[TMC] Question for Richard - Reforming Caps

[Jeffrey L. Bauman]

Hi, Richard,

I have followed the "reform vs replace" capacitor debate for years.  For the
most part, I try the reform path.  I have had two disasters with this,
however.

The first was an electrolytic exploding in my Collins 75S3 shortly after I
set it up on my table at a swap.  It worked fine for hours previously but
gave up a lot of smoke just before the swap started - that after a noise
like a gunshot.

The second catastrophe was a melt-down of the power trasformer in my Sprague
TO-5 due to a leaky electrolytic.  That one really hurt.

But my question - off topic here, I guess .. Sorry guys - is this: You
mentioned  " The filter capacitors will reform if its just left running for
a couple of days".  Isn't any time spent once the leakage current has
dropped to spec wasted?  This usually takes minutes . not days.

Thanks,
Jeff
W8KZW