[Boatanchors] Reforming Caps- Mythology

[BLIMPY]

Amen !

I have been saying for years that "reforming" electrolytics is the bunk.

I have a set up on my workbench... a variac, with wattmeter and an outlet.

It is very easy to see the current draw, inrush current, and etc with this 
set up.

Now,  I do bring up old gear " slowly"  over a couple of minutes... with the 
wattmeter telling me very clearly when it isn't possible even to make a 
quick test.

I am rolling on the floor laughing when I read about guys slowly increasing 
the voltage over a two day period... what the Flip do they think they are 
doing to thier tube rectifiers during that period ?   Nothing good you can 
bet.  Unless they have separate fil transformers running at normal voltage.. 
this is more voodoo than anything else.

The materials, quality control, all the technology and  mfg standards of 
modern electyrolytics ( nichicon et al )  is so superior to the 40's 50's 
stuff, that it isnt even funny.  Like they told Dustin Hoffman... PLASTICS.

Leave the old cans for show, tuck the nice tidy new caps under the chassis.. 
and nickle to a donut the radio will be better than it was when new.

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Somebody is gonna give me thier apocryphal story about how thier 1959 DX-100 
still has it's 125 ufd filter caps and so does thier HP-23.
Well, so do mine, sometimes... and I can't explain it.  ( partly it is 
frequency of use.. partly no body is measuring leakage).. and the quality 
was high and relatively modern.

But I will say, that if you turn one of those thing on and hear this big 
WHUNG... as the inrush current beats the xfmr to shreds.. you are way past 
the point of beating the odds.. and it is time to shell out $ 10-12 for a 
pair of new caps for the HV supply.   Transformers should NOT run warm.. and 
if they do... you have now been told why.

I often have wondered why these particular caps  ( heath above) have lived 
so long.. but if I put them on a Teleomike and measured thier leakage.. I 
think maybe I would have my answer.. they arent so swift anymore.

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Amen again ..  by all means.. new iron is expensive and the right iron is 
hard to get, and not to be wasted foolishly.
Replace your  electrolytic caps as a matter of course, just as you would 
paper caps.

Like cleaning the radio... it's just a fundemental part of any radio 
overhaul.

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BTW..  I overhaul antique radios for collectors - offer a 3 year guarantee, 
longest in the USA - and after 20+ years I haven't had a single radio 
comeback for a failure yet.  Couldn't do that if I cut corners on capacitor 
replacement.

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End of sermon