Here are some general issues to look for when buying an Amiga in 2019. Hopefully someone will find this information useful when looking for Amiga systems.
- Some Amigas have a clock battery that is prone to leakage, spilling acid on your precious system. Make sure you get a good photo of the area around the clock battery to assess the damage before you buy. All of these systems will have leaked by now, so it’s a matter of how bad the corrosion is.
- A1000 = No battery
- A500 = No battery
- A500+ = Bad clock battery
- A600 = Bad Clock battery
- A1200 = Bad Clock battery
- A2000 = Bad Clock battery
- A3000 = Bad Clock battery
- A4000 = Bad Clock battery
- RAM expansions are also a concern, as they are VERY common, and often have clock batteries that you need to know about. Typically if the clock battery on the RAM expansion has leaked, you can just take out the expansion, and the system will be fine. Whether that expansion can be fixed or not depends on how far gone it is.
- Some Amiga systems have newer SMD style capacitors that are prone to leakage. These will not be as large of an issue as the clock batteries, but they will leak, and they will cause damage. These systems are getting to the age now, that’s it’s near impossible to find one that has not leaked.
- A1000 = Good capacitors
- A500 = Good capacitors
- A500+ = Good capacitors
- A600 = Bad SMD style capacitors
- A1200 = Bad SMD style capacitors
- A2000 = Good capacitors
- A3000 = Good capacitors
- A4000 = Bad SMD style capacitors
Here are some photos I’ve taken of some issues with the systems myself or friends have bought.
Hope this helps, happy hunting everyone!
