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Scope to the SHVC- boards; the SNS-/SNSP-/SNN- revision tables move to Super Nintendo Capacitor Replacement Guide so each figure lives in one place
 
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[[File:Super_Famicom_(photo).jpg|thumb|300px|Super Famicom]]


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'''Capacitor list for the Super Famicom, by board revision.''' Most of the electrolytics on these machines are surface-mount parts, and the board revisions differ enough that a list for the wrong revision will have you looking for capacitors that are not there. Read the revision off the PCB silkscreen before you order anything. The Super Nintendo boards are numbered differently and are covered on [[Super Nintendo Capacitor Replacement Guide]].


Replacing the ageing electrolytic capacitors in your '''Super Famicom''' is essential for ensuring stable operation, clean video and audio output, and long-term reliability. Decades-old capacitors are prone to leakage, increased ESR, and failure, which can cause power instability, distorted sound, or even prevent the console from powering on. Proactive recapping is a vital part of preventative maintenance for any Super Famicom still in use.
The Super Famicom is not a machine with a reputation for leaking capacitors — unlike the Game Gear or the PC Engine Duo, where recapping is effectively mandatory. The usual advice from restorers is to open the console and look rather than to recap on principle. The catch with surface-mount electrolytics is that early leakage hides underneath the can, so a board can look clean and still be quietly corroding.<ref name="retrorgb">Bob, "Restoring A Super Nintendo", RetroRGB, 31 May 2020 — https://www.retrorgb.com/restoring-a-super-nintendo.html . Used for the assessment that the SNES is not known for leaky capacitors, and that SMD leakage is concealed under the capacitor body until the can is removed.</ref>


== Visual Inspection & Failure Signs ==
== Discharge C67 before you start ==


Before beginning, carefully inspect all electrolytic capacitors on both the mainboard and the AV daughterboard (if present):
Nintendo's own first step in the console disassembly procedure is not about screws:


* '''Bulging or domed tops''' – Indicates internal gas build-up and imminent failure.
: Before disassembling, switch the console's power supply ON with the AC adapter disconnected, in order to discharge capacitor C67. This capacitor is known to discharge during maintenance, causing damage to components.<ref name="nintendomanual">Nintendo / Playtronic, ''Manual Técnico do Super NES'', Rev. 01/94, hosted at [[Nintendo Super NES Technical Manual (Playtronic, Rev. 01-94)]]. General disassembly instructions for the console (the C67 discharge step, six security screws in the lower case, two screws on the sound module); GPM mainboard description (C67 and the 4&nbsp;MHz oscillator removed, sound module built onto the mainboard); console parts list, chip electrolytics 10&nbsp;µF/16&nbsp;V ×3, 33&nbsp;µF/25&nbsp;V ×2 and 2.2&nbsp;µF/25&nbsp;V.</ref>
* '''Leaking electrolyte''' – Brown, yellow, or white residue at the base or on the PCB is a sign of leakage.
* '''Corrosion or PCB staining''' – Green or darkened areas around capacitor pads or traces.
* '''Audio/video issues''' – Buzzing, distortion, or “hissing” audio; unstable or noisy video output.
* '''Power instability''' – Random resets, failure to power on, or intermittent operation.


If any capacitor shows signs of failure, it is strongly recommended to replace '''all''' electrolytic capacitors on the board, as others are likely to be near end-of-life.
C67 is the main reservoir on the DC input and it holds its charge after the adapter is out. Flicking the power switch on with nothing plugged in empties it through the console's own load. It costs nothing, and it is the difference between a clean recap and a damaged board.


