Replacing electrolytic caps in crossovers - what voltage rating to use?

[Ruach]

Hi guys,

I am replacing the 17-year old electrolytic capacitors in the crossovers of my Infinity Kappa 7 speakers.

These capacitors are rated at 100V.

Will it be ok if I were to use 63V or 50V capacitors as their replacement?

I am thinking of using Elna Silmics as replacements. 100uF Solens are too big and too expensive for me right now.

Appreciate your help. Thanks.

[simon5]

What's the impedance of the speakers and what's the power level you're playing with?

It would be way better to use 100V caps. You can make a 100V cap by using 4 of the 50V caps in series-parallel.

[Ruach]

Thanks.

The impedence is between 4 to 6 ohms.

How do you go about getting a 100V out of 50V caps?

Do you connect - + + - ?

[simon5]

Let say you have a 100uf 100V cap.

With two 100uf 50V caps, - + + - will give you a 50uf 100V cap.
Then you parallel that with another pair to get back at 100uf.

What is the maximum power you plan to use with these speakers?

[alfa147]

you can use 63v 100mf capasitors.it is not problem with hi-fi amplifiers.But be careful about polarity.

[rabbitz]

You are better off giving the eletrolytics the flick and using metallised polypopylene and even the ones cheaper than the Solens would be better than the original.

[d'yermak'er]

So an 18uf + another 18uf dosn't =36uf unless you double that again?