Capicitor smoking in amp.

[chipper]

I believe it's a power supply filter capacitor. The amp it started smoking in is a Rockford Fosgate Punch 150 first generation. I was listening to it for about thirty minutes just mix matching my subs to see what sounds best and it started smoking up so I quickly unpluged the the power wire. What caused this? And I don't think anything else burned just that filter cap. It's rated 25v 100uF made by "rubycon" does anyone have any info on this part of a good replacement? I really like this amp and don't want to lose it! Please help..... Maybe the all mighty Perry Babin can help me?

[Perry Babin]

For a replacement, I'd probably use the FC series capacitors from Digi-Key. Find one with the correct dimensions, pin spacing and value and use the one with the highest available voltage. The higher voltage caps typically have lower ESR which will make them operate at lower temperatures.

Sometimes, the amps will destroy the capacitors on the primary side of the power supply if the power supply transistors aren't being properly (as in one bank of transistors not being driven fully on/off). Check the drive circuit.

Is this the first gen with the metal plate on the power transformer?

[Lubomir]

While I'm not 100% sure, logically, the higher the voltage, the harder it is to kill the cap, and the more the capacity, the better filtration... Like 50000uF 60V nice big cap (if it fits) What do you say? Anyone can say something about such a replacement?

[chipper]

Originally Posted by Perry Babin

For a replacement, I'd probably use the FC series capacitors from Digi-Key. Find one with the correct dimensions, pin spacing and value and use the one with the highest available voltage. The higher voltage caps typically have lower ESR which will make them operate at lower temperatures.

Sometimes, the amps will destroy the capacitors on the primary side of the power supply if the power supply transistors aren't being properly (as in one bank of transistors not being driven fully on/off). Check the drive circuit.

Is this the first gen with the metal plate on the power transformer?

Umm do you think you can recommend me one? I'm not to sure how about capacitors work/size/type, etc. It's the cap that's inbetween the negative power input and positive input power wires.

As to that, this is the first generation series RF Punch 150. Oh yeah also the will still turn on but when you only apply power to the positive and negative it always sparks (not the amp but the wires).

[chipper]

Originally Posted by Lubomir

While I'm not 100% sure, logically, the higher the voltage, the harder it is to kill the cap, and the more the capacity, the better filtration... Like 50000uF 60V nice big cap (if it fits) What do you say? Anyone can say something about such a replacement?

I sure really appreciate your offer but I'm not sure if it will fit my application?

[Perry Babin]

I don't have the amp so I can't tell you precisely what cap you need. Start by searching for the following on the digikey site:

FC series 100uf through hole aluminum

[chipper]

Originally Posted by Perry Babin

I don't have the amp so I can't tell you precisely what cap you need. Start by searching for the following on the digikey site:

FC series 100uf through hole aluminum

What if I tried a Nichicon 63volt 330 uF cap? But if that don't work then I'll check out the following. I appreciate the help.

[Perry Babin]

If it fits and is a 105C cap, it should work.

[chipper]

Originally Posted by Perry Babin

If it fits and is a 105C cap, it should work.

Yeah it's 55c to 105c, see the thing is it's in another broken Rockford amp I have sitting around. Not sure if it's the same size it looks like it. Will this reduce the sparks (when you attach the wires to a power source a spark comes out).

[Perry Babin]

If the amp is otherwise in perfect working order, the higher value will make the arc more intense. The arcing is due to the cap charging and the higher value capacitor will cause a more significant surge of current.

The cap should only arc once. If there is a strong arc each time you make the power connections (assuming that the time between making the power connections isn't more than a few minutes), there is likely a more serious problem.