== Super Famicom Capacitor Lists ==
== How solid are these numbers ==


The Super Famicom (SHVC-CPU-01 and later revisions) uses a mix of through-hole and SMD aluminium electrolytic capacitors. Always cross-check your board’s silkscreen and markings, as values may vary slightly between revisions.
Four sources agree on the Super Famicom and SNES capacitor lists where they overlap — including, unusually, a Nintendo document:


=== Mainboard Electrolytic Capacitors ===
* '''Nintendo's own parts list''', in the Playtronic ''Manual Técnico do Super NES''. Its console parts list gives the chip electrolytics as 10&nbsp;µF/16&nbsp;V ×3, 33&nbsp;µF/25&nbsp;V ×2 and 2.2&nbsp;µF ×1 — which is exactly the SHVC-CPU-01 complement of C61/C65/C66, C63/C64 and C62, in the right quantities.<ref name="nintendomanual" />
* '''The SNES schematic hosted on this wiki''', drawn for the SHVC-SOUND, SNS-CPU-GPM-01/02 and SNS-CPU-RGB-01/02 boards.<ref name="snessch">''SNES Schematic'' (multi-revision NTSC drawing from wiki.superfamicom.org), hosted at [[:File:Snes schematic.pdf]]. Covers SHVC-SOUND, SNS-CPU-GPM-01/02 and SNS-CPU-RGB-01/02. Read directly from the drawing: C57 220&nbsp;µF, C59 220&nbsp;µF, C61 10&nbsp;µF, C62 2.2&nbsp;µF, C63 33&nbsp;µF, C64 33&nbsp;µF, C65 10&nbsp;µF, C66 10&nbsp;µF, C73 47&nbsp;µF, with every remaining position 0.1&nbsp;µF or smaller.</ref>
* '''Console5's TechWiki''', a secondary source whose lists are compiled from physical boards.<ref name="c5snes">Console5 TechWiki, ''SNES'' — https://wiki.console5.com/wiki/SNES . Secondary source: a community wiki whose capacitor lists are compiled from physical boards rather than manufacturer documentation. Used here for per-revision capacitor lists and voltage ratings, the chip maps, and the transcription of Nintendo's Control Deck diagnostic table.</ref>
* '''Altomare's capacitor list''', compiled from boards the author repaired personally, which adds can diameters, lead pitch and heights.<ref name="altomare">Altomare, ''snes-capacitors'' — https://github.com/Altomare/snes-capacitors . Secondary source: a list compiled by one repairer from boards handled personally. Used for capacitor package types, can diameters, lead pitch and height, the location of C50/C51 on the SHVC-SOUND module, and the C59 bipolar history on PAL boards.</ref>


<templatestyles src="Template:StyledTable/styles.css" />
On the SNS-CPU-GPM boards the schematic and Console5 agree on every shared designator and value. The one designator Console5 lists that the schematic does not show is C67, which Console5 records as "not present on North American units" — and the schematic is a North American drawing. The two sources are consistent even in what they omit, and Nintendo's own description of the GPM redesign says C67 was one of the parts removed.<ref name="snessch" /><ref name="c5snes" /><ref name="nintendomanual" />
{| class="wikitable styled-table" style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
 
|+'''Super Famicom Mainboard Electrolytic Capacitors'''
'''One disagreement, and it is in the safe direction.''' Nintendo's parts list specifies the 2.2&nbsp;µF chip electrolytic at '''25&nbsp;V'''; Console5 and Altomare both record the part fitted at C62 as '''50&nbsp;V'''. Since C62 sits in the same circuit either way, and a higher voltage rating is never a hazard, fit 50&nbsp;V and the question does not arise. It is noted here only so that a reader comparing the manual against the community lists is not left wondering which is wrong.<ref name="nintendomanual" /><ref name="c5snes" /><ref name="altomare" />
! Ref. Designator !! Capacitance !! Voltage !! Type !! Typical Function
 
