Identify capacitors for my pre amp.

[phoenixpete]

Hope someone can help.

I have just bought a valve pre amp supposedly made by Oscar Svalander but it has been dissasembled and now resides in 3 rack mount cases. 1 for the power supply and 1 for each channel pre amps.

After having a look inside the main capacitor on one of the mono's has been leaking brown stuff.
The writing on the alluminium can reads, AC 5862/C
Bianchi
Circle. 200uf Triangle.50uf
25uf 300v
Square. 100uf 325v
70c

Also on the side of the can it reads Koenig 6403.
I can't find anything like that on the capacitor lists on the websites I have looked on.
Could this be done by using single capacitors of each value?
Any one got any ideas?

:cool:

[6L6]

It's a multi-section can cap of some type, there is a company that makes things similar, but not an exact replacement...

http://www.tubesandmore.com/products/multi_section_can_type?sort=recommended&page=ALL

I would look into a few discrete caps instead of the can if you have the room, or can make the room.

Also, could you please take a well-lit, in focus photo of the insides where this capacitor is mounted? That would be extremely helpful to make an informed suggestion.

Cheers

[phoenixpete]

It's a multi-section can cap of some type, there is a company that makes things similar, but not an exact replacement...

http://www.tubesandmore.com/products/multi_section_can_type?sort=recommended&page=ALL

I would look into a few discrete caps instead of the can if you have the room, or can make the room.

Also, could you please take a well-lit, in focus photo of the insides where this capacitor is mounted? That would be extremely helpful to make an informed suggestion.

Cheers

Thanks for that :)

I will take a couple of pictures tomorrow.
There is plenty of space but limited height as the pre's are in 19" rackmounts that are only about an inch and a bit high..

:cool:

[6L6]

The photos will be an immense help. Thanks.

If you have lots of area but little height, you will probably want to lay the capacitors down.

[phoenixpete]

Taken some photo's Jim.

Only 3 wires connect to the Cap, one goes to the circle symbol,
One goes to the Earth on the Cap body, the other one is connected to the other symbols and a fourth terminal that has no symbol,so there are four tags in the centre of the Cap.
There are also two small blue caps and two small grey caps or resistors (not sure )which. that are also connected accross the cap terminals.
See pictures :)

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p294/phoenixpete_2006/P9220274_zpsdc230511.jpg
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p294/phoenixpete_2006/P9220273_zpse61d4ddf.jpg
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p294/phoenixpete_2006/P9220266_zps9db24146.jpg
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p294/phoenixpete_2006/P9220267_zpsd8517b32.jpg
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p294/phoenixpete_2006/P9220268_zpsc8d06742.jpg
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p294/phoenixpete_2006/P9220269_zpsb36b2ebd.jpg
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p294/phoenixpete_2006/P9220270_zps2d224154.jpg
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p294/phoenixpete_2006/P9220271_zps012a5326.jpg
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p294/phoenixpete_2006/P9220272_zps13750666.jpg

:cool:

[Mr Kipling]

Hi Pete,

That's not THE Oscar Svalander? Talks with foreign accent. Has a 'tache. Walks with a bit of a limp. Often wears a smoking jacket and purple cravat. Has a brother called Sven - they don't get on. Oh, not THAT Oscar Svalander.

So it was YOU that bought it! Saw it and thought it was probably worth it, just for the parts.

As there are only 3 wires going to the capacitor one can only be Earth and the other two + volts, so two of the four sections (200uF 50uF 25uF and 100uF) must be connected in parallel. It's still hard to see though from the photos. The two small capacitors will be bypass ones. It's hard to tell if the two grey items are further bypass capacitors. They might be bleed resistors to discharge the capacitors quickly.

Anyway, you could replace it with several individual ones having a voltage similar or greater.

Think I would have tried for a neater layout to cut down on wire length.

Kind Regards,
Stephen

[phoenixpete]

Hi Stephen.

Different Oscar Svalander this one :)

Svalander Audio. Not sure when it was made but they don't seem to make anything like it now.

