Welcome to the ‘Eutechnics’ website. The sole purpose of this site is the well-being of the Apple Time Capsule.
It is highly likely that if you’ve found your way here it may be your TC has died and you want to know what to do?
There is a long-standing design-flaw in the past and present Time Capsules that allows them to overheat.
(Even in the latest 3TB unit, although at least the fan now comes on!)
Once you understand the internal arrangement of Time Capsule components you will see that the overheating is almost inevitable
BUT also it is easy enough to fix with a small ventilation modification.
The usual and predictable failure caused by the overheating is the collapse of the Power Supply Unit (PSU).
Repairing it is not a problem and I give details on how below.
Back in 2010, Apple fleetingly acknowledged this ‘problem’ by swapping out Time Capsules that were between certain serial numbers but in late 2011 the reference to this swap-out was withdrawn.
The Eutechnics Logo above, is borrowed from an Infra-Red picture I took comparing an unmodified TC on the right, with a modified (Eutechnics) TC on the left.
The modification creates a 10 to 11°C temperature drop as seen from the outside of the case. The PSU internally runs much cooler than the outside temperature picture suggests.
See the actual picture here.
If your TC has broken down with heat exhaustion, almost without doubt I can repair it and modify it so it does not overheat again. This is the low-cost service I provide.
Additionally, older 500GB and 1TB can be upsized to 2TB or 3TB. (I suppose even a 2TB to a 3TB... but I’ve not seen one yet!).
You get your old disc drive back and a FULL 1 YEAR GUARANTEE.
There is information on this site that is hard-won and can be used without charge.
If you wish to copy ANYTHING from the site you must contact me FIRST.
My text and images are copyright to Chris Fackrell. I will be very agreeable, you will find... :-)
I list procedures that can be followed to repair the PSU, to modify the fan and to modify the baseplate and rubber mat that fit on the bottom of the TC case.
Do this and your TC will power up again and run cool - thus effecting a longer life. It will have an Eutechnics conversion.
I have ‘The Eutechnics Do-It-Yourself TC PSU Repair Procedure’ See ‘The Process: PSU’ section for download PDF.
Not everyone has the desire, or ability (or tools and training) to undertake the DIY aspects of Apple Time Capsule repair & modification. It is a bit specialised and can be very expensive for one-off fixes.
In these circumstances, I can do as little or as much as you require - in complete ‘sections’ of activity.
1. I can repair the PSU, if you extract it from the TC case.
(Please don’t half-repair it; realise it is far harder than you imagined; that the plastic cover is as brittle as sugar glass and you have the wrong capacitors! A mangled mess can be repaired but it is more expensive, and I will charge if the case is cracked). I give a 90 day guarantee on the components replaced in the PSU.
2. I can F&M (Fix and Modify) the TC PSU along with the baseplate. If I alone have done this, I give a 1 year guarantee on the PSU and fan assembly.
3. I can MOD (Modify only) a working TC. The fan and baseplate are worked on; the PSU is not touched. 1 year guarantee on the fan assembly.
4. I can FM2 (Fix, Modify and fit a 2TB new drive). The TC PSU and baseplate per F&M, then add a NEW 2TB Green drive. 1 year guarantee on the whole TC.
5. I can FM3 (Fix, Modify and fit a 3TB new drive). The TC PSU and baseplate per F&M, then add a NEW 3TB drive. 1 year guarantee on the whole TC.
If you do not wish to send the TC hard drive through the post; if you know which end of a screwdriver is which and can follow 1, 2, 3 style instructions, I have added some ‘Minimum bits to send’ and how to get to them. See ‘Just FYI’ page but note the ‘warning’ below.
WARNING! If you have the more rare DELTA power supply unit (wrapped in light grey translucent plastic) send the WHOLE TC.
I have received 2x ‘Minimum bits to send’ packages where the DELTA PSU was undamaged. I only ‘may’ be able to fix the TC circuit board but no two faults have been the same. These faults are mercifully rare and simply may not be ‘fixable’. Please take great care when pulling the fan plug from the socket. Gently pulling the cable will effect a release. I have had some in where the socket has been pulled OFF the circuit board!!
The prices are now ‘all in’ for Mainland UK - there is only the ‘cost to have it done’; no more separate postal charges.
For customers overseas, we talk.
See ‘The Bottom Line’. PLEASE note, the 2TB and 3TB option prices will change as I restock parts. The price of these drives is very volatile!
Preferred payment is by Bank Transfer - for the UK customers with an online bank service - this facility is free, rather like paying a utility bill or sending money to friends or family.
For customers overseas or without online banking, we talk... but you pay the charges sending and receiving.
Bank Transfers from overseas cost in one way or another, as does PayPal, which I can accept at a pinch but I will add 5% to cover their costs... :-(
I work in GBP. Gold doubloons would be nice... :-)
I do NOT do this for my living but as a service to help fellow Apple users.
My qualifications are in Electronic, Electrical & Mechanical Engineering and my job is in energy management systems.
My charges are modest and reflect the cost of the materials, the parts I use and a reasonable charge for my time.
I strive to be professional at all times and to treat your precious TC as if it were my own.
I only work to my self-imposed perfectionist standards and allowing for the rather limited parts and materials available
I will make it look like it was manufactured by Apple with the ‘Eutechnics’ modification. (sorry for the self aggrandisement - I must get out more!)
I receive no help from Apple although they have commented that: “We acknowledge the important work that you are doing,” (See ‘Blog’ 18th May 2012) so effectively, I work alone.
I was recently asked by a new customer if the data he sent to me (inside his TC) would be the data he got back!! Implying I might do a ‘hard drive swap’!
This would be utter disaster and the end of any trust people would have in me... let me describe what I do to maintain the security that is so necessary with your personal data.
Your internal hard drive, containing all your valuable data, will not be looked at and NEVER mixed with anyone else's TC.
Let me list what I do...
1. Your initials are marked on the edge of the white plastic case just below the power inlet connector. This is done before anything else and is the simple way to identify your TC from any others.
2. A 'job card' is filled out with the serial number of the TC, its Ethernet and Airport MAC addresses noted. This is recorded against your name and address (with anything else you may tell me - like your email address).
3. A 'job number' is allotted to your TC.
4. When it is your TCs turn in the queue, the rubber base mat is removed and immediately labelled with your initials and the job number.
5. The baseplate is removed and immediately identified with your name, modification type, address postcode and job number.
6. The ethernet sockets are marked internally with you name and address postcode.
7. The hard drive is marked with your initials.
8. The PSU is marked with your initials and job number.
9. The fan is marked with your initials and job number.
A first diagnosis is performed where I remove your PSU and try my known working unit.
I reset your TC with the reset button on the back (this does not clear the data). I ‘discover’ the TC on my Mac (with the Airport Utility) and inform you of my findings - 'First diagnosis'.
The PSU is set aside to be worked on.
The fan is removed from the baseplate and set aside to be worked on.
The baseplate is marked up for drilling and modification and then covered in masking tape. This is set aside to be worked on.
Every component part of your TC is uniquely identified with your initials (at least), usually the job number and then your address postcode.
I therefore guarantee the TC you send me will be the TC that is returned having been stripped down, repaired, modified, cleaned, tested and re-assembled.