Dreamcast blew up..but still working!? Can anyone explain?

[Escape-To-88]

Hi,
Just plugged my U.S modded D.C for the first time in ages, like an idiot i plugged in a 240 psu instead of the stepdown. There was an almighty pop, smoke blew out of the vents and I broke into a cold sweat...

I turned the machine on and it worked!?, I then ran a series of games and they all ran fine

When I opened the unit it stank to high-heaven and there was brown liquid everywhere, which I presume is some sort of battery excretion?? I just wondered why this D.C is still working especially after it has spat liquid over the inside lid?? Can anyone explain what happened?
Cheers

[smouty]

I'm guessing the liquid is electrolyte from capacitors. If so your DC will only work for a short period as the capacitors lose the ability to 'capacitate'
I sounds like you were lucky that there was no other damage and now is the time to find a replacement power supply.

[tom-nook]

It seems that fitting a new PSU to a DC is very simple and you can replace it with a UK DC PSU with no probs:

http://ntsc-uk.domino.org/showthread.php?t=58060

That way you can run it off the mains without worrying about blowing the thing up again!

[112]

i did this very same thing like 6 years ago, i almost cried! It only ran for a few minutes as a result. Cost me 55 quid to repair it Gr........... I now lable me cables lol!

112

[Escape-To-88]

Hmm..cheers for the responses guys. But i played a whole 30 minutes worth of REZ with no probs!? I wondered if these capacitors are just to stop interferance or something similar and the specific capacitor was not actually needed???

[Pavey]

I have a spare 110v DC psu if you want that,but you'll need the stepdown still....

LMK

[Kongster]

Gr........... I now lable me cables lol!

112

LOLz

But hey, better safe than sorry, init?

[Escape-To-88]

Cheers Nick.
I'm gonna give it a run through over the weekend and see what sort of results I get. Bizarre that everything seems fine!?

[Escape-To-88]

Typical just gave a way a spare bloody DC to a mate for a new shell..curse my good nature!!

[Kongster]

Check out your local Cash Convertors for any DCs they may have in stock, even if it's only for spare parts. Last I looked, I saw a DC in there for ?10!

[Escape-To-88]

Yeah, I may check 'Crack Convertors' probably find the one I gave away in there, freshly robbed from my mates house! Find they traded it in for a 50 pack of Spanish Fags, pair of bright white Nikes and some Superflux neon.

[Kongster]

LOLz