Nintendo GameCube Capacitor Replacement Guide

Recapping a Nintendo GameCube ensures long-term reliability, stable power delivery, and clean video/audio output. The GameCube uses SMD and through-hole electrolytic capacitors across multiple boards — the mainboard, DC-DC converter, and optical drive PCB. After 20+ years, these capacitors can dry out or leak, causing disc read errors, video noise, audio distortion, or complete failure. This guide covers every board revision with full capacitor lists and replacement procedures.

Visual Inspection & Failure Signs

Bulging or domed tops — Any convex shape on the capacitor's aluminium can indicates internal pressure and imminent failure.
Leaking electrolyte — Brown, white, or green crust at the base or leads signals a leaking or vented capacitor. On SMD parts, look for discolouration of the PCB around the cap footprint.
Corrosion or PCB staining — Discolouration or residue around capacitors, especially on the optical drive PCB and DC-DC converter.
Video/audio artefacts — Lines, flicker, colour loss, or buzzing audio can be traced to degraded capacitors on the mainboard.
Disc read errors — "An error has occurred" or "No Disc" messages are frequently caused by failed capacitors on the optical drive PCB.
Boot/power issues — Intermittent startup, random resets, or failure to power on can result from degraded DC-DC converter capacitors.

If any capacitor shows visible signs of failure, replace all electrolytics on that board.

Mainboard Capacitor Lists

Capacitor count and values vary by mainboard revision. Always verify the revision printed on the PCB silkscreen before ordering parts.

NTSC — DOL-CPU-01, DOL-CPU-10, C/DOL-CPU-11, C/DOL-CPU-20

**Early NTSC Mainboard Electrolytic Capacitors**
Designator	Capacitance	Voltage	Notes
C1	33 µF	25 V	Power input filter
C2	220 µF	25 V	Main bulk filter
C3	33 µF	25 V	Power input filter
C115	10 µF	16 V	Audio/video path
C116	10 µF	16 V	Audio/video path
C118	10 µF	16 V	Audio/video path
C155	220 µF	6.3 V	Power rail filter
C156	220 µF	6.3 V	Power rail filter

8 capacitors total. All SMD electrolytic.

NTSC — C/DOL-CPU-30

**C/DOL-CPU-30 Mainboard Electrolytic Capacitors**
Designator	Capacitance	Voltage	Notes
C1	10 µF	25 V	Power input filter (reduced from 33 µF)
C2	220 µF	25 V	Main bulk filter
C115	10 µF	16 V	Audio/video path
C116	10 µF	16 V	Audio/video path
C118	10 µF	16 V	Audio/video path
C155	220 µF	6.3 V	Power rail filter
C156	220 µF	6.3 V	Power rail filter

7 capacitors total. C3 removed in this revision. C1 value reduced to 10 µF.

NTSC — C/DOL-CPU-50, C/DOL-CPU-60 (DOL-101)

**DOL-101 Mainboard Electrolytic Capacitors**
Designator	Capacitance	Voltage	Notes
C2	100 µF	16 V	Main bulk filter (reduced)
C155	220 µF	6.3 V	Power rail filter
C156	220 µF	6.3 V	Power rail filter

3 electrolytic capacitors total. Significantly simplified board.

Additionally, the DOL-101 boards use polymer capacitors at the following locations (typically lifetime parts that do not require replacement):

**DOL-101 Polymer Capacitors (Reference Only)**
Designator	Capacitance	Voltage
DC1	330 µF	4 V
DC2	330 µF	4 V
DC3	100 µF	6 V
DC4	150 µF	4 V

PAL — C/DOL-CPU(P)-01

**PAL Rev 01 Mainboard Electrolytic Capacitors**
Designator	Capacitance	Voltage	Notes
C1	33 µF	25 V	Power input filter
C2	220 µF	25 V	Main bulk filter
C3	33 µF	25 V	Power input filter
C115	10 µF	16 V	Audio/video path
C116	10 µF	16 V	Audio/video path
C118	10 µF	16 V	Audio/video path

6 capacitors total. C155/C156 not present on this PAL revision.

PAL — C/DOL-CPU(P)-10

**PAL Rev 10 Mainboard Electrolytic Capacitors**
Designator	Capacitance	Voltage	Notes
C1	10 µF	25 V	Power input filter (reduced)
C2	220 µF	25 V	Main bulk filter
C115	10 µF	16 V	Audio/video path
C116	10 µF	16 V	Audio/video path
C118	10 µF	16 V	Audio/video path

5 capacitors total.

PAL — C/DOL-CPU(P)-20 (DOL-101)

**PAL DOL-101 Mainboard Electrolytic Capacitors**
Designator	Capacitance	Voltage
C2	100 µF	16 V

1 electrolytic capacitor total. Most simplified PAL board.

DC-DC Converter Board Capacitor Lists

The internal DC-DC converter steps the external 12 V input down to multiple regulated rails. Multiple manufacturers and board revisions exist — identify your board before ordering parts.

