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WOPR · 09:35 AM

Well after THREE weeks my iMac finally arrived, I opened the back to fit the RAM and there it was, a nice bulging and leaking capacitor. I am ASTONISHED that this is happening to the new model iMac G5. Did Apple learn nothing from that dog of a product that was the first iMac G5?

Apple wanted to repair it, but I've said no and I'm getting a full refund. This PowerBook will have to do until Apple can start making iMacs that work properly.

This is what they look like:

http://www.wopr.org.uk/photos/iMac-caps/cap.jpg

discotronic · May 25, 2005, 10:19 AM

Nasty

I will probably never buy another iMac. The iMac G4 was a great machine. I regretted buying the G5. I will stick with a PowerMac from now on. Sorry to hear that your iMac showed up like that. Is Apple trying to make you pay the 20% restocking fee?

WOPR · May 25, 2005, 10:23 AM

They didn't mention the £40 shipping fee, but I have emailed them to clarify that I won't be charged it. At the end of the day the goods were faulty so why should I have to pay?

discotronic · May 25, 2005, 10:32 AM

I could understand them trying to charge you something if there wasn't anything wrong with the system and you where just having remorse over buying it. You are right, it is faulty and you shouldn't have to pay anything.

When Apple agreed to upgrade my faulty iMac to a PowerMac they said I was going to have to pay to have my iMac shipped back to them. In the end they didn't charge me anything.

Big Mac · May 25, 2005, 12:49 PM

Why does the iMac have so many capacitors? I haven't seen very many on my G5 board. It can't be that the iMac board requires more power. . .

WOPR · May 25, 2005, 12:56 PM

I'd love to know too - there must have been 20 or so in there.

davidflas · May 25, 2005, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by Big Mac

Why does the iMac have so many capacitors? I haven't seen very many on my G5 board. It can't be that the iMac board requires more power. . .

Maybe its because the iMac motherboards have ciruitry for the display too.. just a guess...

Podolsky · May 25, 2005, 04:00 PM

First, that is chocolate. Second, that isn't a Macintosh.

WOPR · May 25, 2005, 04:04 PM

Originally Posted by Podolsky

First, that is chocolate. Second, that isn't a Macintosh.

Huh?

Sparkletron · May 25, 2005, 04:32 PM

Those are electrolytic capacitors. They are typically the first components to give out over time. Extreme heat can cause them to leak. Over time the electrolyte can break down and emit gas which builds up until the capacitor leaks from the pressure.

-S

volcano · May 25, 2005, 04:45 PM

Originally Posted by Sparkletron

Extreme heat can cause them to leak.

-S

It took three weeks to get to you? That's insane. Since it took that long to ship to you, perhaps it was in the heat a lot of the time while being shipped? Three weeks .. wow.

This doesn't phase me at all. People always come running to message boards when they have the slightest (or biggest) problem with their computers - it's a given. It's rare when someone actually acknowledges the craftmanship of products when they work just fine, though.

Sorry this happened to you - but if it took you three weeks to get it, I wouldn't point the finger at Apple right away. Like I said, if extreme heat causes them to leak - maybe while it was being processed in the mail it experienced a lot of heat. Who knows. Regardless, good luck with your ordeal.

I'm still buying an iMac G5 though.

Eug Wanker · May 25, 2005, 05:10 PM

Originally Posted by volcano

Sorry this happened to you - but if it took you three weeks to get it, I wouldn't point the finger at Apple right away. Like I said, if extreme heat causes them to leak - maybe while it was being processed in the mail it experienced a lot of heat.

WOPR · May 25, 2005, 05:40 PM

Originally Posted by volcano

It took three weeks to get to you? That's insane. Since it took that long to ship to you, perhaps it was in the heat a lot of the time while being shipped? Three weeks .. wow.

This doesn't phase me at all. People always come running to message boards when they have the slightest (or biggest) problem with their computers - it's a given. It's rare when someone actually acknowledges the craftmanship of products when they work just fine, though.

Sorry this happened to you - but if it took you three weeks to get it, I wouldn't point the finger at Apple right away. Like I said, if extreme heat causes them to leak - maybe while it was being processed in the mail it experienced a lot of heat. Who knows. Regardless, good luck with your ordeal.

