[ARC5] RBB Receiver Question - bath-tub caps

[Kenneth G. Gordon]

On 8 Mar 2019 at 15:52, Glen Zook via ARC5 wrote:

> Although they have generally lasted considerably longer than other paper type 
> capacitors, the "oil filled" (bathtub, etc.) capacitors are now starting to fail on a 
> regular basis.  Not replacing them, even if they check "OK", is just creating a time 
> bomb with an unknown time of detonation.  When the supposedly good capacitor 
> goes bad, it can often take a lot of expensive, often almost impossible to find 
> replacement, components.  Replacement capacitors are very inexpensive and are 
> definitely good insurance against considerable damage in the future.

I heartily agree.

>
> From: Richard Knoppow <1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com>
> 
>     Yes, you do have to worry about replacing them or at least checking them. Oil 
> filled caps tend to be much longer lasting than the wax kind but the paper can still 
> degrade with time. Check a few for leakage and ESR. Some may still be good.     
> My RCA AR-88 had a lot of bathtub oil filled caps in it. The gaskets around the 
> terminals disintegrated allowing the oil to leak out. I replaced them all. OTOH, the 
> filter caps are oil filled paper like transmitting caps and are still good. 

I have two Scott RCH receivers here, also nomenclatured as SLR-F. One of these, at least, 
has several failed bath-tub caps, one of which, in the RF stage (which is almost completely 
"deaf"), is almost impossible to reach without major dismantling of the receiver.

Ken W7EKB