Electrolytics 101

[Frazzled]

Hello everyone,

I purchased a dead amp last year and just got around to looking at it last night.

The amp kept blowing fuses as soon as it was turned on, I checked out the whole power supply, except the BIG Electrolytics, I was racking my brain when finally I checked the PS electrolytics.



Turns out this capacitor is a dead short.



Now I vaguely remeber being able to "REFORM" BIG electrolytics in photo flash circuits but I don't remember if it was possible to fix a capacitor that is a dead short. I guess I should probably just relace the two of them and be done with it but of course that would just be too easy and make too much sense.

What do you think?

[kilowattski]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Throw it in the trash and get another one.

[Frazzled]

Ya know... I kinda expected answers like this.
Can't say I am surprised, but I just wanted the info more than anything.

Thanks

[kilowattski]

You can reform old capacitors but more than likely the plates are touching or have welded themselves together. For safety's sake toss it. What would happen if your fuses did not blow is that the electrolyte would more than likely start to boil with the heat and the safety plugs would let go or worse the capacitor would explode from the internal pressure.