Recapping questions

[MikeA57]

This is my first post and I'm asking this question to get some preliminary information. I've done a fair amount of circuit board level work but it was quite awhile ago. I'm now considering recapping an old Sony integrated amp that I've had lying around to use for speakers out on my deck. This amp was built in the mid 70s and was a great amp the first 20 years I used it. I heard on some other forums about variacing the power to an amp after recapping and was wondering if that was a hard and fast rule for all recapping jobs or just for tube type amps. What other tips and tricks do those of you who have done this have as I get started? I'll probably have some other questions as I dig into this deeper and I appreciate your help with it.

[pinkmouse]

Originally posted by MikeA57
I heard on some other forums about variacing the power to an amp after recapping...

This is called reforming, and is usually only needed for NOS caps that have been unused for a few years.

My No. 1 hint is before you remove anything, use a sharpie to put a black dot on the negative side of the cap on the pcb. Some boards are not well marked, and this process can avoid an explosive mistake!