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Sad day for my IBM ps2 30

A

animebsd

Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2013
Messages
12
Location
Silverton, Oregon, United States
I have not the slightest clue as to why this happened..... Today i decided to pull out my IBM ps/2 model 30 and boot it up and run some programs on it to show a friend that also collects vintage computers.. I set it up and powered it up. Booted fine and all. Then we left for a few mins to grab a cup of coffee and came back and notice a odd smell. As soon as i looked at the ibm running in the corner of the room it started billowing smoke and shooting sparks out of it!! i quickly ran over to it and yanked the power cord out.... I then opened up the case to find molten plastic like stuff dripping out of the power supply on fire!!! I snuffed the fire out with a rag and when all the dang smoke cleared i saw that the connector on the motherboard was burned as was everything around it. I opened up the power supply and just about everything in it was fried. What the heck caused this failure!?!?! Ive always taken very good care of this machine and was kept in a temp controlled room. it was like new inside and out, any ideas!? Really sucks as this was one of my favorites, even have owned it for 9 years plus!
 
Was the plastic stuff clear-ish in color? If so, it could well have been the line filter capacitor.

RIFA-PME271M610%200.1UF%20250VAC%2023X14X7.2MM%20LS=22MM%20%20445PCS%20%20W2P220.JPG


They have the awful tendency to self-destruct when they get old. Fortunately, they can be replaced.
 
I've got a functional Model 30 that needs a good home, if you're interested.

Never understood why people prefer the "safety rated" rice paper caps. A 600V Poly cap will handle surges while not igniting.
 
I need one for my PS/2 model 30 as well (286) - my PSU looks pristine but will not power up! Unfortunately haven't seen any that ship worldwide.
A PSU probably wont help, since by the sounds of it his motherboard almost has fire damage, which is a good indicator that it had a lot of voltage fed to it.

Sorry to hear about yours going like that :( my guess would be a transistor shorted, but there is supposed to be an auto cutoff, guessing that failed too?
 
I feel for you. Sounds like the fire lasted long enough to burn other things with it. I can guess that a model 25 supply or a 30/286 would be just fine as long as the connectors and fit are the same. I have a model 30 as well, I should fire it up and see if it still works.
 
SpidersWeb said:
I need one for my PS/2 model 30 as well (286) - my PSU looks pristine but will not power up!....
Click to expand...

Does the PS have a fan ...if so does it turn when you apply power ?
I have a PS/2 Model 60 that the PS seemed dead, but it was actually a shorted
tantalum capacitor on the motherboard keeping the PS from coming on.
 
billdeg said:
I feel for you. Sounds like the fire lasted long enough to burn other things with it. I can guess that a model 25 supply or a 30/286 would be just fine as long as the connectors and fit are the same. I have a model 30 as well, I should fire it up and see if it still works.
Click to expand...

Model 25 supply is nowhere NEAR the same as the Model 30. Very VERY different. Different plugs, and well, the 25 has a bare PCB for a PSU, not even a box.
 
mikey99 said:
Does the PS have a fan ...if so does it turn when you apply power ?
I have a PS/2 Model 60 that the PS seemed dead, but it was actually a shorted
tantalum capacitor on the motherboard keeping the PS from coming on.
Click to expand...

Didn't notice any shorts on the MB PSU connectors, and PSU didn't start without motherboard being connected (which could be by-design). I need to take another look.
 
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