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restoring capacitor tar block - Printable Version

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restoring capacitor tar block - Kestas - 12-28-2017

This is my first time restoring a capacitor tar block on a radio.  This is the metal box with 5 film capacitors, not the bakelite block.  I've got it apart and plan on reusing the original wires that come out.  I don't have circuit board material on hand, but I'm planning on cobbling up some cardboard and perforate holes to secure the capacitors.  What I'd like to know is what different concepts people used to secure the new capacitors in the metal box, maybe better ideas than what I have in mind.  The radio is a Philco Model 60.

RE: restoring capacitor tar block - morzh - 12-28-2017

I don't remember any tar block caps in 60.
There is a gang cap can with 5 caps but it is not a tar block. Caps are tared tobether but not to the can.

You simply open the tabs, take the cardboard front off and pull the envelope of the tarred caps wrapped in fish paper out.

I simply solder the caps together at the GND, wire the leads, abd then pot the leads with hot glue after threading them through the cardboard front's holes if existing. The fishpaper serves as the insulator from the can.

RE: restoring capacitor tar block - klondike98 - 12-28-2017

Here's a couple pictures of my restuff of the box for a 60MB. I didn't take as many photos as I should to show what I did. I did not reuse the original wires and simply bundled the film caps together with some electrical tape after soldering the ground side of all caps together and running a wire up the side to be soldered to the side of the box. A little heat shrink covered any exposed wires on the positive side of each cap and then all leads went out through the original black fiberboard cover and the box tabs were folded down to make it all snug. The cardboard lining gave enough for the black fiberboard to seat onto.

RE: restoring capacitor tar block - morzh - 12-28-2017

One note: I'm not sure cardboard is a proper thing as it might absorb moisture.
But the idea is the same .

RE: restoring capacitor tar block - klondike98 - 12-28-2017

(12-28-2017, 05:37 PM)morzh Wrote:  One note: I'm not sure cardboard is a proper thing as it might absorb moisture.

Good point Mike

RE: restoring capacitor tar block - Kestas - 01-12-2018

This is how I restuffed my tar block.  After this picture I trimmed away some cardboard and wire before stuffing it into the old can.

RE: restoring capacitor tar block - klondike98 - 01-12-2018

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RE: restoring capacitor tar block - Ron Ramirez - 01-12-2018

When I rebuild a can like that, I reuse the original front and back insulators, the original fish paper, original lead wires if they do not have damaged insulation, and I twist the common leads together and solder with the original bare wire that is soldered to the can. Sometimes I inject some hot glue to hold the capacitors together but some electrical tape would do just as well.

RE: restoring capacitor tar block - morzh - 01-12-2018

Ron

Almost exactly the way I do it. I make point of reusing the fishpaper and front/back.
I mostly use the GND lead wire.
I do not always re-use the connecting wires as sometimes they are tarred too much.