== SHVC-CPU-01 — the original Super Famicom board ==
 
{| class="wikitable styled-table" style="width:90%;"
|+'''SHVC-CPU-01 (1990)'''
! Designator !! Value !! Voltage !! Package !! Note
|-
|-
| C59 || 1000 µF || 16 V || Through-hole || Main 5 V input filter
| C50 || 47 µF || 10 V || Radial, 6.3 mm can || On the SHVC-SOUND module
|-
|-
| C58 || 470 µF || 16 V || Through-hole || 5 V rail smoothing
| C51 || 47 µF || 10 V || Radial, 6.3 mm can || On the SHVC-SOUND module
|-
|-
| C60 || 220 µF || 10 V || Through-hole || Audio amp supply
| C57 || 100 µF || 6 V || SMD, 6.3 mm ||
|-
|-
| C61 || 10 µF || 16 V || SMD || Audio path (DC-block)
| C58 || 100 µF || 6 V || SMD, 6.3 mm ||
|-
|-
| C62 || 10 µF || 16 V || SMD || Audio path (DC-block)
| C59 || 100 µF || 6 V || SMD, 6.3 mm ||
|-
|-
| C63 || 10 µF || 16 V || SMD || Video encoder supply
| C60 || 100 µF || 6 V || SMD, 6.3 mm ||
|-
|-
| C64 || 10 µF || 16 V || SMD || Video encoder supply
| C61 || 10 µF || 16 V || SMD, 4.0 mm ||
|-
|-
| C65 || 10 µF || 16 V || SMD || Video output coupling
| C62 || 2.2 µF || 50 V || SMD, 4.0 mm ||
|-
|-
| C66 || 10 µF || 16 V || SMD || Video output coupling
| C63 || 33 µF || 25 V || SMD, 6.3 mm ||
|-
|-
| C67 || 10 µF || 16 V || SMD || Misc. decoupling
| C64 || 33 µF || 25 V || SMD, 6.3 mm ||
|-
|-
| C68 || 10 µF || 16 V || SMD || Misc. decoupling
| C65 || 10 µF || 16 V || SMD, 4.0 mm ||
|-
|-
| C69 || 10 µF || 16 V || SMD || Misc. decoupling
| C66 || 10 µF || 16 V || SMD, 4.0 mm ||
|-
|-
| C70 || 10 µF || 16 V || SMD || Misc. decoupling
| C67 || 1000 µF || 25 V || Radial, 13 mm can, 5 mm pitch, 25 mm tall || Main reservoir on the DC input
|-
| C71 || 10 µF  || 16 V || SMD || Misc. decoupling
|-
| C72 || 10 µF  || 16 V || SMD || Misc. decoupling
|-
| C73 || 10 µF  || 16 V || SMD || Misc. decoupling
|-
| C74 || 10 µF  || 16 V || SMD || Misc. decoupling
|-
| C75 || 10 µF  || 16 V || SMD || Misc. decoupling
|-
| C76 || 10 µF  || 16 V || SMD || Misc. decoupling
|}
|}


''Note: Some later revisions (e.g., SHVC-CPU-02, SHVC-CPU-03) may have minor differences in capacitor count or location. Always verify against your actual board.''
Thirteen electrolytics in total.<ref name="c5snes" /><ref name="altomare" />


=== AV/Audio Board (if present) ===
'''C50 and C51 are on the sound module, not the mainboard.''' The SHVC-SOUND daughterboard is where the S-SMP, S-DSP, audio SRAM and the µPD6376 DAC live, and it carries these two capacitors. The clearance between the module PCB and its shield is only about 8&nbsp;mm, and the original parts were roughly 5&nbsp;mm tall — do not fit a standard-height 47&nbsp;µF part here, it will not go back together. The board footprint is 5&nbsp;mm pitch but the original capacitors were 2&nbsp;mm pitch with the legs bent out.<ref name="altomare" />


Some Super Famicom models include a small AV or audio daughterboard, typically with additional capacitors for audio filtering.
'''C67 is 25 V rated and must stay that way.''' It sits on the rectified DC input, upstream of the regulator, on a supply that is nominally 10&nbsp;V but unregulated. A 16&nbsp;V part in this position is under-specified.


