Editing Acorn A5000 Troubleshooting Guide (section)

== Always suspect leaked electrolyte ==

On an A5000, intermittent and progressive faults are very often '''leaked surface-mount electrolytic capacitors''' rather than a failed IC. The escaping electrolyte is corrosive and attacks the pads and tracks beneath each capacitor, which produces faults such as corrupted RAM control lines, loss of sound, and instability.<ref name="sm" /> Before deep component diagnosis, inspect the board under magnification for crusty residue or discoloured pads around the surface-mount electrolytics, and around the battery pack. Recapping and cleaning often clears otherwise-baffling faults &mdash; see [[Acorn A5000 Capacitor Guide]].