Positions with a known function

C1 (6800 µF, 25 V) is the reservoir after the bridge rectifier, at about 14.5 V with the console on. C35 (1000 µF, 6.3 V) is the output filter of the +5 V switching regulator IC31, with the choke L31. On the community drawing of the power section, C36 (10 µF, 16 V) is on the soft-start pin 6 of IC31, C631 (1000 µF, 10 V) is on the +9 V output of IC11, and C401 (22 µF, 16 V) is on the back-up controller IC400. Panasonic's technical guide names C401 in its reset check.

Main board, first type: DL3U10576AAA

This board carries the DRAM on a separate DRAM board, DL3U10617AAA, with two more electrolytics.

Electrolytics, service manual CPD9309012C0

Ref	Capacitance	Voltage	Panasonic part
C1	6800 µF	25 V	ECEC1EA682BB
C35	1000 µF	6.3 V	ECEA0JU102B
C36	10 µF	16 V	ECEA1CU100B
C104, C124, C144, C184, C203, C604	100 µF	6.3 V	ECEA0JU101B
C145	47 µF	6.3 V	ECEA0JU470B
C221, C241, C261, C272, C280, C281, C502	10 µF	16 V	ECEA1CU100B
C307, C326	100 µF	6.3 V	ECEV0JV101SP (surface mount)
C401	22 µF	16 V	ECEA1CU220B
C500, C503, C521, C630	470 µF	6.3 V	ECA0JM471B
C631	1000 µF	10 V	ECA1AM102B
C314, C334 (DRAM board)	100 µF	6.3 V	ECEV0JV101SP (surface mount)

Main board, second type: DL3U10576DAA and DL3U10576EAA

Electrolytics, supplement CPD9311017S1

Ref	Capacitance	Voltage
C1	6800 µF	25 V
C35	1000 µF	6.3 V
C36	10 µF	16 V
C104, C124, C144, C184, C203, C604	100 µF	6.3 V
C145	47 µF	6.3 V
C221, C241, C261, C272, C280, C281, C502	10 µF	16 V
C306, C307, C326, C327	100 µF	6.3 V
C401	22 µF	16 V
C500, C503, C521, C630	470 µF	6.3 V
C631	1000 µF	10 V

This is the board Console5 lists as the 1993 board, DFUP0576ZAM2 and ZAM3, with the same 27 values. Console5 notes that C306, C307, C326 and C327 are surface-mount parts on the ZAM2 boards. It gives the fourth 470 µF position as C520; Panasonic's list makes C520 a 0.1 µF ceramic and the 470 µF part C521, so check the silkscreen.

Main board, third type: DL3U10649HAA

Electrolytics, supplement IMD9411005S1

Ref	Capacitance	Voltage
C1	6800 µF	25 V
C35	1000 µF	6.3 V
C36, C272, C280, C281	10 µF	16 V
C104, C124, C144, C164, C203, C305, C522	100 µF	6.3 V
C148, C223, C233, C244	47 µF	6.3 V
C181, C183, C184, C630	470 µF	6.3 V
C182, C401	22 µF	16 V
C260, C521	220 µF	6.3 V
C631	1000 µF	10 V

Console5's list for board DFUP0649ZAM3 has the same 26 values. Console5 marks C401 as fitted to the Japanese model only, while Panasonic's list for the U.S. board includes it. The 3DO Development Repo reports that C401 is missing from some FZ-1 boards from the factory and recommends fitting a 22–100 µF part rated 16 V or more where it is absent.

Main board DFUP0648ZA M

No Panasonic parts list for this 1994 board has been found. Console5 gives these 24 values, credited to Evan Allen.

Electrolytics, Console5 list

Ref	Capacitance	Voltage
C1	6800 µF	25 V
C35	1000 µF	6.3 V
C36, C272, C280, C281	10 µF	16 V
C104, C124, C144, C164, C203, C305, C522	100 µF	6.3 V
C148, C223, C233, C244	47 µF	6.3 V
C190, C192, C630	470 µF	6.3 V
C260, C521	220 µF	6.3 V
C401	22 µF	16 V
C631	1000 µF	10 V

CD-ROM drive board CR-560-B

Drive board electrolytics, Console5 list

Ref	Capacitance	Voltage
C10	22 µF	6.3 V
C14	1 µF	50 V
C21	100 µF	6.3 V
C29	2.2 µF	25 V
C100, C101, C120	100 µF	16 V

Panasonic lists the drive as a complete assembly (CR560-B) in the service manual parts list.

Procedure

1. Unplug the console. The transformer is live whenever the plug is in, because the POWER button only switches the regulators.
2. Take the console apart as far as the main board, following the order on the Panasonic FZ-1 General Maintenance page. On the first board type, the DRAM board comes off before the main board.
3. Read the board number and check it against the lists above.
4. Note the polarity of each capacitor before removing it.
5. Remove C35 and C36 first and inspect the board under them. Leaked electrolyte from this area damages the traces and can block the nearby vias; ConsoleMods also advises checking whether it has reached the power switch. Clean any residue before fitting the new parts.
6. The material around C1 is glue, not electrolyte. Replace C1 anyway; it ages even when it does not leak.
7. Fit replacements of the same capacitance and at least the same voltage rating, in the same polarity.
8. Before refitting the drive, power the board and check the rails: about 5.0 V after L31 and about 9.0 V at the IC11 output (5.00 V and 8.97 V on the community drawing). A rail that rises past 6.8 V (+5 V) or 11.8 V (+9 V) fires the crowbar and blows F1.

Related pages

• Panasonic FZ-1 R.E.A.L. 3DO
• Panasonic FZ-1 General Maintenance
• Panasonic FZ-1 Troubleshooting Guide
• Panasonic FZ-1 Documentation
• Panasonic FZ-10 Capacitor Replacement Guide
• Capacitor Failure Symptoms