Where to find replacement caps?

nasbido

New Member
Hi,

Trying to find a place to buy a couple of these caps from the power supply of my 1960 rca VJT-59-W stereo. These caps are about 3" long. All the caps I find that seem to have the same specs are really small. Are caps much smaller then they use to be in the 60's?

The specs are 1500mfd 35 W.V. What am I missing?

Thanks.
 

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Yes, caps are quite a bit smaller now (for the same rating) compared to the caps of 30-40+ years ago.

Newer and better technology has shrunk the humble capacitor.

I recently replaced a pair of old 50V 10000uF elec caps with 75V 12000uF units, which were about half the size of the originals.
 
So the only specs I need when ordering new caps are 1500uf and 35v? Size has nothing to do with it? Unlike so many other things in life.
 
If the old cap mounts in a clamp, you may want to order a higher voltage cap, which will be physically larger, that will fit in the old clamp.
 
d3imlay; Going from a 1500uf 35v to a 50V in this case is an exercise in futility, size wise, unless he uses a sprague ATOM which are historically huge compared to other brands and 4-5 times the cost. With the Larger value caps, you can get some decent size results, but not generally with a smaller cap.

Nasbido; Go up in value to 2200uf and up in voltage to 50V. The increase in physical size from a 1500uf/35V is small. But you gain headroom in the value and voltage arenas where a lot of the time, the cap was sized based on the operating value and voltage plus a couple of percent, to keep the bean counters happy. Also 40-50 years ago even a 470uf 50V cap was huge compared to today's itty bitty caps of the same values. The resulting cap will be smaller by at least 1/2. Heatshrink tubing on the leads, and some kind of spacer around the new cap will hold it in. Depending on where in the circuit it is, you'll want either a low impedance or low leakage(electrically) cap. If it's in the power supply or not in the signal path, a NICHICON UPW series is a good choice, in the signal path, a Nichicon UKL series.

Larry
 
d3imlay; Going from a 1500uf 35v to a 50V in this case is an exercise in futility.........


I didn't specify a certain voltage. If the new cap is to fit, it may mean a 100v, 160V or even 350V cap would be necessary. I don't like arbitrarily increasing capacitance values without knowing the purpose of the cap. Doing so may change timing circuits, stress rectifiers etc.
 
I purchased some 2200uf 50v caps and put them it. OMG. The unit is no longer humming and I can now turn it up past 2 without it crackling and fizzing out. I realize now that the unit was on its deathbed and these two caps brought it back to it's 1960's love seat stereo goodness. I know there are probably more caps to change, but I'm good for now.

Thanks for everyone's input.
 

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