Circuitrocks

Board comes in with one bulging cap. Do I replace just that one, or all electrolytics (shotgun)?

My rule:

• One bulged in a monitor/PSU from same era: shotgun all same-value caps, they age together
• Random single failure in newer gear: replace that one + neighbors
• High-value board (medical, industrial): shotgun, do not risk callback
• Cheap consumer, customer pinching pesos: targeted, explain risk

Cost: shotgun = more parts + labor, but fewer callbacks. Targeted = cheaper now, maybe back in 3 months.

Other techs: how do you decide? Customer usually picks targeted then complains when next cap goes.