If you attend to play with old Computers or Gaming consoles you might have heard the term “RIFA Cap”. It’s a Capacitor typically used in a power supply that goes across the AC line Live and Neutral. They don’t hold up well with age and will blow up. They’re called RIFA because that is apparently the brand name.
Why do they blow up with age? Just like any capacitor over time they break down with age and when it’s time comes it shorts out and blows up.
So what is this cap used for? It’s job is to filter EMI/RFI suppression in other words high frequencies leeching back into the AC line and into the house wiring. You can just remove the capacitor and the device will work just fine but if anyone near buy is trying to use a Ham Radio or something it will piss them off.
A lot of people attend to replace it with a 100nF X2 safety cap.
A X class capacitor goes across Live and Neutral.
A Y class capacitor goes across Neutral and Earth Ground.
Y2 and X2 classes is for home consumer use.
Y1 and X1 classes is for industrial use.
Since this is for more towards to home consumer just get Y2/X2 class. You can also use a Y2 cap in place of a X2. However you can’t use a X2 in place of a X1.
These safety caps are designed to open the when they fail and not short out and explode.
The IT Garage 