04-22-2021, 03:34 PM
A bit of progress on this chassis. I've stuffed the 3 can electrolytic caps. I have seen a few queries on restuffing these recently and in this particular case I took a little different approach than I've done before because of the style of cap. These have the crimped end that holds the rubber insulation around the center aluminum lead (positive electrode). The previous repair had clipped off the wiring lugs attached to the aluminum lead so it was necessary to find a way to connect new wires to these caps.
[Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/sav43w75y2vato....jpg?raw=1]
I open these up by using a utility knife and rolling the blade along the can with a little bit of pressure. Just keep rolling it with slight pressure and eventually it will cut through the can. You do have to be gently so as not to push in the can but even that can be fixed. I find it makes a cleaner cut than a hack saw blade.
[Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/pkatx45ihsql5x....jpg?raw=1]
Here's that center aluminum lead. The rubber insulation around it was not in good shape and I did not want to trust it (actually the rubber in this picture was the best of the three and this electrode still had liquid in it!) The aluminum lead will just pull out (you may have to clip off any remains of the wire lug that was on the lead) and the rubber all came out with a bit of digging and drilling.
[Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/k6evn0h7re1rs3....jpg?raw=1]
[Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/180b4x0e0rftn0....jpg?raw=1]
I used plastic tubing from the hardware store to replace the rubber insulation. From what I could find I think it will have sufficient insulation properties (we'll find out!). I wound up only using the smaller diameter tubing. It fit in the crimped space snuggly and when the bolt I used for the replacement electrode is inserted it gets a little tighter. In this set the negative goes to the chassis ground so I used some copper strap that will fit between the can and the chassis clamp to make the ground connection.
[Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/mdhcl537rlbvp6....jpg?raw=1]
[Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/tpjqvw5o2dttb0....jpg?raw=1]
[Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/h7xj9lmxqsndtd....jpg?raw=1]
I wrapped the replacement cap and bolt with electrical tape to help keep things insulated and add a litte support. A thin plastic sign from the hardware store, cut into a strip and then formed into a cylinder also helps keep the top and bottom of the aluminum can together. I could have epoxied both ends of the plastic but elected to only epoxy the bottom end. Once the can is in the chassis clamps it seems to be pretty secure.
[Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/7ln76gk8cy7vab....jpg?raw=1]
[Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/t3qkxl9e856x8k....jpg?raw=1]
[Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/sav43w75y2vato....jpg?raw=1]
I open these up by using a utility knife and rolling the blade along the can with a little bit of pressure. Just keep rolling it with slight pressure and eventually it will cut through the can. You do have to be gently so as not to push in the can but even that can be fixed. I find it makes a cleaner cut than a hack saw blade.
[Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/pkatx45ihsql5x....jpg?raw=1]
Here's that center aluminum lead. The rubber insulation around it was not in good shape and I did not want to trust it (actually the rubber in this picture was the best of the three and this electrode still had liquid in it!) The aluminum lead will just pull out (you may have to clip off any remains of the wire lug that was on the lead) and the rubber all came out with a bit of digging and drilling.
[Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/k6evn0h7re1rs3....jpg?raw=1]
[Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/180b4x0e0rftn0....jpg?raw=1]
I used plastic tubing from the hardware store to replace the rubber insulation. From what I could find I think it will have sufficient insulation properties (we'll find out!). I wound up only using the smaller diameter tubing. It fit in the crimped space snuggly and when the bolt I used for the replacement electrode is inserted it gets a little tighter. In this set the negative goes to the chassis ground so I used some copper strap that will fit between the can and the chassis clamp to make the ground connection.
[Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/mdhcl537rlbvp6....jpg?raw=1]
[Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/tpjqvw5o2dttb0....jpg?raw=1]
[Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/h7xj9lmxqsndtd....jpg?raw=1]
I wrapped the replacement cap and bolt with electrical tape to help keep things insulated and add a litte support. A thin plastic sign from the hardware store, cut into a strip and then formed into a cylinder also helps keep the top and bottom of the aluminum can together. I could have epoxied both ends of the plastic but elected to only epoxy the bottom end. Once the can is in the chassis clamps it seems to be pretty secure.
[Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/7ln76gk8cy7vab....jpg?raw=1]
[Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/t3qkxl9e856x8k....jpg?raw=1]
