Scavenged Vintage Caps - Worth/safe to use ?

[Virpz]

Hello everybody,

So while I was going to throw away an tape deck from the 80's I decided to desolder its components and maybe someday give them a try.





Since I couldn't find info about some of the components I ask you experts:



What about the first two grey components from left to right, what they are ?

Those caps named ICO are film caps, right ? Are them good to go ?

I read that electrolytic caps do age faster than ceramic and film caps and can leak due to corrosion or voltage. What about caps that have been used for 5 years and been resting for something like 25 years ?

Are those components worth of a new life on tripath based amps or should I just donate them ?


Thank You all in advance

[Elvee]

Originally Posted by Virpz

Hello everybody,

So while I was going to throw away an tape deck from the 80's I decided to desolder its components and maybe someday give them a try.





Since I couldn't find info about some of the components I ask you experts:



What about the first two grey components from left to right, what they are ?

They are inductive components, inductors, tapped inductors, or transformers.
The first one seems to be marked 273J, that would be a simple 27mH inductor.
The other is more complex, it is probably a transformer of the eraser oscillator

Those caps named ICO are film caps, right ? Are them good to go ?

Yeah, mylars, as good as new.

I read that electrolytic caps do age faster than ceramic and film caps and can leak due to corrosion or voltage. What about caps that have been used for 5 years and been resting for something like 25 years ?

That's trickier. I wouldn't use them in any new project.
You could use them to make quick and dirty prototypes, or check how safe is a circuit, etc, but simply reusing them would be looking for troubles, unless you have sufficiently sophisticated means of testing at your disposal.
Note that relatively large caps like these that have not been stressed thermally or electrically could be in perfect condition, but it is difficult to guess simply by inspection.

[Face]

Throw the electros in the trash, not worth taking a chance with them since new ones are so cheap.

[Conrad Hoffman]

Agree with the above, the ICO caps are as good as new, but I'd toss the electrolytics. I'd especially toss the 1000uF/16V cap as it falls into a category of high capacity, low voltage electrolytics that fail more often than the two on the right. Actually I'd put the two on the right in my "floor sweepings & bench clean up" box for use in experiments, but would never install them in anything permanent.

[Virpz]

Elvee

I've already used the film caps on a cheap ta8201ak based amp that had tiny ceramic caps all around. That did made a huge difference in the sound quality, not hi-fi but much better than it was before.
I am a newbie on all that electronic stuff so I enjoyed alot the results.

I cannot share the sound experience before and after the modifications but I can always add some pics:

before:


after:



Thank you all for the directions provided .

[Virpz]

I have a few more parts and I hope you guys don't mind to give me a hand here.



The "tropical fish" cap is better in any applications than the nowdays film caps ? I read that they are good for guitar amps but what about the output stage of class-D chip amps ?

That silver thing with 330n 250 (volts ? ) marked on it. Is this a kind of cap? Good or should I get rid of em ?

The red thing with 4.7 35v marked on it is a cap ? 4.7n, pf or uf ? Good to go ?

The silver cylindrical one with MIAL 27000k marked. I don't have a clue on what is this. Good ?


Thank You so much

[Elvee]

The "tropical fish" or "flag" capacitor is a 100nF/250V 10% mylar type (there are also some rare series made of polycarbonate).

The 330n is a Siemens MKH (or MKM if it is greenish) mylar (or polycarbonate if MKM). Rather fragile construction, pins fall off easily, little protection against contaminants.

The 4.7µF/35V is a classic "tantal drop"

The 4µ7/63V is a standard Al elco, useless

The last one is a "Styroflex" (polystyrène) of 27nF 10%.
Good for high quality filters if undamaged.

[Mooly]

Originally Posted by Elvee

The "tropical fish" or "flag" capacitor is a 100nF/250V 10% mylar type

Or "Liquorice Allsorts" type as we always referred to them.

Strange all my years in the trade and never heard them called "tropical fish"

As others have said, passive components are so cheap in the scheme of things that it makes sense to use new for any serious project.

[Elvee]

Originally Posted by Mooly

Or "Liquorice Allsorts" type as we always referred to them.

Strange all my years in the trade and never heard them called "tropical fish"

Have you ever heard of "pin-up" capacitors?

And the "yellow block" (AKA "toffee" I think)?

[Mooly]

Originally Posted by Elvee

Have you ever heard of "pin-up" capacitors?

And the "yellow block" (AKA "toffee" I think)?

Nope