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Tuesday, December 11, 2012

How to repair Time capsule power supply (Cheapest Method)


         If your time capsule has broke down and doesn't show any signs of life, if your time capsule has no lights, or if your time capsule does not turn on, it is most likely because the time capsule power supply is dead, or has failed, the time capsules have a heating ishue which blows the power supply after a while. So this is a tutorial on how to easily repair your time capsule, a Time capsule fix tutorial. Follow this step by step time capsule repair. To achieve this DIY, you have to have a basic skill to soldering, if you have, this tutorial should be easy for you.



1) Before starting the repair, read all of the tutorial, to be sure, you understand to will be able to do this repair, if you don't, do not hesitate to contact me by commenting this post, I will answer.

2) Before proceeding to this repair, you should let the time capsule unplugged for at least one day so that the electricity drains to minimize electrocution riskes

3) You will have to gently remove the plastic cover using a hair dryer or a heat gun, do not use harsh heat power for the plastic will dry and will tear when you peal it off. Start by heating a corner and with a knife, start bringing it up.

Time capsule repaire

Time capsule Diy

Time capsule fix


4) You can now unscrew the philipes screws and gently lift the aluminum plate, once all removed. Be carefull, there is a fan fixed to the back and wired restricting you to lift completely the back plate.

Time capsule troubleshooting

Time capsule hard drive

5) Once lifted, you can unplug the fan.

Time capsule fan



6) Before touching the electronic components, be sure to touch a metal surface, in order to discharge all the electromagnetism you retain that could be lethal to your time capsule.

7)  Locate the hard drive and unplug the sata and power supply cable.

Time capsule HD


8) Remove the foam that protects the heat sensor, on the hard drive.

Time capsule heat sensor

9) Remove the heat sensor.

10) You can now gently lift the hard drive and place it aside.

Time capsule ssd

11) Lift the power supply outlet plug.

Time capsule outlet




12) Uplug the power supply connector that connects to the electronic board

Time capsule components

13) You should now be able to gently lift and remove the power supply.


time capsule power supply

14) Place the power supply aside

15) Using a knife, (plastic knife would be the best) remove the aluminium foil that rapes the power supply

airport express power supply

Time capsule power supply


16) Using a plastic knife, remove the plastique enclosure if yours is like mine, the plastic will break very easily, but save every peace to put it back together after the repair

Time capsule power suppy troubleshooting


time capsule repair fix

17) Locate the condensers that are blown, you will notice that the end of the condensers will seem old and dirty and will be ballooned, it should be either the 6.3v 1000uf (8mm dia x 12mm de long) or the 16v 470 uf (8mm dia x 12mm de long) or the 6.3v 1500uf (8mm dia x 20mm)  x2, for this example, only the 6.3v 1000uf (8mm dia x 12mm de long) where blown.

Time capsule power supply

time capsule power supply

time capsule power supply


18) Once located, use a soldering iron to remove the blown condensers, notice the way they are positioned, for there is direction they go, the arrows should go to the same side as they where before. You can use a solder vacuum to help you unsolder.

time capsule repair tutorial

time capsule

19) Once removed, place and solder the new condensers, the arrows should be placed in the same direction as the ones you removed before, make sure your solders do not touch other solders bubbles , which would subsequently short the time capsule.

time capsule repair

20) Using a nail scissors, cut the extra wire

time capsule fix

time capsule electronics

21) Place the plastic casing back on the power supply board, use electric tape to stick all the pieces if it is chipped

time capsule enclosure

22) Put the foal back over the plastic casing

time capsule enclosure

23) Replace the power supply in the time capsule

inside time capsule

24) Plug the cable to the time capsule board

apple time capsule fix tutorial

25) Replug the fan to the board.

apple time capsule ventilation


26) Close the time capsule without the hard drive

27) Screw two or three screws for the metal plate to hold on


time capsule over heat



28) Place the time capsule on the plastic cover

time capsule over heat problem

29) Plug the time capsule to the power outlet without the hard drive in the time capsule for testing porpose, for if the repair isn't done the right way, it could short the hard drive, therefore definitively breaking the  hard drive and losing all of your data.

30) If you get a flashing yellow light …  you have succeeded 

time capsule yellow light

31) Simply open the time capsule again

apple time capsule enclosure



32) Place and plug the hard drive
apple time capsule troubleshooting heat

time capsule Hd replacement

33) Stick to the hard drive the heat sensor, with the foam protector over it.

time capsule heat sensor

time capsule heat sensor

34) Close the time capsule, screw all of the screws back


time capsule fix step by step


35) Place the back cover to avoid shortage

time capsule tutorial


36) Last step is facultative but highly suggested, this step would avoid you for doing this repair a second time because this faillure is due to a faulty ventilation in the time capsule, you may have noticed that the time capsule is almost sealed, the fan inside only circulate the heat inside the time capsule. The ultimate repair would be to do a time capsule fan mod, you can find the steps here