08-19-2024, 08:52 AM
Morzh, the Phorum has (maybe mistakenly) graded me as "expert" , but I learn so much from you and other experts. I am now hearing about "high ripple current" filter caps, as well as the "Solen" film caps that you and others talk about. I guess that "caps is caps" doesn't apply anymore.
When I got back into this hobby, I thought that more is better in terms of filter caps (drop the PS hum to a very low level. Heck, if it's good for solid state, then why not for tubes, right?) so I figured that if 14 uF. was a good input filter cap, 100uf had to be better, right? However, after seeing a neat but almost fatal (to the tube) light show in a nice globe RCA '80, I looked in the RCA receiving tube manual and saw that the max cap for a cap input filter is something like 40 uF. Lesson learned (the hard way) .
I get confused about X and Y safety caps and would appreciate a treatise on them if there is not one already in the Library. Seems to be an important topic, as what was put in these radios back in the day could certainly not be called "safety," as I have found my share of shorted or blown (and I do mean like split open) ones, usually with my body being used as an ammeter (Maybe, we need an emoji that has smoke coming out of it). Correct me if I am wrong, but X caps are rated to pass a certain level of AC current and Y are the same except that they are also fused internally?
When I got back into this hobby, I thought that more is better in terms of filter caps (drop the PS hum to a very low level. Heck, if it's good for solid state, then why not for tubes, right?) so I figured that if 14 uF. was a good input filter cap, 100uf had to be better, right? However, after seeing a neat but almost fatal (to the tube) light show in a nice globe RCA '80, I looked in the RCA receiving tube manual and saw that the max cap for a cap input filter is something like 40 uF. Lesson learned (the hard way) .
I get confused about X and Y safety caps and would appreciate a treatise on them if there is not one already in the Library. Seems to be an important topic, as what was put in these radios back in the day could certainly not be called "safety," as I have found my share of shorted or blown (and I do mean like split open) ones, usually with my body being used as an ammeter (Maybe, we need an emoji that has smoke coming out of it). Correct me if I am wrong, but X caps are rated to pass a certain level of AC current and Y are the same except that they are also fused internally?
"Do Justly, love Mercy and walk humbly with your God"- Micah 6:8
Best Regards,
MrFixr55