Quote:
Originally Posted by Boobtubeman
Thanks Steve, i just soldered it in 
Has anyone used NOS can capacitors? I have a box of them and was wondering if they are even useful these days...
Steve |
Sure do - I reform all of my old NOS caps before using - there are two very well written documents on the web detailing the procedure(s). One is on the Sencore website ("Tech Tip 170" - surely to help sell their Capacitor/Inductor Analyzers) and one is a DOD document - Handbook 1131 " STORAGE SHELF LIFE AND REFORMING PROCEDURES FOR ALUMINUM ELECTROLYTIC FIXED CAPACITORS " - it uses tungsten (incandescent) lamps to limit the current when reforming.
I personally use a Sencore LC53 or LC102 when reforming. I prefer my LC102 with it's full range of checks and it's ability to apply current limited voltages up to 999V. Most (95%) of the Mallory "FP" or Sprague "TVL" caps I've had for 20+ years come right back with just a reforming. CDE (Cornell Dublier) caps come back about 70% of the time, but what I have are much older than either my Mallory, Sprague, RCA, GE or Zenith NOS caps. If it fails reforming, no way would I use it. One caveat - RCA used a multisection cap on some of their Colortrak sets in the 80's - the one thats mounted horizontally in a clip on the back of the chassis - I always replace that with two or three separate caps, because the RCA replacements (Taiwanese made) usually fail quickly.
Check your caps for ones with 450/475 volt ratings - the tube audio guys go nuts for them. I sold a dozen ( I had 31!) of my Zenith caps to one guy here on AK. They'll usually go for 10-15 bucks each. All of the lower voltage ones I keep and use - I've got a HP pulse gen I recapped with an old Admiral cap about a year ago, and it's still working.
Cheers,