Mitsumi LSJB1091-1 (GCMK-MIX / GMKY-MIX)

The most common converter board. Uses four large electrolytic capacitors.

**Mitsumi LSJB1091-1 Capacitors**
Designator	Capacitance	Voltage
C1	1000 µF	6.3 V
C3	1000 µF	6.3 V
C5	1000 µF	6.3 V
C7	1000 µF	6.3 V

Note: A 3-cap variant exists where C5 is replaced by coil L5. Verify your board layout.

Sharp DUQ1230A

Mostly polymer caps with one electrolytic:

**Sharp DUQ1230A Capacitors**
Designator	Capacitance	Voltage	Type
C29	390 µF	6 V	Polymer
C48	100 µF	6 V	Polymer
C57	1000 µF	6.3 V	Electrolytic
C63	390 µF	6 V	Polymer

Only C57 typically requires replacement.

TDK 1.0 / 1.1 / 2.0

All polymer capacitors — typically lifetime parts, service unlikely needed:

**TDK 1.0/1.1/2.0 Capacitors (Reference)**
Designator	Capacitance	Voltage	Type
(unlabeled)	560 µF	2.5 V	Polymer
(unlabeled)	150 µF	4 V	Polymer
(unlabeled)	100 µF	6.3 V	Polymer

TDK 2.1

**TDK 2.1 Capacitors (Reference)**
Designator	Capacitance	Voltage	Type
(unlabeled)	270 µF	2.5 V	Polymer
(unlabeled)	270 µF	2.5 V	Polymer
(unlabeled)	150 µF	4 V	Polymer
(unlabeled)	100 µF	6.3 V	Polymer

Mitsumi (Tantalum Variants)

Older Mitsumi boards use tantalum capacitors. Values are not fully documented for all revisions:

**Mitsumi Tantalum Variant Capacitors (Partial)**
Designator	Capacitance	Notes
C47	56 µF or 100 µF	Varies by sub-revision
C51	56 µF
C53	56 µF	Sometimes C54 with ceramic

Optical Drive PCB Capacitor List

The optical drive board is the most failure-prone component in the GameCube. Degraded capacitors here cause disc read errors long before the laser itself fails.

Revisions A-1/B-1 through A-4/B-4

**Optical Drive Board Electrolytic Capacitors**
Designator	Capacitance	Voltage	Qty
C103	100 µF	6.3 V	1×
C104	47 µF	4 V	1×
C235	47 µF	4 V	1×
C238	220 µF	4 V	1×
C305	47 µF	4 V	1×
C401	100 µF	6.3 V	1×
C408	47 µF	4 V	1×
C431	47 µF	4 V	1×
C432	47 µF	6.3 V	1×
C517	100 µF	6.3 V	1×

10 capacitors total. All SMD electrolytic.

External Power Supply Capacitor Lists

For those servicing the external AC adapter. ⚠️ Mains voltage capacitors inside — discharge fully before work.

NTSC 100–120 V PSU

LSJB1026-1 / LSJB1026-2 / LSJB1026-3

**LSJB1026 Series Capacitors**
Designator	Capacitance	Voltage
C2	150 µF	200 V
C5	47 µF	50 V
C7	1 µF	50 V
C104	1200 µF	16 V
C105	47 µF	25 V
C107	1200 µF	16 V
C110	680 µF	16 V

Mitsumi Type 1

**Mitsumi Type 1 PSU Capacitors**
Designator	Capacitance	Voltage
C2	200 µF (may be 220 µF)	220 V
C10	330 µF	25 V
C13	2200 µF	16 V
C14	330 µF	16 V
C17	220 µF	10 V
C18	330 µF	16 V
C21	100 µF	25 V

Identified by: 200 µF/220 V main filter cap (C2), no shielding above circuits.

Mitsumi Type 2

**Mitsumi Type 2 PSU Capacitors**
Designator	Capacitance	Voltage
C2	220 µF	250 V
C10	330 µF	25 V
C13	2200 µF	16 V
C14	1000 µF	16 V
C17	220 µF	10 V
C18	330 µF	16 V
C21	100 µF	25 V

Identified by: 220 µF/250 V main filter cap, shielding covers large portion of PCB.

TDK 3EA00E368

**TDK PSU Capacitors**
Designator	Capacitance	Voltage
C3	150 µF	200 V
C13	4.7 µF	50 V
C54	22 µF	50 V
C52	1200 µF	16 V
C53	1200 µF	16 V
C55	1200 µF	16 V

Zebra AA 925-4001H

**Zebra 925-4001H Capacitors**
Designator	Capacitance	Voltage
C2	270 µF	200 V
C4	120 µF	35 V
C9	1800 µF	25 V
C11	120 µF	25 V
C15	47 µF	16 V

Zebra AA 925-4201E

**Zebra 925-4201E Capacitors**
Designator	Capacitance	Voltage
C2	200 µF	200 V
C9	39 µF	35 V
C18	2200 µF	16 V
C20	10 µF	35 V
C22	680 µF	16 V

