Filter Caps question

[groovyfingers]

Finally getting back to this old amp. 1940 Gibson EH-? Replacing the filter caps with same rating. The filter caps are a multi-section tubular electrolytic type (two 10/10 450), replacing with four 10uf 500VDC Sprague Atoms. The original caps have two positive lead wires and one negative wire. The positives are twisted, should I do the same? Does this cut down on noise? Then replace crumbling two-prong power cable with three-prong grounded power cable. I'll then start checking voltages. I'll need to have the speaker plugged in so I'll pull it from the cabinet to plug into the chassis while testing.

[R.G.]

The [original] filter caps are a multi-section tubular electrolytic type (two 10/10 450), replacing with four 10uf 500VDC Sprague Atoms. The original caps have two positive lead wires and one negative wire. The positives are twisted, should I do the same? Does this cut down on noise?

I believe it was just to use what capacitors they had. If the original had the two positive leads connected together, you can replace it with either two 10uFs in parallel or one 22uF.

Then replace crumbling two-prong power cable with three-prong grounded power cable.

One wiring change note. Old two wire setups often had one side of the AC connected to fuse, and the other to the power switch. Do NOT duplicate that. With three-wire, one incoming line is hot (120Vac with respect to ground), one is neutral (0V with respect to ground if no current is flowing through it to make a resistive loss in the wires) and the third is safety ground, 0V with respect to ground. You want to be SURE that the incoming hot/line wire goes first to the fuse, then to the power switch. The incoming neutral can go to the other AC wiring, but it's better yet if you replace the power fuse with at DPST switch, and have the power switch disconnect both hot and neutral.

Safety ground is connected ONLY to the chassis, on a bolt/nut/star washer setup that's reserved only for this.

I'll then start checking voltages. I'll need to have the speaker plugged in so I'll pull it from the cabinet to plug into the chassis while testing.

It would be really smart to have a light bulb limiter available to bring it up nondestructively.

Standard warnings and disclaimers apply: If you don't already know how to do the AC power wiring safely, don't try it until you get in-person help and training on how to do it right.

[Jazz P Bass]

"Standard warnings and disclaimers apply: If you don't already know how to do the AC power wiring safely, don't try it until you get in-person help and training on how to do it right. "
This point cannot be stressed enough.
There is a clear & present danger of electrocution when messing with the mains circuit.