Josh: Add machine photo

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Add machine photo

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			[[File:Acorn System 5.jpg\|thumb\|360x360px\|Acorn System 5 Eurocard rack with two floppy drives.]]

	This guide covers recapping the '''[[Acorn System 5]]''' (late 1982). As a Eurocard rack it has per-card capacitors (a regulator electrolytic plus ceramic decouplers on each card), and as a fully-cased machine it also has bulk smoothing electrolytics in its integral mains power supply. The [[Acorn System 5 Handbook]] documents the boards.<ref name="hb">[[Acorn System 5 Handbook]] (1 March 1983), Acorn Computers — hosted on this wiki. Per-board reference for the System 5 Eurocards. The [[Acorn System Catalogue]] and [[Acorn System 1 Technical Manual]] give the wider Eurocard capacitor detail.</ref>		This guide covers recapping the '''[[Acorn System 5]]''' (late 1982). As a Eurocard rack it has per-card capacitors (a regulator electrolytic plus ceramic decouplers on each card), and as a fully-cased machine it also has bulk smoothing electrolytics in its integral mains power supply. The [[Acorn System 5 Handbook]] documents the boards.<ref name="hb">[[Acorn System 5 Handbook]] (1 March 1983), Acorn Computers — hosted on this wiki. Per-board reference for the System 5 Eurocards. The [[Acorn System Catalogue]] and [[Acorn System 1 Technical Manual]] give the wider Eurocard capacitor detail.</ref>

Josh: Create Acorn System series page (cited; sourced from System manuals/catalogue)

2026-06-17T20:53:20Z

Create Acorn System series page (cited; sourced from System manuals/catalogue)

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This guide covers recapping the '''[[Acorn System 5]]''' (late 1982). As a Eurocard rack it has per-card capacitors (a regulator electrolytic plus ceramic decouplers on each card), and as a fully-cased machine it also has bulk smoothing electrolytics in its integral mains power supply. The [[Acorn System 5 Handbook]] documents the boards.<ref name="hb">[[Acorn System 5 Handbook]] (1 March 1983), Acorn Computers — hosted on this wiki. Per-board reference for the System 5 Eurocards. The [[Acorn System Catalogue]] and [[Acorn System 1 Technical Manual]] give the wider Eurocard capacitor detail.</ref>

== Per-card capacitors ==

On each Eurocard the recap target is the +5 V regulator electrolytic; the ceramic decouplers are stable and left in place. Read each value from the card and its circuit diagram, and fit a 105 °C low-ESR part of equal capacitance and equal-or-higher voltage, observing polarity.

* '''CPU card''' (6502 or 6502A) — regulator electrolytic plus decouplers (the 1 MHz 6502 card follows the [[Acorn System 1]] values).
* '''VDU card''' (80×25 or 40×25) — regulator electrolytic plus decouplers.
* '''32 KB DRAM cards''' — regulator electrolytic plus decouplers; the DRAM cards draw the most current, so their regulator electrolytics are worth checking first.
* '''Floppy-controller and Econet cards''' — regulator electrolytic plus decouplers.

== ⚠️ Mains power supply ==

The System 5's integral PSU is mains-powered and contains the bulk smoothing electrolytics and mains-side suppression parts. '''Disconnect the mains lead and discharge the bulk capacitor before any PSU work.''' Recap the PSU only if competent with mains supplies; otherwise replace it. Read each value from the fitted part.

== Procedure (per card) ==

# Power off; remove the card from the backplane.
# Record each electrolytic's value, voltage and polarity.
# Desolder, clean the holes, fit the new part with correct polarity, solder and trim.
# Verify +5 V on the card and refit.

== Related pages ==

* [[Acorn System 5]]
* [[Acorn System 5 Maintenance Guide]]
* [[Acorn System 5 Troubleshooting Guide]]
* [[Acorn System 1 Capacitor Replacement Guide]] · [[Capacitor Failure Symptoms]]

== References ==

<references />

{{Navbox-AcornComputers|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Acorn Computers]]
[[Category:Capacitor Replacement Guides]]

Acorn System 5 Capacitor Replacement Guide - Revision history

Josh: Add machine photo

Josh: Create Acorn System series page (cited; sourced from System manuals/catalogue)