Hifonics mono amp with non-polarized capacitors brz1700.1d

[Dech92]

Hi, I have a Hifonics mono amp BRZ1700.1D with a capacitor problem.
Actually I think a lot of the older amps have the same problem.
BP CAPACITORS, they now only make 100v or less non-polarized (BP) capacitors.
My amp has four 100uf 160v capacitors and one 22uf 250v capacitor.

The board is actually mark for polarized capacitors but that's not what's used.
Its C201 202 203 204 if that helps
I would like your opinion on what to do.

1. Use two polarized caps to make one non-polar cap 2 200uf 100v capacitors in series
to make 100uf 200v capacitor and use to replace the 100uf 160v capacitor x 4

2. Do the same but use non-polarized capacitors.

What do you think would be better 1. or 2. ?

Film capacitors are to big or cost way to much to be a option as far as I can tell.
Or can I just install normal polarized capacitors the the right value?


Thank you for any help

[Perry Babin]

11 pin audio driver board?

The series caps EACH have to be able to withstand the full rail voltage. One is always reverse polarized and when reverse polarized, it drops very little voltage. Virtually all applied voltage is applied to only one cap at a time. In practice, in the amps that use reverse series caps, the individual caps are rated for 2x the maximum voltage that will be applied (2 series 200-250v for an amp with ±80-100v of rail).

I use 10uF film caps to replace 10, 22 and 33uF BP electrolytics.

[Dech92]

Yes Perry it has 11 pin driver board.

The only non polar caps are
4x 100uf 160v
1x 100uf 25v
1x 22uf 250v
Will see what film caps i can find.

Thank you.

[Perry Babin]

What's wrong with the caps? None look swollen.

[Dech92]

Basically in got the amp from my neighbor, his son blew it up know nothing about proper installing sound system.
Power supply fets and 47ohm resistors were toast. one driver transistor C3228 hole in case.
The kid open up the amp and started disordering parts without knowing what he was doing and trying to pull the capacitors and pulled the leg out of one of the green caps you see out 100uf 160v bp.
The amp is mine now and I just like working on electrical equipment. manly older tube guitar amp and vintage stereos.
I had to replace the capacitor before starting to work on the rest of the amp and that's when after ordering all new Panasonic capacitors for everything realized that these one were non-polarized.

[Dech92]

PS
I also meant to say that I pull some capacitors of the board to check the ESR and was surprised that they were all in perfect condition. Guess not all china capacitors are crap.
Not sure how old this model is but was quite the surprise the condition was like new.

[Perry Babin]

I'd bet that there are millions of perfectly good capacitors replaced by people who are blindly following the direction of others (who know nothing). Capacitors don't fail nearly as often as is commonly believed.

[Dech92]

A follow up on replacing the 100uf 160v caps x4 that were polar bp capacitors.
The 2 smaller polar cap I am leaving in cause they tested perfect but had to change these 4 cause one of them had the led pulled out.

I connected two polarized 220uf 100v capacitors in series, connected the two negative leads together and am using the two positive lead to mount them making a one 110uf 200v polar bp capacitor.

The esr went from .6 for each capacitor to .3 when the two were connected together.

Anywise this how I solved my problem. Not saying you should do it the same way, i am just a armature
Perry and other pros on here can give better advice them me.