What electronic component smells like body odour?

[wwenze]

I got this piece of old equipment that needed just a bit of repairing. It works fine now, however it emits a smell that is like body odor or underwear after a 3-day army outfield training. I've replaced suspicious capacitors with new ones. The smell feels like it might be coming from the transformer.

The amount of smell is not a lot, only noticeable if the lid is off, and if the lid was on, the smell clears quickly when it is powered down and the lid removed.

 

[ashok]

All body odors are not the same. It depends a lot on what foods you eat and also on state of mind and physical health. You probably mean just stale odor of sweat belonging to one of a certain category like I mentioned above. That's a HUGE range !

Could have just said it smells unpleasant !

maybe just old waxy stuff getting hot in transformers.

 

[Elvee]

If it smells like old shoes, it's probably the E-lytics: the mix of old rubber and chemicals permeating through the gasket is pretty unpleasant.

 

[Enzo]

And it is entirely possible the odor is clinging to surfaces inside, but was a result of the environment the unit used to live in. Servicing pro audio gear, I can tell right away when equipment is used in night clubs - the cigarette smoke aroma gives it away.

 

[kevinkr]

Some phenolic PCB give off fairly obnoxious odors when warm.. Wondering if this is the case here, generally not noticeable from more than 30cm away, but it never seems to go away entirely either.

 

[Enzo]

Come to think of it, a lot of my Xcelite screwdriver and nut driver handles have a sort of sour "baby vomit" sort of smell from the plastic handles. NO, not from me, they smelled that way when new. Some of them are 40-50 years old, and still stink.

 

[Elvee]

.... Xcelite ...

The name is sufficient to spill the beans: it is a cellulose compound (cellulose acetate butyrate, the main culprit being the butyrate)

 

[Enzo]

Cool. Thanks. I didn't know that.

 

[richie00boy]

Come to think of it, a lot of my Xcelite screwdriver and nut driver handles have a sort of sour "baby vomit" sort of smell from the plastic handles. NO, not from me, they smelled that way when new. Some of them are 40-50 years old, and still stink.

Are they are translucent yellow? I have some passed down screwdrivers that also smell like this. My dad won't believe me, so it's good to know it affects somebody else too. If I keep them in a plastic drawer it builds up the smell.

 

[454Casull]

I believe all Picquic screwdrivers smell like *** when freshly removed from their packaging.

 

[Alexontherocks]

Some phenolic PCB give off fairly obnoxious odors when warm.. Wondering if this is the case here, generally not noticeable from more than 30cm away, but it never seems to go away entirely either.

yes, pehnolic resins and composites will emit a distinct smell but in my experience it is rather "sweet" and not unpleasant per se. Old Phenolic resin based brake pads (not the modern compounds) for example used to emit a "fruity" smell when warm...but then again in depends on a lot of variables so it might just be the PCB

 

[cliffforrest]

Come to think of it, a lot of my Xcelite screwdriver and nut driver handles have a sort of sour "baby vomit" sort of smell from the plastic handles. NO, not from me, they smelled that way when new. Some of them are 40-50 years old, and still stink.

Wow!

I lost my Excelite set some 30 years ago, but reports of the smell on opening the transparent case trigger instant memory.

Yes, sick .....