Filter capacitor

[suislidE03]

A couple of you guys may remember me posting about a bad cap earlier, and im starting to get some motivation to fix it myself sence the shop here is 6-8 weeks behind (terrible). I cracked open the chassis a few days ago and noticed there are about 5 small caps rated at 15uF 450v in various places on the PCB, but no others. However, there is a 3" long 50uF 500v cap hanging outside of the chassis behind the power tubes. Is this it? Im not positive since there is only one, and ive heard most amps have more. The replacement would be this: http://www.tubedepot.com/cp-ft-50x2-500v.html

Hopefully someone can point me in the right direction cause im not about to wait 2 months to get my amp back for something i could do in 10 mins. I read this thread about amp safety a while back, and it helped. Thanks guys.
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=15508&highlight=filter+capacitor

 

[Jeff Seal]

Re: Filter capacitor

A couple of you guys may remember me posting about a bad cap earlier, and im starting to get some motivation to fix it myself sence the shop here is 6-8 weeks behind (terrible). I cracked open the chassis a few days ago and noticed there are about 5 small caps rated at 15uF 450v in various places on the PCB, but no others. However, there is a 3" long 50uF 500v cap hanging outside of the chassis behind the power tubes. Is this it? Im not positive since there is only one, and ive heard most amps have more. The replacement would be this: http://www.tubedepot.com/cp-ft-50x2-500v.html

Hopefully someone can point me in the right direction cause im not about to wait 2 months to get my amp back for something i could do in 10 mins. I read this thread about amp safety a while back, and it helped. Thanks guys.
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=15508&highlight=filter+capacitor

Having read the original thread, I would doubt very seriously you have any type of capacitor issue, rather something more along the lines of bad connections in the send and return jacks...on the back of the amp..(jumper the two jacks together with a short cable and see if that resolves it)
OR bad solder connections internally....these being just educated guesses...

...as a side note, I'm a tech and my shop is 5-6 weeks backlogged.....most shops are backlogged due to the very few amount of tech's coming up through the ranks..... I had 9 amps come in today alone, and when it's added to list of the other 128 that are already here....you might get a better idea of the work load....some amps take less than an hour, some require more than 12... I know this can be "frustrating" for all parties, but that's the way it is!

Jeff Seal

 

[suislidE03]

Re: Filter capacitor

Hmm.. thats interesting. Even the tech i talked to over the phone mentioned a cap problem, but now im just more worried that it will be something i cant fix. The only send return jacks are for the fx loops, which i switched off when i got the amp. You really think that could be the problem? Here is the original thread if you dont mind putting some more thought into it (which i would thoroughly appreciate)
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=28193

Also, the problem hasnt been as bad since ive been putting more hours on it. It wouldnt play at all when i first got it, now the problem only occurs 10% of the time, and sometimes not at all.

 

[kmcguitars]

Re: Filter capacitor

Sounds to me Like you have a Gremlin running loose in your amp,And you
will NOT be able to fix it on your own. (unless you can find something odd
By just looking at the componets & conections?) Filter caps Normaly
detereate over time. The amp will sound raggy and the bass notes
will be weak. (were talk'in over 20 years time) It's odd a filter cap would
work intermittanly? I don't mean to Flame you But Jeff S. is well
Respected amp Tech/Guru on the board. I,Myself wouldn't 2nd guess
anything he said. I know it stinks to be without a amp for awhile, But
I would take it to a quilfied tech and have it looked at B4 a small problem
becomes a big (Expencieve One) Best wishes.

 

[Dodger]

Re: Filter capacitor

How do u replace filter caps? Do you just buy the matching ones then snip and solder? My amp is atleast 15 years old i wouldnt know if that has been done to it.

 

[suislidE03]

Re: Filter capacitor

Sounds to me Like you have a Gremlin running loose in your amp,And you
will NOT be able to fix it on your own. (unless you can find something odd
By just looking at the componets & conections?) Filter caps Normaly
detereate over time. The amp will sound raggy and the bass notes
will be weak. (were talk'in over 20 years time) It's odd a filter cap would
work intermittanly? I don't mean to Flame you But Jeff S. is well
Respected amp Tech/Guru on the board. I,Myself wouldn't 2nd guess
anything he said. I know it stinks to be without a amp for awhile, But
I would take it to a quilfied tech and have it looked at B4 a small problem
becomes a big (Expencieve One) Best wishes.

Im not second guessing him by any means, I just want to get it right the first time, with the least amount of pain/money loss if you know what i mean. Reason why my mind is set on the filter cap is that the sticker inside the chassis says '95, but the handwriting is terrible and i could be wrong. If i am right, then it is 10 years old, and i hear that amps should be recapped every 10 years. Any more thoughts? (always appreciated)

 

[rspst14]

Re: Filter capacitor

I really hope you properly drained the filter caps before you went poking around inside. If not, consider yourself extremely fortunate that you didn't get a nasty electrical shock.

Ryan

 

[suislidE03]

Re: Filter capacitor

Well, while im not totally educated on electronics i do know how to identify the majority of the parts in an amp, and i dont go touching everything either lol :smack:

 

[rspst14]

Re: Filter capacitor

If you touch the filter cap to remove it, you could be severely electrocuted. Since you're not familiar with properly draining the charge from the amp, do not try to fix anything yourself. Take it to a tech and let him fix it.

Ryan

 

[suislidE03]

Re: Filter capacitor

Well i would have to do alot of learning before i did try to do it myself, but i think Jeffs advice helped.. this series of laney amps has alot of options on the effects loop, and since he was talking about the "jacks" on the back of the amp, i figured i would look around, and i noticed that i switched the effects loop to bypass right before i hooked everything up and started to play. I switched it back to the standard and i havent had the problem since.. i think it may have worked. Thanks jeff, glad you were around haha.

 

[Jeff Seal]

Re: Filter capacitor

Well i would have to do alot of learning before i did try to do it myself, but i think Jeffs advice helped.. this series of laney amps has alot of options on the effects loop, and since he was talking about the "jacks" on the back of the amp, i figured i would look around, and i noticed that i switched the effects loop to bypass right before i hooked everything up and started to play. I switched it back to the standard and i havent had the problem since.. i think it may have worked. Thanks jeff, glad you were around haha.

Hopefully that got it...... ...trust me even my gear doesn't break until I get to the gig.... :smack:

Jeff Seal