Hello,
My very old (probably philips) el84 tube amplifiers are having problems with what I think are the capacitors.
I like the amps a lot.
I wrote down the information that is printed on them, which is as follows:
AC 6011/32+32
0 32 uF - 500V
^32 uF - 500V
70 Celcius
3-1
and:
AC 6010/50+50
0 50 uF - 450V
^50 uF - 450V
70 Celcius
3-1
I don't know which ones(or both) are in the signal path, but when replacing them I would like to use very good replacements (the best affordable..?).
Size dopes not matter, because I like to improve sound,not looks, so if they don't fit in their original place, I will put the whole in a new enclosure, or whatever works.
Thank you for your much appreciated help!
Sincerely,
Gaston
My very old (probably philips) el84 tube amplifiers are having problems with what I think are the capacitors.
I like the amps a lot.
I wrote down the information that is printed on them, which is as follows:
AC 6011/32+32
0 32 uF - 500V
^32 uF - 500V
70 Celcius
3-1
and:
AC 6010/50+50
0 50 uF - 450V
^50 uF - 450V
70 Celcius
3-1
I don't know which ones(or both) are in the signal path, but when replacing them I would like to use very good replacements (the best affordable..?).
Size dopes not matter, because I like to improve sound,not looks, so if they don't fit in their original place, I will put the whole in a new enclosure, or whatever works.
Thank you for your much appreciated help!
Sincerely,
Gaston
Hi, also the capacitors that are in the power supply are part of the signal path !
those are double caps -twin- in one can
32 u ( micro ) F ( Farad ) each - 500 V
and 50 uF - 450 V
So if you want to make it look exactly, just look for the same types
such as these
Dual Value Caps :: F+T Capacitors :: Electrolytics :: Capacitors :: Passive Components :: Electronic Parts :: Banzai Music GmbH
or go with single caps that will fit underneath the chassis
those are double caps -twin- in one can
32 u ( micro ) F ( Farad ) each - 500 V
and 50 uF - 450 V
So if you want to make it look exactly, just look for the same types
such as these
Dual Value Caps :: F+T Capacitors :: Electrolytics :: Capacitors :: Passive Components :: Electronic Parts :: Banzai Music GmbH
or go with single caps that will fit underneath the chassis
Thank you for your replies.
The reason I think there is one of them with a defect is because for as long as I hae them, there was a reoccurring humm, and lately the amp stops making any sound at all. But not all the time. When I tap the side, it sometimes stops (the humm). When I opened the cover and tapped one of these caps, it started working and I could hear the tapping with one (the same cap).
Now I would like to replace them all, since they are all in the signal path (thank you for mentioning that).
I heard fantastic sounding caps (Duelund) but I don't know if there are replacement caps they make that fit here. Any other suggestions? I am looking for an upgrade and they are mostly not that expensive (except for the Duelund caps then.. ).
Thank you again for your replies!
Sincerely,
Gaston
The reason I think there is one of them with a defect is because for as long as I hae them, there was a reoccurring humm, and lately the amp stops making any sound at all. But not all the time. When I tap the side, it sometimes stops (the humm). When I opened the cover and tapped one of these caps, it started working and I could hear the tapping with one (the same cap).
Now I would like to replace them all, since they are all in the signal path (thank you for mentioning that).
I heard fantastic sounding caps (Duelund) but I don't know if there are replacement caps they make that fit here. Any other suggestions? I am looking for an upgrade and they are mostly not that expensive (except for the Duelund caps then.. ).
Thank you again for your replies!
Sincerely,
Gaston
It seems to me that there is no clear sign yet that these caps are the source of the fault. Tapping anything rigidly attached to the chassis is the same as tapping the chassis. My guess is that you have a poor solder joint somewhere or some other loose connection. Find that ans th amp will work. Then you can investigate the hum.
Check DC voltages. That is always the place to start faultfinding.
Check DC voltages. That is always the place to start faultfinding.
Hi, thanx for your reply again..
After tapping the cap, I could both hear it and the hum disappeared.
And if it was not the caps, they will at least have been replaced with better sounding ones.
I am not at all capable of measuring anything, nor of drawing conclusions related to measurements I did take a look at the solder joints before, but did not seen any that were lose.
After tapping the cap, I could both hear it and the hum disappeared.
And if it was not the caps, they will at least have been replaced with better sounding ones.
I am not at all capable of measuring anything, nor of drawing conclusions related to measurements I did take a look at the solder joints before, but did not seen any that were lose.
I don't want to be a prick, but have you ever unsoldered and soldered something? I don't know what amp you have there or how it is constructed but if you have no clue what you are doing you need to be careful not to mess up a pcb or put in electrolytics the wrong way and blow them up...