I'm still buying an iMac G5 though.

Sorry but not way am I buying that excuse! Apple should be being extra careful with iMacs after the saga with the first model. I wouldn't touch an iMac G5 with a bargepole!

thereubster · May 25, 2005, 05:55 PM

Me neither. I have been waiting for someone to confirm if the dud caps are still being used in the new rev. 2 iMac G5. Now I guess I wont be getting one.... I'm still waiting for the 970GX to appear. I believe the current G5 is just too hot.

WOPR · May 25, 2005, 05:59 PM

If Apple announce a PowerBook G5 any time soon then you'd have to be insane to buy one!

Eug Wanker · May 25, 2005, 06:09 PM

Originally Posted by WOPR

If Apple announce a PowerBook G5 any time soon then you'd have to be insane to buy one!

I just bought an iMac G5, and if/when Apple announces a PowerBook G5, I'll be whipping out that credit card immediately.

dpfenninger · May 25, 2005, 08:59 PM

As a rev. A 20" iMac G5 owner, I thought I'd chime in...my system has run beautifully since I purchased it in January. I've opened the case and checked the capacitors twice since then, and no bulges anywhere to be found. <knocking on wood></end knocking on wood> I'll be sure to check regularly though, and may actually go ahead and extend my AppleCare warranty later in the year just to play it safe.

Overall, the best computer I've ever owned (my Cube included!).

Big Mac · May 25, 2005, 09:48 PM

Can anyone tell me what purpose the rings on the motherboards serve (as seen in that picture)? I have just been wondering about that ever since I saw them on my G5.

Butch Hauke · May 25, 2005, 11:03 PM

Here's what I'd like to know: Just how exactly did that capacitor already start leaking? The computer wasn't even used yet! The problems in the Rev A iMac G5 didn't start showing up for months.

Butch

the_glassman · May 25, 2005, 11:07 PM

Originally Posted by Butch Hauke

Here's what I'd like to know: Just how exactly did that capacitor already start leaking? The computer wasn't even used yet! The problems in the Rev A iMac G5 didn't start showing up for months.

Butch

Probably happened during Burn In testing.

volcano · May 26, 2005, 12:18 AM

Originally Posted by WOPR

If Apple announce a PowerBook G5 any time soon then you'd have to be insane to buy one!

That machine would be so hot I'd never be able to have kids with that thing sitting on my lap for hours on end everyday.

as2 · May 26, 2005, 02:44 AM

I think you need to realize that there are going to be isolated cases of faults, problems with any computer hardware that is mass made.

Just because one out of several hundred thousand iMac's is faulty, it doesn't mean you should never ever buy one.

Remember, this is a forum for Mac users, people will post on here if they have problems. The thousands of people who have iMacs without problems won't necessarily post on here to say that everything is ok with their iMac.

Keep things in perspective.

Hodog16 · May 26, 2005, 02:50 AM

Really a nice thread to read when a new iMac G5 is on its way to my house

But at least I bought Apple care for it! Silver lining I suppose.

Pierre B. · May 26, 2005, 04:23 AM

Originally Posted by volcano

That machine would be so hot I'd never be able to have kids with that thing sitting on my lap for hours on end everyday.

Oh, come on, your nickname suggest that you can do better than that

.

westrock · May 26, 2005, 04:36 AM

Originally Posted by Big Mac

Can anyone tell me what purpose the rings on the motherboards serve (as seen in that picture)? I have just been wondering about that ever since I saw them on my G5.

Are you talking about the green ring with copper wire running around it? Its meant to block interference that could get picked up in the copper wire. Basically a small inductor.

GRAFF · Jun 11, 2005, 02:30 PM

Originally Posted by as2

I think you need to realize that there are going to be isolated cases of faults, problems with any computer hardware that is mass made.

Just because one out of several hundred thousand iMac's is faulty, it doesn't mean you should never ever buy one.

...

Keep things in perspective.

The problem seems to be quite common. Check out the Apple discussion forum and you will find lots of people reporting these leaky capacitors. After 8 months of service, my G5 iMac just died - I opened it up and there they are, several bulging and leaking capacitors. I called Apple and they say to bring it in to a reseller (I bought it from the Apple Store). They refuse to acknowlege that there is a problem here.