Postby Anitoli » 13 Apr 2014, 09:57
Nope, that is completely false. Even though a cap doesn't shoe signs of external damage, i/e leaking or bulging in the aluminum case, that doesn't mean the cap hasn't started to dry out. The electrolyite is a paste and will dry out just sitting there unused on a shelf or in equipment. As the cap starts to dry out the ESR increases:
"Capacitors[edit]
In a non-electrolytic capacitor and electrolytic capacitors with solid electrolyte the metallic resistance of the leads and electrodes and losses in the dielectric cause the ESR. Typically quoted values of ESR for ceramic capacitors are between 0.01 and 0.1 ohms. ESR of non-electrolytic capacitors tends to be fairly stable over time; for most purposes real non-electrolytic capacitors can be treated as ideal components.
Aluminium and tantalum electrolytic capacitors with non solid electrolyte have much higher ESR values, up to several ohms, and ESR tends to increase with frequency due to effects of the electrolyte. A very serious problem, particularly with aluminium electrolytics, is that ESR increases over time with use; ESR can increase enough to cause circuit malfunction and even component damage,[1] although measured capacitance may remain within tolerance. While this happens with normal aging, high temperatures and large ripple current exacerbate the problem. In a circuit with significant ripple current, an increase in ESR will increase heat dissipation, thus accelerating aging.
Electrolytic capacitors rated for high-temperature operation and of higher quality than basic consumer-grade parts are less susceptible to become prematurely unusable due to ESR increase. A cheap electrolytic capacitor may be rated for a life of less than 1000 hours at 85°C (a year is about 9000 hours). Higher-grade parts are typically rated at a few thousand hours at maximum rated temperature, as can be seen from manufacturers' datasheets. Electrolytics of higher capacitance have lower ESR; if ESR is critical, specification of a part of larger capacitance than is otherwise required may be advantageous.
Polymer capacitors usually have lower ESR than wet-electrolytic of same value, and stable under varying temperature. Therefore polymer capacitors can handle higher ripple current. From about 2007 it became common for better-quality computer motherboards to use only polymer capacitors where wet electrolytics had been used previously.[2]
The ESR of capacitors of relatively high capacity (from about 1 μF), which are the ones likely to cause trouble, is easily measured in-circuit with an ESR meter."
As stated above they will wear out. The second paragraph is key.