Changing well-made capacitors (probably in the PSU) for other well-made capacitors which cost 10 or 50 times as much (wild guess) is not an upgrade, except for the bank balance of the person selling the caps.Woops said:
Then you are almost certainly not capable of fixing this amp, except by sheer luck.
Woops,
Your choice of member name....stuck in my head Too ironic...
Thought it best to give my advice, hope you get your amp fixed. BUT Dude !
No one, especially here wants you to 'play', 'guess' 'jiggle' around with a Tube Amp circuit and risk getting yourself or loved one severely hurt or killed. The voltages/current involved ARE LETHAL (350-500+VDC) Old failing electrolytic caps can explode and easily blind, maim or worse! Lack of knowledge isn't a bad thing, BUT it's the MOST DANGEROUS THING with tube circuits.
Please, DON'T PLAY WITH IT! Safety Sam Says "Take to someone who has skills/experience" Beg, Barter.. whatever. Most any good 'Tuber' would rather help for free than you risk your life.
Charles
Opps, Oh No, Whoa, WOOPS, etc... bad Karma with tubes
Your choice of member name....stuck in my head Too ironic...
Thought it best to give my advice, hope you get your amp fixed. BUT Dude !
No one, especially here wants you to 'play', 'guess' 'jiggle' around with a Tube Amp circuit and risk getting yourself or loved one severely hurt or killed. The voltages/current involved ARE LETHAL (350-500+VDC) Old failing electrolytic caps can explode and easily blind, maim or worse! Lack of knowledge isn't a bad thing, BUT it's the MOST DANGEROUS THING with tube circuits.
Please, DON'T PLAY WITH IT! Safety Sam Says "Take to someone who has skills/experience" Beg, Barter.. whatever. Most any good 'Tuber' would rather help for free than you risk your life.
Charles
Opps, Oh No, Whoa, WOOPS, etc... bad Karma with tubes
Woops,
Your choice of member name....stuck in my head Too ironic...
Thought it best to give my advice, hope you get your amp fixed. BUT Dude !
No one, especially here wants you to 'play', 'guess' 'jiggle' around with a Tube Amp circuit and risk getting yourself or loved one severely hurt or killed. The voltages/current involved ARE LETHAL (350-500+VDC) Old failing electrolytic caps can explode and easily blind, maim or worse! Lack of knowledge isn't a bad thing, BUT it's the MOST DANGEROUS THING with tube circuits.
Please, DON'T PLAY WITH IT! Safety Sam Says "Take to someone who has skills/experience" Beg, Barter.. whatever. Most any good 'Tuber' would rather help for free than you risk your life.
Charles
Opps, Oh No, Whoa, WOOPS, etc... bad Karma with tubes
++1
WARNING HIGH VOLTAGE
You should bring to someone who know how to handle it.
But my guess it's a cold joint.
Your choice of member name....stuck in my head Too ironic...
Thought it best to give my advice, hope you get your amp fixed. BUT Dude !
No one, especially here wants you to 'play', 'guess' 'jiggle' around with a Tube Amp circuit and risk getting yourself or loved one severely hurt or killed. The voltages/current involved ARE LETHAL (350-500+VDC) Old failing electrolytic caps can explode and easily blind, maim or worse! Lack of knowledge isn't a bad thing, BUT it's the MOST DANGEROUS THING with tube circuits.
Please, DON'T PLAY WITH IT! Safety Sam Says "Take to someone who has skills/experience" Beg, Barter.. whatever. Most any good 'Tuber' would rather help for free than you risk your life.
Charles
Opps, Oh No, Whoa, WOOPS, etc... bad Karma with tubes
++1
WARNING HIGH VOLTAGE
You should bring to someone who know how to handle it.
But my guess it's a cold joint.
Hello all,
Thank you for your concern. My screen name may indeed not have been the best choice, but it sometimes is hard to find one that is not in use.
Asking straight questions does not make anyone a prick! Thank you for the question!
I mostly expect someone to be sincere, I read a question for what it is: a question.
I have soldered together an 8 deck DDDAC and my soldering looks quite ok. As far as I know one has to discharge the caps, or wait sufficiently long before working on them. Then, how can they explode with no more current in them?
Is it so that a better capacitors are up to 50x more expensive? this is all relative, for I did not buy the original, but if they are say 50€ a piece and they give good sonic improvement, I don't see a problem.
I also do not see how not being able to measure means that I can not fix this? If it is the capacitor, maybe a loose soldering, putting another cap in it's place does not require a lot of measuring? Or am I overlooking something (even less than basic)?
I am interested in both doing it myself (which is also 'bonding' with the equipment, which stands for adding quality to my life) and in a sonic improvement. So I am still very much interested to hear what is a good, great or the 'best' replacement capacitors I can get.
If I get insecure about my capability to do it myself, I can then still find someone who can do it for me, no?
So please can anyone name them?
Anyway, thank you for your advice and your help!