<templatestyles src="Template:StyledTable/styles.css" />
== Super Nintendo boards ==
{| class="wikitable styled-table" style="width:70%; text-align:center;"
 
|+'''Super Famicom AV/Audio Board Capacitors'''
The North American '''SNS-''', European '''SNSP-''' and SNES Jr '''SNN-''' boards are numbered differently from the SHVC- family — the C57–C67 range does not survive into the later revisions at all — and their per-revision lists are on '''[[Super Nintendo Capacitor Replacement Guide]]'''. That page also carries the PAL C59 bipolar issue, which is a Nintendo design fault rather than an ageing problem and applies only to the SNSP-CPU-01.
! Ref. Designator !! Capacitance !! Voltage !! Type !! Function
 
|-
'''If your silkscreen does not begin SHVC-, the tables on this page do not apply to your board.'''
| C1 || 47 µF || 16 V || SMD || Audio output coupling
|-
| C2 || 10 µF || 16 V || SMD || Audio filter
|-
| C3 || 10 µF || 16 V || SMD || Audio filter
|}


''If your model does not have a separate AV board, these capacitors may be located on the mainboard.''
== GPM boards ==


== Capacitor Replacement Procedure ==
Nintendo's manual documents a later mainboard built by the "ground-plane method", which allowed the lower RF shield to be deleted. Two changes matter for a recap: '''C67 and the 4&nbsp;MHz oscillator were removed''', and the sound module circuitry was built directly onto the mainboard rather than on a daughterboard. On a GPM board there is no reservoir at C67 to discharge and no SHVC-SOUND module carrying C50 and C51.<ref name="nintendomanual" />


# '''Disassemble the console:''' Remove the screws from the case bottom, then carefully lift off the top shell. Disconnect the controller ports and remove the shielding.
== Revisions with no published list ==
# '''Remove the mainboard:''' Unscrew the board from the lower shell. Take care with the cartridge slot and any attached daughterboards.
# '''Label cables and connectors''' to avoid confusion during reassembly.
# '''Desolder old capacitors:''' For through-hole types, use a soldering iron and pump or braid. For SMD capacitors, gently heat one side at a time and lift off with tweezers. Clean any leaked electrolyte with isopropyl alcohol and a brush.
# '''Install new capacitors:''' Observe correct polarity (longer lead or marked side is positive for through-hole; SMD usually has a stripe for negative). Match lead spacing and orientation.
# '''Solder carefully:''' Ensure solid joints and avoid solder bridges.
# '''Inspect and clean up:''' Check for any solder splashes or residue. Clean the board with alcohol.
# '''Reassemble the console''' and double-check all connections before powering on.


== Recommended Tools & Parts ==
No per-position capacitor list has been published for the Japanese SHVC-CPU boards later than SHVC-CPU-01, or for the SHVC-1CHIP boards, as distinct from their SNS- and SNSP- equivalents. If your board carries one of those numbers, read your own board: the designators are silkscreened, and the value and voltage are printed on every can.


* '''Temperature-controlled soldering iron (fine tip, 2 mm chisel for through-hole, conical for SMD)'''
== Replacement procedure ==
* '''Desoldering pump and braid'''
* '''Tweezers (for SMD work)'''
* '''Isopropyl alcohol (99%) and antistatic brush'''
* '''Multimeter (for continuity and voltage checks)'''
* '''High-quality 105 °C, low-ESR electrolytic capacitors''' (brands such as Nichicon, Panasonic, Rubycon)
* '''Lead-free or leaded 0.5 mm solder'''
* '''Kapton tape''' (to insulate capacitors near shielding if needed)
* '''Protective eyewear'''


== Voltage & Function Check After Recap ==
# '''Discharge C67''' as described above.
# '''Open the console.''' Six security screws in the lower case, taking a 4.5&nbsp;mm Gamebit driver. The sound module, where fitted, comes off with two screws on its far side and lifts straight up.<ref name="nintendomanual" />
# '''Remove the RF shield and lift the mainboard''' out of the lower shell, taking care with the cartridge connector and the sound module.
# '''Photograph the board before you remove anything.''' Polarity on surface-mount electrolytics is marked by a stripe or a bevel on the can, and it is not consistent between positions.
# '''Remove the surface-mount capacitors by heating both ends.''' Hot air at a moderate setting, or a fine iron with fresh solder and flux added to both terminations, then rock the can gently. Do not lever a capacitor off — that takes the pad with it.
# '''Clean the pads.''' Old electrolyte is corrosive and will keep working on the traces if it is left. Isopropyl alcohol and a nylon brush, then inspect under magnification for pads that have gone dull or traces that have thinned.
# '''Fit the new parts''' to the correct value, voltage and polarity, tacking one end before soldering the other.
# '''Inspect for bridges''' under magnification and check for continuity between adjacent pads before powering up.


