No brand polypropylene caps

[altec9440]

hello,

I want to replace some old aluminium caps in several altec models cabinets (mainly axial 8.2uF) with polypropylene.

I contacted some electronic parts resellers and mainly I found no brand caps. Then I contacted "hifi" resellers, I was told to choose between no brand or golden price caps !

So I'm not even sure I actually have polypropylene capacitors and obviously no information about their structure

I think I'm going down on dubillier capacitors... Any advices or tips ?

 

[dotneck335]

Nichicon MUSE

 

[adason]

What's wrong with dayton polypropylene caps? You can pay $2 or $200 for the same cap, its up to you.
https://www.parts-express.com/Dayton-Audio-DMPC-8.2-8.2uF-250V-Polypropylene-Capacitor-027-426

 

[cabirio]

These aren't axial but have long leads so you can probably adapt them. Good brand, reasonably priced especially if you buy in quantity, a variety of voltages and tolerances, available from Mouser, Farnell, Digikey, etc. I use them often in electronic circuits and occasionally in crossovers:

https://www.mouser.es/c/passive-components/capacitors/film-capacitors/?m=Panasonic&series=ECQE(F)

 

[Osvaldo de Banfield]

What's the reason to replace them? Only a question of "taste"?

 

[cabirio]

These aren't axial but have long leads so you can probably adapt them. Good brand, reasonably priced especially if you buy in quantity, a variety of voltages and tolerances, available from Mouser, Farnell, Digikey, etc. I use them often in electronic circuits and occasionally in crossovers:

https://www.mouser.es/c/passive-components/capacitors/film-capacitors/?m=Panasonic&series=ECQE(F)

Sorry, I got the series mixed up. These are the ones I meant: https://www.mouser.es/ProductDetail/Panasonic/ECW-FG60825J?qs=DRkmTr78QAQN%2BZkjDgUzJw==

 

[Galu]

What's wrong with dayton polypropylene caps?

Here's a European stockist: https://www.soundimports.eu/en/dayt...TQ0NS4xLjEuMTcxNjczNTUyNi4wLjAuMTY3NjAyMDA0Mw..

 

[Elvee]

Polypropylene is overkill for such an application. I agree about need to replace Al-elco's, but Mylar (AKA PETP, polyester) is perfectly sufficient IMHO

 

[rayma]

In a speaker, you may have to use a foil capacitor, not a metalised type.

 

[altec9440]

thank you for these many answers.

What's wrong with... any dealer (I spoke for local ones) : it's a problem for me when I can't get the specs of a product before buying. Have a data sheet with enough details such as the type of manufacture (metalized film, foil metalized or combined), the temperature ... is a basic doc for all manufacturers.

Is it a matter of taste? No, I have six 40-year-old speakers with different lives! Changing oxyded connectors and one cap for each cabinet seems to be the minimum to me.

Thanks @Gallu for the link. I will explore this source.

@Elvee, the voice of wisdom You are right, Polypropylene is often used for this application but not mandatory. As said I have only one cap by speaker, so if price is close to polyester...

@rayma : exactly, foil cap is what I look for.

 

[Elvee]

It is indeed important to have reliable data about capacitors, especially if they are sold as above the average types: without a minimum of equipment it is difficult to determine whether a cap is ordinary mylar or actually PP. I have bought a number of supposedly PP caps from China, and most were indeed PP, but others were foil mylars or even class II ceramics. Buyer beware!
Foil is always preferable to metallized, but the difference for a crossover is small, considering the imperfection of other components like inductors.
A metallized cap of any kind will always be an improvement over Al caps though