I love my roundie but it sure is high maintenance.

[Findm-Keepm]

Originally Posted by Phil Nelson

I view the "maroon drops" as a sort of in-between category. My RCA roundies still have a lot of originals, but I have replaced some, too. I would replace the electrolytics and then approach the maroon guys on a case-by-case basis. A more risk-averse person would shotgun all of 'em, I suppose.

The consequences of losing an electrolytic can be dire, depending on which one goes poof. With those, I show no mercy.

Phil

The maroon caps were Arco-Elmenco (the "EM" that's printed on them). Arco made some very good caps -with the quality of the orange drops. I've replaced only one - a mouse had peed on the circuit board and corroded the lead. Arco is still in business, making specialty caps and silver micas. They got the Sangamo fabs for silver mica caps years ago and have been cranking them out ever since.

The Zenith sets of this vintage had the wonderful blue ceramic discs. Not so wonderful in the temperature coefficient - the tempco on some is N2200 - pretty drifty. I recapped a 20Y1C38 chassis - typical Zenith - replaced e-lytics, including the vertical cap up under the chassis - it's in a clamp near the front of the chassis. And I replaced all but one of the blue ceramics. I left the big white ceramic 1000V Elmenco cap in place - it's still there. Rock solid set, and still going in the parlor of an older guy I used to work with.
Zenith finally started replacing the spare blue ceramic caps stock with Erie and RMC caps - I've got some NOS blue ones and Erie ones - dunno when they started the transistion.

Steve, if you go the way of a complete recap, gimme a shout-out via PM. I've got some of the caps and you are right down 58 from me.

Cheers,