After reassembly, verify the following:
Through-hole positions — C50/C51 on the sound module and the main reservoir — come out with braid or a pump in the normal way. Mind the height limits noted above.


* '''+5 V rail''' at the main input filter capacitor (C59): should read 4.90 – 5.10 V DC.
== Recommended parts ==
* '''Audio output''' should be free of hum, buzz, or distortion.
* '''Video output''' should be stable, with no rolling, flickering, or colour artefacts.
* If you have an oscilloscope, check for ripple on the 5 V rail: should be less than 50 mV p-p.


== Additional Tips ==
* 105&nbsp;°C rated capacitors from a reputable manufacturer.
* Match or exceed the original voltage rating. The 25&nbsp;V positions sit on the unregulated input side and genuinely need 25&nbsp;V.
* Fit a '''bipolar''' part at C59 on PAL SNSP-CPU-01 boards.
* Surface-mount positions can be rebuilt with leaded radial parts if you prefer, provided the height and clearance work out. Kits are sold in both forms.


* Replace all electrolytic capacitors at once; partial recapping is not recommended.
See [[Recommended Tools]] and [[Capacitor Failure Symptoms]].
* Double-check polarity before soldering each capacitor.
* Clean any leaked electrolyte thoroughly, as it is corrosive and can damage traces.
* If the console has not been powered up for years, use a current-limited bench supply for the first power-on.
* SMD capacitors can be replaced with modern SMD or carefully adapted radial types if preferred.
* Dispose of old capacitors at an approved electronics recycling centre.


== Related Pages ==
== Related pages ==
* [[Super Famicom]]
* [[Super Famicom Maintenance Guide]]
* [[Super Famicom Troubleshooting Guide]]
* [[Super Famicom Troubleshooting Guide]]
* [[Super Famicom Maintenance Guide|Super Famicom General Maintenance]]
* [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]]
* [[Super Nintendo Capacitor Replacement Guide]]
* [[Nintendo Super NES Technical Manual (Playtronic, Rev. 01-94)]]
* [[SNES Schematic]]
* [[Battery Explosion, Capacitor or Corrosion Damage]]
 
== References ==
<references />
 
[[Category:Nintendo]]
[[Category:Nintendo]]
[[Category:Capacitor Replacement Guides]]
[[Category:Capacitor Replacement Guides]]

Latest revision as of 19:55, 23 September 2026

Super Famicom

Capacitor list for the Super Famicom, by board revision. Most of the electrolytics on these machines are surface-mount parts, and the board revisions differ enough that a list for the wrong revision will have you looking for capacitors that are not there. Read the revision off the PCB silkscreen before you order anything. The Super Nintendo boards are numbered differently and are covered on Super Nintendo Capacitor Replacement Guide.

The Super Famicom is not a machine with a reputation for leaking capacitors — unlike the Game Gear or the PC Engine Duo, where recapping is effectively mandatory. The usual advice from restorers is to open the console and look rather than to recap on principle. The catch with surface-mount electrolytics is that early leakage hides underneath the can, so a board can look clean and still be quietly corroding.[1]

Discharge C67 before you start

[edit | edit source]

Nintendo's own first step in the console disassembly procedure is not about screws:

Before disassembling, switch the console's power supply ON with the AC adapter disconnected, in order to discharge capacitor C67. This capacitor is known to discharge during maintenance, causing damage to components.[2]

C67 is the main reservoir on the DC input and it holds its charge after the adapter is out. Flicking the power switch on with nothing plugged in empties it through the console's own load. It costs nothing, and it is the difference between a clean recap and a damaged board.

