Transistorized voltage regulators have been around for about 50 years now, and they are as mysterious today as they were 50 years ago. In the first picture, the back cover that is supposed to hermetically seal the unit from moisture and other contaminants has been removed. In pictures 2 & 3, you can see the very fine Oregon silica (i.e. sand) that managed to find its way into the inside of the case.