Not the best layout as you say, it looks like whoever altered it just used some old rack mount cases they had, as the power supply which is not very substantial being only for a pre amp is in a huge ex power amp case all on its own.:mental:

When I saw it on the website I thought ( like you ) it was worth it as I noticed it had the very nice Elma stepped attenuators and Elma switches for selectors.

It actually looks allright now I have cleaned it up and aligned the switches to all the same orientation.

I think as you say as the cap seems to be mostly grouped together I could probably find single caps or two doubles to do the same job.

I will be taking it to a friend of mine's next week for him to take a look and hopefully tell me what can be done.

I also have a nice set of four Mullard EF86 from my quad II days that I can use in it.

[6L6]

Those photos are helpful.

The can cap is still a bit of an enigma, but it seems that the blue caps are the film bypass caps, and the grey ones seem to be balance resistors on a capacitor stack. Or bleeders.

The best solution would be 4 separate caps - it will be the easiest to source, you would probably to get exact values or at least pretty close, an as you have practically infinite room in the chassis, mounting them will be very easy.

[phoenixpete]

Those photos are helpful.

The can cap is still a bit of an enigma, but it seems that the blue caps are the film bypass caps, and the grey ones seem to be balance resistors on a capacitor stack. Or bleeders.

The best solution would be 4 separate caps - it will be the easiest to source, you would probably to get exact values or at least pretty close, an as you have practically infinite room in the chassis, mounting them will be very easy.

Thanks Jim. :thumbsup:

Like you say looks like it is easier to replace the one multi cap with seperate ones.

Will I still need to use the smaller caps and the grey things? Also would each new cap need them added?

I am handy with a soldering iron and I like a bit of DIY but as for the electronics theory I haven't got a clue.

If you have the time could you possibly tell me exactly what is needed and how it would be connected?

Thanks.

[6L6]

I will be happy to help in any way possible. I will PM you my email.

As for your questions, would you need to replace the small blue ones? Not really.

Replace the resistors? Yes, but just use the ones you have.

It would be extremely helpful if you can sketch out the connections or draw a schematic of the can cap/resistors/blue caps/wires etc. I can't actually see what's happening from the photos.

This will be an easy repair, so don't worry. :)

[phoenixpete]

Hi Jim.

Got your PM. :cool:

Thanks for your help, I will try and send you a diagram but I will have to ask my wife to help me transfer it to an email message :doh:

[diceman]

Nice to see someone picked this up and is sorting it out. I nearly went over a couple of weeks back to pull the lid and see what was inside.

What was the PSU like?

[phoenixpete]

Nice to see someone picked this up and is sorting it out. I nearly went over a couple of weeks back to pull the lid and see what was inside.

What was the PSU like?


Hi Diceman.

Yes, thanks to Jim for trying to help me, I have sent Jim a better explanation of the connections so he can figure out what I need to replace the leaky multi tag can capacitor ( I will of course duplicate what Jim suggests for the other mono pre.)

The Power supply.
Nothing special as it is just what was originally the power supply that was in the single box along with the pre amp section.

Very big box with about 10lbs of copper as the enclosure with a power transformer a couple of caps and some wires :scratch:
Will take a couple of pictures of the inside tomorrow if you like.

[diceman]

Hmm - copper, nice. I did suspect the description of "brass chassis" was copper.

No need for pics - it will only make me kick myself harder :-)

[6L6]

A large need for pics -- I want to see!!! :) :) :P

I got your email, I will try deciphering it in the morning.

[phoenixpete]

A large need for pics -- I want to see!!! :) :) :P

I got your email, I will try deciphering it in the morning.

Sorry jp :) Jim wanted to see.:D

The top plate on the power supply may not be copper after all, not sure now.
It is though at least 1/8" thick and very heavy.

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p294/phoenixpete_2006/P9250281.jpg
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p294/phoenixpete_2006/P9250278.jpg
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p294/phoenixpete_2006/P9250279.jpg
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p294/phoenixpete_2006/P9250280.jpg
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p294/phoenixpete_2006/P9250282.jpg
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p294/phoenixpete_2006/P9250283.jpg
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p294/phoenixpete_2006/P9250285.jpg
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p294/phoenixpete_2006/P9250284.jpg