[SCCC] Capacitors - Caveat Emptor

[Richard J. Norton]

See

http://www.apexjr.com/capacitorsR.html

Replaced all filter capacitors with string of 330 uf 450 volt caps in
a couple old amps like SB-220 a few years ago. They work fine.

73,

Satisfied customer, Dick, N6AA

On Wed, Jul 28, 2010 at 5:22 PM, Art K6XT <k6xt at arrl.net> wrote:
> Mouser just delivered me some 500V 240uF screw terminal electrolytics
> for my Alpha 76PA.  Your first question will be "why 500V?". Because it
> uses a Peter Dahl 3CX800 transformer running about 2800V no load. Which
> also enumerates why I needed new capacitors. The six 450V units took the
> abuse for three or four years before spitting their guts on the PC board.
>
> So what is this. 500V caps of this configuration are apparently not used
> much. Several suppliers list them, none of which except Mouser had any
> in stock. Mouser had 5. Number 6 took 6 months for Mouser to get and
> send to me.
>
> What gets me ornery about it is this. For the entire 6 months C-D had 5
> units on a shelf in South Carolina. Could I interest anyone, cost be
> damned, in snagging one of these for me? Will C-D sell direct to me at
> any price? Despite numerous pleas, not a chance.
>
> The moral of my sad tale is this: If you plan (hi!) to blow up your
> similarly situated amp, plan ahead ordering those caps!
>
> Yep. I could have hacked the ckt board to haywire in a seventh 450V.
> Chose not to. Instead I bought a spare amp so I'd have a spare in the
> event and also so I'd have an instant on. That three minutes has always
> been a DX'ers bother.
>
> --
> 73 Art
> Allison, Colorado
> "Whether you believe you can do a thing or
> not, you are right."  --Henry Ford.
>
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