How solid are these numbers

[edit | edit source]

Four sources agree on the Super Famicom and SNES capacitor lists where they overlap — including, unusually, a Nintendo document:

  • Nintendo's own parts list, in the Playtronic Manual Técnico do Super NES. Its console parts list gives the chip electrolytics as 10 µF/16 V ×3, 33 µF/25 V ×2 and 2.2 µF ×1 — which is exactly the SHVC-CPU-01 complement of C61/C65/C66, C63/C64 and C62, in the right quantities.[2]
  • The SNES schematic hosted on this wiki, drawn for the SHVC-SOUND, SNS-CPU-GPM-01/02 and SNS-CPU-RGB-01/02 boards.[3]
  • Console5's TechWiki, a secondary source whose lists are compiled from physical boards.[4]
  • Altomare's capacitor list, compiled from boards the author repaired personally, which adds can diameters, lead pitch and heights.[5]

On the SNS-CPU-GPM boards the schematic and Console5 agree on every shared designator and value. The one designator Console5 lists that the schematic does not show is C67, which Console5 records as "not present on North American units" — and the schematic is a North American drawing. The two sources are consistent even in what they omit, and Nintendo's own description of the GPM redesign says C67 was one of the parts removed.[3][4][2]

One disagreement, and it is in the safe direction. Nintendo's parts list specifies the 2.2 µF chip electrolytic at 25 V; Console5 and Altomare both record the part fitted at C62 as 50 V. Since C62 sits in the same circuit either way, and a higher voltage rating is never a hazard, fit 50 V and the question does not arise. It is noted here only so that a reader comparing the manual against the community lists is not left wondering which is wrong.[2][4][5]

SHVC-CPU-01 — the original Super Famicom board

[edit | edit source]
SHVC-CPU-01 (1990)
Designator Value Voltage Package Note
C50 47 µF 10 V Radial, 6.3 mm can On the SHVC-SOUND module
C51 47 µF 10 V Radial, 6.3 mm can On the SHVC-SOUND module
C57 100 µF 6 V SMD, 6.3 mm
C58 100 µF 6 V SMD, 6.3 mm
C59 100 µF 6 V SMD, 6.3 mm
C60 100 µF 6 V SMD, 6.3 mm
C61 10 µF 16 V SMD, 4.0 mm
C62 2.2 µF 50 V SMD, 4.0 mm
C63 33 µF 25 V SMD, 6.3 mm
C64 33 µF 25 V SMD, 6.3 mm
C65 10 µF 16 V SMD, 4.0 mm
C66 10 µF 16 V SMD, 4.0 mm
C67 1000 µF 25 V Radial, 13 mm can, 5 mm pitch, 25 mm tall Main reservoir on the DC input

Thirteen electrolytics in total.[4][5]

C50 and C51 are on the sound module, not the mainboard. The SHVC-SOUND daughterboard is where the S-SMP, S-DSP, audio SRAM and the µPD6376 DAC live, and it carries these two capacitors. The clearance between the module PCB and its shield is only about 8 mm, and the original parts were roughly 5 mm tall — do not fit a standard-height 47 µF part here, it will not go back together. The board footprint is 5 mm pitch but the original capacitors were 2 mm pitch with the legs bent out.[5]

C67 is 25 V rated and must stay that way. It sits on the rectified DC input, upstream of the regulator, on a supply that is nominally 10 V but unregulated. A 16 V part in this position is under-specified.

Super Nintendo boards

[edit | edit source]

The North American SNS-, European SNSP- and SNES Jr SNN- boards are numbered differently from the SHVC- family — the C57–C67 range does not survive into the later revisions at all — and their per-revision lists are on Super Nintendo Capacitor Replacement Guide. That page also carries the PAL C59 bipolar issue, which is a Nintendo design fault rather than an ageing problem and applies only to the SNSP-CPU-01.

If your silkscreen does not begin SHVC-, the tables on this page do not apply to your board.

GPM boards

[edit | edit source]

Nintendo's manual documents a later mainboard built by the "ground-plane method", which allowed the lower RF shield to be deleted. Two changes matter for a recap: C67 and the 4 MHz oscillator were removed, and the sound module circuitry was built directly onto the mainboard rather than on a daughterboard. On a GPM board there is no reservoir at C67 to discharge and no SHVC-SOUND module carrying C50 and C51.[2]

Revisions with no published list

[edit | edit source]

No per-position capacitor list has been published for the Japanese SHVC-CPU boards later than SHVC-CPU-01, or for the SHVC-1CHIP boards, as distinct from their SNS- and SNSP- equivalents. If your board carries one of those numbers, read your own board: the designators are silkscreened, and the value and voltage are printed on every can.

