Chinese capacitors - names please

[47'Plymouth]

What is the opinion of RicheyCaps out of Nashville,Tenn
Ya'll have any trouble out of those brand caps

[init4fun]

Originally Posted by N2IXK

The ohms range test voltage on VTVMs was typically provided by a 1.5V "D" cell battery, not derived from the line voltage.

You are correct about the VTVM , and in fact , there is only one handy way I know of to test higher voltage capacitors at close to their actual working voltages . This type of cap checker is capable of supplying up to 450 volts for the "dielectric breakdown" (leakage) function of test . These testers were made by Heathkit , Sprague , and RCA among others , and almost all of them use the eye tube as their method of indication .

No modern day , 9V battery supplied meter , will come close to the "real world" results produced by one of these . Sure , they can tell you value and internal resistance , but only the real world voltage test will reveal whether or not the cap will hold up at the intended operating voltage ....

PS , sorry for the crappy cell phone pictures , it's all I got to work with . If a picture is worth 1000 words , well maybe a somewhat blurry one is still worth a good 500 or so

[Kamakiri]

I just got a pretty big order from www.capacitorworld.net

Sure can't beat the prices. The manufacturers were a mix of parts, many of the filters were Nichicon. Used them in a couple sets already, they seemed fine. The only weird one was the 10 uF@ 450V, they were a lot smaller than others I've seen, but all the rest looked pretty much identical to Mouser fare.

I used to order everything from Mark Oppat, but I gave up on him. My orders were getting lost and not shipped.

[47'Plymouth]

I've noticed that he did that too he's got too many rental houses
I told I'd come and run the Cap business for him while he keep the rentals
Going!, but that fell on deaf ears I guess he lost interest in his radio supply

[Tubejunke]

Originally Posted by N2IXK

The ohms range test voltage on VTVMs was typically provided by a 1.5V "D" cell battery, not derived from the line voltage.

Exactly right; I don't know how I let that fact slip by me since I have the actual "C" cell sitting right in front of me. Interestingly, this Simpson was given to me to fix up, and when I pulled the cell out I could see that it was rather dated. It is a Union Carbide Eveready "Nine Lives" with 30 cents each marked on the side. I couldn't believe it when I checked the cell and it was still producing EMF after all these years! Usually they have leaked and corroded everything long ago, but not this one. Pretty neat!

Anyway, so we are still dealing with the fact that everyday capacitance test devices these days are using a very minimal voltage in performing the test. I am pretty certain that there are vintage testers that test under load. I'm not sure how easily one might be obtained or how reliable one might be. I sort of have a rule that I like to repair and use vintage equipment, but I don't want to have to repair or restore my test equipment, so if I can I like to try to find reasonably newer stuff that would not require restoration. Given, much of the old stuff like Simpson V.O.M.s (solid state) and Hickok tube testers are pretty much bullet proof. On the flip though, I don't really want to rely on a really old O-scope unless someone has given it the once over that knows what they are doing.

[Tubejunke]

Sorry, I didn't see Initforfun's Heathkit picture. THAT is the device to have if it is electronically sound. After all, it is full of capacitors its self, but it would be worth it I think to obtain one and get it up to speed. I am just wondering if they even make anything today that would be comparable.

I would absolutely LOVE to have that Heathkit unit!! Well kept vintage test equipment is about as neat as the radios and TVs we work on!

[init4fun]

Originally Posted by Tubejunke

Sorry, I didn't see Initforfun's Heathkit picture. THAT is the device to have if it is electronically sound. After all, it is full of capacitors its self, but it would be worth it I think to obtain one and get it up to speed. I am just wondering if they even make anything today that would be comparable.

I would absolutely LOVE to have that Heathkit unit!! Well kept vintage test equipment is about as neat as the radios and TVs we work on!

Hi Tubejunke ,

If at all possible to find one reasonably priced , you would gain a great test instrument by obtaining one of these . The one I showed is the C2 model which is in between the entry level CT1 and the top end model C3 . Any of these with the eye tube and a "leakage" function of testing are the ones you would want since they put a real 450 Volts DC on the cap under test . The really great thing about the C2 is that it only contained 5 capacitors and the recap of it cost less than doing a typical AA5 . It's a neat circuit in that it only uses two tubes , one is a rectifier and one is the eye tube itself . There are two 450 volt 8 MF electrolytics in a voltage doubler arraingement that take the rectified 220 VDC from the rectifier and turn it into the 450 V for the test .

Since it's such a handy instrument I use it to check all the caps coming out of , and going into , any tube equipment I work on just for kicks and grins . So far , I have found a few brand new caps that failed the test and lots of old used ones had leakage values deemed unacceptable .

Have a great day and Happy Restoring .

[Tubejunke]

Originally Posted by init4fun

Hi Tubejunke ,

Any of these with the eye tube and a "leakage" function of testing are the ones you would want since they put a real 450 Volts DC on the cap under test . The really great thing about the C2 is that it only contained 5 capacitors and the recap of it cost less than doing a typical AA5 . It's a neat circuit in that it only uses two tubes , one is a rectifier and one is the eye tube itself . There are two 450 volt 8 MF electrolytics in a voltage doubler arraingement that take the rectified 220 VDC from the rectifier and turn it into the 450 V for the test .

Gosh thanks man for leading me in the right direction and all of the specifics. This may sound ridiculous, but I have a Lambda C480-M regulated DC power supply unit that I have been trying to find some use for. It weighs as much as most vintage TV sets, so listing it in the classifieds didn't do too much good. Supposedly the military used these units and its almost crazy how tough the thing is built. There are 5 metal cased 6L6 tubes there along with several miniatures like 12AX7s and such. Really neat old piece given to me by my electronics professor who said he had it since he was a "kid" and now he is close to retiring.

Anyway, I wonder if I could use this to build more or less what you describe. My unit produces 400 Milli-amperes at 200 V.D.C. which is approximately where you are at before the doubler. Again, probably pretty ridiculous; especially if I were thinking this out from scratch, but the Lambda unit is already there without a use in the world other than as a back breaker.

Supposedly HAM radio people or home CB people might use stuff like this Lambda, so my efforts would probably be better spent finding related sites and unloading the thing and then seeking out a Heath-kit. That really seems like a must have item to me if they are out there for sale. This idea was just something that crossed my mind as by chance I have been tinkering with the Lambda lately. I bet it could be done though. Really, it is possible to duplicate just about anything electronic.

[init4fun]

Hey there Tubejunke ,

Yes Sir ! , I'll bet you could whip one of these up in an afternoon's tinkerings . I know it wouldn't be all slick and prepackaged like a commercially made product but the fun factor of breadboarding something like this would be great . The really neat thing here is that it is at it's essence a Bridge circuit and thus really isn't too component extensive . I will attempt to post the schematic of my C2 for you , so that if you do whip one up ya got a solid design to build from .

Have a Great Day and Happy Restoring

[brianweber4]

I've been buying caps from Just Radios and they may be Chinese, but they work great and seem to last for me.

With that said, as for things being junk from China, have you checked out any of the modern Chinese babes there? Believe me brothers I have and they are far far from being junk.

[Tubejunke]

Originally Posted by init4fun

The really neat thing here is that it is at it's essence a Bridge circuit and thus really isn't too component extensive . I will attempt to post the schematic of my C2 for you , so that if you do whip one up ya got a solid design to build from .

Hey, thanks a ton for the info, schematic and enthusiasm! Look, if you happen to see one of these Heathkit units out there for sale, please let me know. I am also looking for a good (NON DIGITAL) oscilloscope. Nothing fancy really, just modern enough to be reliable. Again thanks pal!!