Multi-can cap?

[jimi]

I'm after a multi-can cap 32uf+32uf+16uf 350v or something similar at 35mm diameter. Does anyone know where to get one?

[Tom Phillips]

WeberVST makes custom can caps at reasonable prives. Check at www.tedweber.com
Tom

[Enzo]

Valies are not critical. Try looking for a 40-40-20 @ 450. Might be more common. Or for that matter a 40-20-20-20 @ 450 and wire two of the 20s in parallel to make a 40.

Look at these from www.tubesandmore.com

40-20-20-20/525v #C-EC40-20x3-525
40-40-20-20/525 #C-EC4020x2-525
30-20-20-20/525 #C-EC30-20x3-525
30-30-30-10/475 #C-EC30-30-30-10

ANd others. And also from same source, JJ makes a nice cap:
40-20-20-20/500 #C-EC40-20x3-500
It requires a mounting clamp, which they sell, but it is slightly fatter than your spec at 41mm

Personally I avoid can caps and mount the far less expensive plain old axial lead individual caps around the chassis

[jimi]

The caps at AES seem expensive. Weber seems more reasonable but he doesnt say what diameter they are. I find his ordering info a bit confusing. What is a wafer? I looked at the jj cap but the clip they sell wont do it, the cap is mounted horizontally in the chassis.
I cam accross some info on rebuilding caps by cutting the can open, cleaning it out, and fitting some axial caps in there. Looks interesting. Has anyone tried this? It would be cheaper and would look like it still had the origonal vintage cap .

[Tom Phillips]

“The caps at AES seem expensive”.
They are for the functionality you get but they are reasonably priced for a can multi-cap style. Cost is high because production is relatively low and the market does not support much competition. Most people do not use multi can caps for new designs.

“Weber seems more reasonable but he doesn’t say what diameter they are. I find his ordering info a bit confusing. What is a wafer?”
Yea - the site is confusing to me too. Would be good if he included some pictures and dimensioned drawings. The wafer is the base used if you want to insulate the can from the chassis. Ted Weber is good at responding to email questions if you contact him.

“I came across some info on rebuilding caps by cutting the can open, cleaning it out, and fitting some axial caps in there. Looks interesting. Has anyone tried this? It would be cheaper and would look like it still had the original vintage cap”.
Thought about it but never did it because I have been able to buy replacements that would do the job even if they were a little pricy I thought they were worth it. The cans are crimped closed so if they are cut open I don’t see how you can close them back up and still make them look good. Prying the crimp open would really bugger them up. I also worry about being exposed to the chemicals inside. Not sure what that stuff is.

My 2 cents worth,
Tom

[carl gigun]

As you'd expect this issue comes up whenever you're tuning up old tube gear. I prefer to leave the old can caps in place to keep the stock look but not use them in the circuit. Usually there's plenty of room to put modern axial caps near the circuit they power. Placing the individual caps close to the tube they supply is supposed to have some advantages, so it seems like an easier way to go that works just as well if not better than the original layout. You can always wonder if the old style caps and long wires might have sounded more "vintage", but you could sit around wondering that forever...

[jimi]

This is a small amp the terminals on the can have dropper resistors across so putting the caps elsewhere would be awkward. The cap is situated by the transformer which is where it is earthed to the chassis. If i put it further away I would not want to earth it localy because it may cause hum. I could run a wire back to earth it but then I end up with a long wire. It may or may not cause problems depending on how the amp is laid out.

[Enzo]

Sometimes when I face this, I mount a little terminal strip in the nearby area. It makes a handy point for the ends of the caps as well as little things like resistors.