Editing Atari 1200XL Capacitor Replacement Guide (section)

== Capacitor Inspection ==
Before recapping, inspect the existing capacitors for signs of failure:

* '''Bulging or split vents''' – the top or bottom of the capacitor is no longer flat, indicating internal gas build-up.
* '''Electrolyte leakage''' – dried brown or dark residue around the capacitor leads or on the PCB.
* '''Corrosion or PCB staining''' – discolouration of the PCB surface or copper traces near the capacitor.
* '''Detached leads''' – leads that have corroded through or separated from the capacitor body.
* '''ESR out of specification''' – use an ESR meter to check equivalent series resistance. High ESR indicates a degraded capacitor even if it appears physically intact.

Pay particular attention to '''C39''' (10000 µF / 16V, main power filter) and the '''C7/C51/C52''' group (47 µF / 10V) as these are the most critical electrolytics for power stability and audio quality.