Capicitor smoking in amp.

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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?
 
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?
 
Well... maybe it make sense to double the voltage and the capacity?...

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?:confused:
 
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).
 
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?:confused:

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

Wow thanks so much great info on this. Yes the amp is in well was in good working condition just a bad filter cap. What side is the polarity on the cap when putting in a new one? Is the side with a white stripe positive or negative?
 
The white stripe is generally the negative terminal. It generally has a repeating negative sign in the stripe.

Hey, I gave the 63 volt 330 uF cap a try in the punch 150 and plugged her in and it did the spark thing but it wasn't very intense spark and the amp functions normal cap didn't get hot or nothing. Your help was very helpfull of course and let's see how this goes on my way to work. Thanks again!:)
 
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.


Hi, I got a Nichicon 25v 220 uf capacitor that I took out from a tv set (haha) will this work better? I have a 63v 330uf in it's place and it works good but will this capacitor work alittle better??
 
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