Replacement procedure

[edit | edit source]
  1. Discharge C67 as described above.
  2. Open the console. Six security screws in the lower case, taking a 4.5 mm Gamebit driver. The sound module, where fitted, comes off with two screws on its far side and lifts straight up.[2]
  3. Remove the RF shield and lift the mainboard out of the lower shell, taking care with the cartridge connector and the sound module.
  4. Photograph the board before you remove anything. Polarity on surface-mount electrolytics is marked by a stripe or a bevel on the can, and it is not consistent between positions.
  5. Remove the surface-mount capacitors by heating both ends. Hot air at a moderate setting, or a fine iron with fresh solder and flux added to both terminations, then rock the can gently. Do not lever a capacitor off — that takes the pad with it.
  6. Clean the pads. Old electrolyte is corrosive and will keep working on the traces if it is left. Isopropyl alcohol and a nylon brush, then inspect under magnification for pads that have gone dull or traces that have thinned.
  7. Fit the new parts to the correct value, voltage and polarity, tacking one end before soldering the other.
  8. Inspect for bridges under magnification and check for continuity between adjacent pads before powering up.

Through-hole positions — C50/C51 on the sound module and the main reservoir — come out with braid or a pump in the normal way. Mind the height limits noted above.

[edit | edit source]
  • 105 °C rated capacitors from a reputable manufacturer.
  • Match or exceed the original voltage rating. The 25 V positions sit on the unregulated input side and genuinely need 25 V.
  • Fit a bipolar part at C59 on PAL SNSP-CPU-01 boards.
  • Surface-mount positions can be rebuilt with leaded radial parts if you prefer, provided the height and clearance work out. Kits are sold in both forms.

See Recommended Tools and Capacitor Failure Symptoms.

[edit | edit source]

References

[edit | edit source]
  1. ↑ Bob, "Restoring A Super Nintendo", RetroRGB, 31 May 2020 — https://www.retrorgb.com/restoring-a-super-nintendo.html . Used for the assessment that the SNES is not known for leaky capacitors, and that SMD leakage is concealed under the capacitor body until the can is removed.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Nintendo / Playtronic, Manual Técnico do Super NES, Rev. 01/94, hosted at Nintendo Super NES Technical Manual (Playtronic, Rev. 01-94). General disassembly instructions for the console (the C67 discharge step, six security screws in the lower case, two screws on the sound module); GPM mainboard description (C67 and the 4 MHz oscillator removed, sound module built onto the mainboard); console parts list, chip electrolytics 10 µF/16 V ×3, 33 µF/25 V ×2 and 2.2 µF/25 V.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 SNES Schematic (multi-revision NTSC drawing from wiki.superfamicom.org), hosted at File:Snes schematic.pdf. Covers SHVC-SOUND, SNS-CPU-GPM-01/02 and SNS-CPU-RGB-01/02. Read directly from the drawing: C57 220 µF, C59 220 µF, C61 10 µF, C62 2.2 µF, C63 33 µF, C64 33 µF, C65 10 µF, C66 10 µF, C73 47 µF, with every remaining position 0.1 µF or smaller.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Console5 TechWiki, SNES — https://wiki.console5.com/wiki/SNES . Secondary source: a community wiki whose capacitor lists are compiled from physical boards rather than manufacturer documentation. Used here for per-revision capacitor lists and voltage ratings, the chip maps, and the transcription of Nintendo's Control Deck diagnostic table.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Altomare, snes-capacitors — https://github.com/Altomare/snes-capacitors . Secondary source: a list compiled by one repairer from boards handled personally. Used for capacitor package types, can diameters, lead pitch and height, the location of C50/C51 on the SHVC-SOUND module, and the C59 bipolar history on PAL boards.
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