Zebra AA 925-4401AC

**Zebra 925-4401AC Capacitors**
Designator	Capacitance	Voltage
C2	180 µF	200 V
C9	39 µF	35 V
C15	1200 µF	16 V
C18	1200 µF	16 V
C20	10 µF	35 V
C22	680 µF	16 V

PAL 220–240 V PSU

LSJB1094-1

**LSJB1094-1 Capacitors**
Designator	Capacitance	Voltage
C2	47 µF	400 V
C5	47 µF	50 V
C7	1 µF	50 V
C104	1200 µF	16 V
C105	47 µF	25 V
C107	1200 µF	16 V
C110	680 µF	16 V

Zebra AA925-4101C / AA925-4101DC

**Zebra PAL PSU Capacitors**
Designator	Capacitance	Voltage
C2	82 µF	400 V
C9	56 µF	35 V
C18	2200 µF	16 V
C20	10 µF	35 V
C22	1000 µF	16 V

Game Boy Player Capacitor List

DOL-GBS-01 / DOL-GBS-10 / DOL-GBS-20

**Game Boy Player Electrolytic Capacitors**
Designator	Capacitance	Voltage
C17	33 µF	6.3 V
C18	33 µF	6.3 V
C19	100 µF	6.3 V
C20	33 µF	6.3 V
C21	33 µF	16 V
C27	220 µF	6.3 V

Recapping Procedure

Disassembly

Remove the four 4.5 mm Gamebit screws from the underside of the console.
Lift off the top shell.
Unsnap the controller port cover and rear I/O cover.
Remove the fan assembly (Phillips #2 screws).
Remove the 12 perimeter Phillips screws.
Lift the optical drive assembly and disconnect its ribbon cable.
Remove the six heatsink screws and carefully detach the heatsink (warm thermal pads with a hair dryer if stuck).
The mainboard is now accessible. For the DC-DC converter, remove the two screws holding the EMI shield plate underneath the mainboard.

SMD Capacitor Replacement

Apply flux to both pads of the capacitor to be removed.
Use hot air (280–320 °C) or a fine-tipped iron. Gently rock the capacitor side-to-side while heating both ends until it releases.
Alternatively, use a soldering iron with a wide chisel tip and add fresh solder to both ends, then slide the cap off.
Do not lever capacitors off with force — this lifts pads.
Clean pads with IPA and a nylon brush. Remove old flux residue.
Place the new capacitor, observing correct polarity (stripe = negative).
Tack one end, then solder the other. Inspect for bridges.

Through-Hole Capacitor Replacement

Applicable to some DC-DC converter and PSU boards.

Use desoldering braid or a solder sucker to remove old solder from each lead hole.
Extract the old capacitor. If leads are stuck, add fresh solder and try again.
Insert the replacement, observing polarity (longer lead = positive, stripe on can = negative).
Solder both leads and trim excess.

Post-Soldering Inspection

Inspect all joints under magnification for bridges, cold joints, or lifted pads.
Clean all flux residue with IPA and a nylon brush.
Check for shorts between adjacent pads with a multimeter in continuity mode.

Post-Recap Voltage & Ripple Checks

After reassembly, measure all voltage rails at the internal PSU connector (or at mainboard test points) with the external PSU connected:

**Power Rails — Expected Values After Recap**
Rail	Nominal	Acceptable Range	Max Ripple (peak-to-peak)
12 V (pin 20)	12.0 V	11.8–12.3 V	< 100 mV
5 V (pins 21–22)	5.0 V	4.9–5.1 V	< 50 mV
3.3 V (pins 3–4)	3.3 V	3.2–3.4 V	< 40 mV
1.8 V (pins 9–12)	1.8 V	1.75–1.85 V	< 30 mV
1.55 V (pins 13–15)	1.55 V	1.50–1.60 V	< 30 mV

Excessive ripple (>100 mV on any rail) may indicate a remaining faulty capacitor, a failing DC-DC converter, or a defective external PSU.

Recommended Tools & Parts

Temperature-controlled soldering iron (fine tip, 1–2 mm chisel)
Hot air rework station (for SMD removal)
Desoldering braid and solder sucker
Isopropyl alcohol (>90%) and nylon brush
ESD-safe tweezers
Magnifier, loupe, or microscope
Digital multimeter (for voltage and continuity checks)
Oscilloscope (optional, for ripple measurements)
4.5 mm Gamebit driver and Phillips #2 screwdriver
High-quality 105 °C low-ESR capacitors (Nichicon, Panasonic, Rubycon, or equivalent)
Kapton tape (to shield plastic connectors from hot air)
Flux (no-clean or water-soluble)
Fine leaded solder (0.5–0.8 mm)

Priority Recap Order

If recapping the entire console is not practical, prioritise boards in this order:

Optical drive PCB — Most failure-prone; fixes the vast majority of disc read errors.
DC-DC converter board — Especially Mitsumi LSJB1091-1 with four 1000 µF caps.
Mainboard — Audio/video quality improvements; prevents boot issues.
External PSU — If output voltage is unstable or ripple is excessive.

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