Much appreciated!
Gaston
Thank you for your concern. My screen name may indeed not have been the best choice, but it sometimes is hard to find one that is not in use.
Asking straight questions does not make anyone a prick! Thank you for the question!
I mostly expect someone to be sincere, I read a question for what it is: a question.
I have soldered together an 8 deck DDDAC and my soldering looks quite ok. As far as I know one has to discharge the caps, or wait sufficiently long before working on them. Then, how can they explode with no more current in them?
Is it so that a better capacitors are up to 50x more expensive? this is all relative, for I did not buy the original, but if they are say 50€ a piece and they give good sonic improvement, I don't see a problem.
I also do not see how not being able to measure means that I can not fix this? If it is the capacitor, maybe a loose soldering, putting another cap in it's place does not require a lot of measuring? Or am I overlooking something (even less than basic)?
I am interested in both doing it myself (which is also 'bonding' with the equipment, which stands for adding quality to my life) and in a sonic improvement. So I am still very much interested to hear what is a good, great or the 'best' replacement capacitors I can get.
If I get insecure about my capability to do it myself, I can then still find someone who can do it for me, no?
So please can anyone name them?
Anyway, thank you for your advice and your help!
Much appreciated!
Gaston
They may cost 50 a piece, but not give any sonic improvement.
The first stage in diagnosing a fault is to check DC voltages. You say you cannot do this. The second stage is work out from what you have measured what might be going wrong. You say you cannot do this.
You have two choices to fix this amp:
1. learn about electronics
2. find someone else who already has
They won't. What's being said is they have a polarity, and if you accidentally connect one backwards it can explode.
At the very least to do this type of thing you should read about tube circuits, the dangers of high voltages, and acquire a minimum of test equipment including a good DMM. You mentioned you've soldered before so I assume you have that equipment.
Here's a good place to start.
Basic Electricity Vol 1 To Vol 5 Van Valkenburgh : Rider Publication : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive
Basic Electronics, Volumes 1-5 (1955) : Van Valkenburgh Nooger & Neville : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive
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Hi,
kodabmx, thank you for a more constructive input. I got the feeling that I was seen as an idiot, needing protection against himself..
Because of some of the previous replies, I had given up on trying to do this myself. Now I will read the information on the links first.
Telling me that it is important to solder the caps the right way, or else it may explode on turning on, sounds quite different than 'they may explode' and 'you are never going to be able to repair it your self'.
I am now 50 years old, but the advices along those lines did brig me back to my childhood and my know it all father. He actually did know 'all', but his way with me scared me away from doing anything myself until not too long ago.
Actually it was I think the beginning of this year that out of the blue a schematic of a simple amplifier suddenly seemed comprehensible.
Of course I know that I know very little, specially compared to all this people here that make and experiment with amazing stuff, but I do not have a brick wall in front of me and doing something will result in a happier life than doing nothing will do. And that is something a lot of DIY members promote, so I was a little taken back with the responses.
Anyway, I will read. Though I am quite sure that this matter is way too much and complicated for anyone to quickly understand.
Goodbye!
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/members/kodabmx.html
kodabmx, thank you for a more constructive input. I got the feeling that I was seen as an idiot, needing protection against himself..
Because of some of the previous replies, I had given up on trying to do this myself. Now I will read the information on the links first.
Telling me that it is important to solder the caps the right way, or else it may explode on turning on, sounds quite different than 'they may explode' and 'you are never going to be able to repair it your self'.
I am now 50 years old, but the advices along those lines did brig me back to my childhood and my know it all father. He actually did know 'all', but his way with me scared me away from doing anything myself until not too long ago.
Actually it was I think the beginning of this year that out of the blue a schematic of a simple amplifier suddenly seemed comprehensible.
Of course I know that I know very little, specially compared to all this people here that make and experiment with amazing stuff, but I do not have a brick wall in front of me and doing something will result in a happier life than doing nothing will do. And that is something a lot of DIY members promote, so I was a little taken back with the responses.
Anyway, I will read. Though I am quite sure that this matter is way too much and complicated for anyone to quickly understand.
Goodbye!
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/members/kodabmx.html
You're welcome. I think the point that some were trying to make is that working on a tube amp can be lethal if you don't understand what's going on, and nobody wants that!
Always check for voltage before you work. Those capacitors can hold a charge for a long time! Wear rubber soled shoes, and keep one hand in a pocket or behind your back, that way if you DO contact the high voltage it won't pass through your chest.
Always check for voltage before you work. Those capacitors can hold a charge for a long time! Wear rubber soled shoes, and keep one hand in a pocket or behind your back, that way if you DO contact the high voltage it won't pass through your chest.
I've found this stuff pretty entertaining to learn, even if it doesn't come quickly. Just keep reading; you'll get there.
Cheers,
Jeff.
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