[R-390] Re: [R-390A] Electrolytic Can Filters C603 & C606

[Lee Bahr]

I want to thank everyone on the reflector for their help given regarding the
C603 and C606 capacitors.  Some of the help was given privately and some
over the reflector.  I appreciate all the response and I now know I have
alternative solutions and a way out of this if I do screw up the old caps.
I have decided to rebuild them myself if possible for the learning
experience.  If that fails, I'll use alternative A or B or C.  It feels good
to know I have a fix one way or another if I mess up the old caps.

I was given the following advice and probably the best solution from them
needs to be decided by each individual when replacing existing C603 and C606
caps in his own receiver, depending on the value of TIME, COST, SKILL, and
APPEARANCE:

1.  Rebuild the old ones, "it's easy", (cut with dremmel tool, heat can,
pull guts out, clean with solvent, screw in screws into old pins, cut off
screw heads and solder new caps to pin screws.  Then epoxy old can head to
base alighning can parts as it was before cutting apart).
2. Same as above but "it's difficult" and all brands of replacement caps
don't fit the old can space.
3.  Hand wire discrete caps in the radio and forget the cans, rebuilding
isn't worth it.
4.  Fit an aluminum tube sized to fit an octal tube base and make your own
can to fit new caps within the tube.  The 8 pins will hold the caps in place
without the holding bracket as needed with the old caps.
5.  Buy old caps from Fair Radio if they still have them to attempt solution
#1 over again.  (Fair Radio does not include these caps when buying an audio
module from them).
6.  Buy old pin caps from flea markets and rebuild them per solution #1.
7.  Buy ready recapped C603 and C606 caps from Frontier who does this
professionally.

Hank Arney says he had some labels made up with his name on them to cover up
the splice area of the can after re-capping.  I've been thinking for someone
doing this infrequently,  a person could make up his own labels by using
aluminum tape used on heating/air conditioning pipes.  The stuff is
available at places like The Home Depot.  You could then make clear labels
with black lettering to affix over the aluminum tape once it is in place
over the splice.  The aluminum tape sticks to metal like crazy and it is
fairly heat resistive too.  The joint would look very professional.

Well, that's what list members sent me regarding C603 and C606.  Again, I
want to thank all those that took the time  and responded to me.  Hopefully
your info will  help others facing the same problem make their decision on
how to best approach replacing C603 and C606.

73,
Lee, w0vt
Houston