Sima SPV-1 Capacitor Replacement

I’ve used a Sima SPV-1 140 Watt Power Inverter in my car for years and only recently had a failure when plugging it in to my car’s 12V outlet. The purpose of this post is to show that it’s easy (and cheap) to fix. I picked out a capacitor with the same ratings, 1000μF, 16V (a little taller, but it fits the package and costs $0.67/ea) and soldered the replacement part in place of the original Nicon capacitor.

10 screws, including two hidden beneath the product label, hold the case together.

Safety valve ruptured on capacitor

Replacement capacitor, Panasonic EEU-FM1C102

Desoldered capacitor location: Note marked positive and negative markings on circuit board silkscreen

Soldering replacement capacitor

Capacitor has been replaced

Success!