Modern Capacitors

[Andrew M]

It seem to me that people shy away from the newer smaller electrolytics that are available. Like these Panasonic caps

http://parts.digikey.com/1/parts/502...ca-2wm220.html

Parts vendors who cater to tube DIYers don't stock them - but they are small and cheap -22uF / 450 volt caps are less than a dollar each if you buy more than 10.

Any insights?

Andrew M.

[Enzo]

Well, those are radial leads, and that means mountuing on a pc board unless you want to lay them down and splice and extension onto one lead. If you read much on this board, you'll find most guys into tweaking/modifying/building amps are not into pc boards. They will want axial leads for mounting parts on eyelet boards, turret boards, or tag boards.

I got nothing against parts like that, but I am in the repair biz rather than a builder. Look in modern amps and you will see radial caps and radial snap-in caps all the time.

[loudthud]

I use them anytime I can. Below is a 5E3 type amp with radials. The board is on standoffs and the equalizing resistors are on the back. Just drilled extra holes and installed eyelets. I use the 105C types whenever possible. Replacing them won't be easy.

[Sock Puppet]

I was surprised that people rebuild capacitors, sometimes in the empty original cans to keep the vintage look

Here's one for paper caps:

http://www.earlytelevision.org/cap_replace.html

but I think I first noticed it on Bob Pletka's Eurotubes site.

S.

[Steve Conner]

I use them all the time. For my Ninja Deluxe project, I squished a 40 watt 6L6 amp with spring reverb and channel switching into a 5E3 cabinet. This wouldn't have been possible without the new small capacitors.

Having said that, miniature Alpha pots, solid-state rectifiers and CAD helped a lot too. And it still ended up weighing about 40lbs, straining the carrying handle to its limits :/