Capacitor Cans

Express, Liverpool, Rocket, Dirty Little Monster, etc.

Moderators: pompeiisneaks, Colossal

rmroza
Posts: 52
Joined: Mon Aug 16, 2010 5:58 pm

Capacitor Cans

Post by rmroza »

anyone use capacitor cans (e.g. - 40/40/40) instead of the singular in the power supply section?

building another express and looking at drilling two holes and running cans!

robb
User avatar
M Fowler
Posts: 14036
Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2008 2:19 am
Location: Walcott ND

Re: Capacitor Cans

Post by M Fowler »

Yes I have done that before and I prefer the can caps to the stacked cap option unless I am building traditional TW for someone.

What I really find funny is how people love Marshall amps which use can caps but bad mouth the use of can caps as being somehow inferior to a cap board?

Mark
Last edited by M Fowler on Mon Feb 13, 2012 1:08 am, edited 1 time in total.
Gibsonman63
Posts: 1033
Joined: Wed May 27, 2009 1:59 pm
Location: Texas

Re: Capacitor Cans

Post by Gibsonman63 »

I put them in my Liverpool. I makes for a clean layout. If I was to do it again, I would consider moving the dropping resistors on them to get rid of some wire.
Bob S
Posts: 1575
Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2009 2:38 pm
Location: Up there with the Michiganders

Re: Capacitor Cans

Post by Bob S »

I've used cans - no problem. More real estate saved. Like Gibsonman says mount the string resistors direct onto the can lugs & save even more.
I separated the can negative wires to different chassis ground points.
Just to give some separation between the output & preamp sections. :wink:
Why Aye Man
User avatar
rooster
Posts: 1622
Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2008 8:50 am
Location: Pacific NW

Re: Capacitor Cans

Post by rooster »

+1 on separating the can grounds. :)

In truth, I have built them with a singular ground buying some large heat shrink and isolating can #2, but later considered this folly and skipped the heatsink, letting #2 ground itself where it sat. Either build was quiet, no audio difference. Eh, but the the *better* electrical logic goes to the method with two ground paths, IMO.
Most people stall out when fixing a mistake that they've made. Why?
User avatar
RJ Guitars
Posts: 2663
Joined: Tue Nov 14, 2006 3:49 am
Location: Los Alamos, New Mexico
Contact:

Re: Capacitor Cans

Post by RJ Guitars »

I think Dana Hall had the first post I saw on this idea and that amp apparently sounded great. Several of us have gone down that path since and I can't recall a bad report on the idea.

I have some photos that give you a look at how I implemented this idea. In a Rocket you have to do some planning ahead because the rectifier tube and output tubes are crowded pretty close to the spot you want to mount those can caps in.

I think the thing I like best about the can cap power supply filtering scheme is how clean it can be with the power resistors mounted right on the can lugs. This amp sounds awesome by the way.

In this case I also used a Vox power tranny so the whole thing looks a little different than the average Wreck.

rj
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Last edited by RJ Guitars on Mon Feb 13, 2012 7:48 am, edited 1 time in total.
Good, Fast, or Cheap -- Pick two...

http://www.rjguitars.net
http://www.rjaudioresearch.com/
http://diyguitaramps.prophpbb.com/
User avatar
dorrisant
Posts: 2790
Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2010 1:27 pm
Location: Somewhere between a river and a cornfield
Contact:

Re: Capacitor Cans

Post by dorrisant »

I love the JJ cap cans and the extra space... in a Rockster anyway.
"Education is what you're left with after you have forgotten what you have learned" - Enzo
RevD
Posts: 151
Joined: Sun Nov 19, 2006 9:21 am

Re: Capacitor Cans

Post by RevD »

What is the values on the can's you guys are using? I'm putting together a parts bin express and have a 40/20/20/20 and a 32/32. My thought was to use the 40/32/32 and the 20/20/20 segments for filtering. I suppose I could spring for a 40/40 can if I had to, finances are bleak at the moment though and I'm trying to use what I have. Considering the production tolerances 32 to 40 doesn't seem all that far apart. Obviously I'm not looking for any sort of close copy with the parts that I have, if I can get a good working tone I'll be happy with it. This will be a 6v6 output tube amp, I'm not interested in el34's, although I loved them in my old Marshall that I had to sell, it doesn't seem practical for anywhere I'd be playing. Thanks!

Regards,

Don
User avatar
martin manning
Posts: 14308
Joined: Sun Jul 06, 2008 12:43 am
Location: 39°06' N 84°30' W

Re: Capacitor Cans

Post by martin manning »

RevD, in your case I'd be inclined to use the 32/32 for the reservoir, and the 40/20/20/20 for the screen and preamp node filters. That would be the better arrangement for keeping the common grounds separated. The 32/32 may be larger than the stated value due to large plus-side tolerance, and you could easily test to see if it is large enough by tacking another 16 or 22uF in parallel.
RevD
Posts: 151
Joined: Sun Nov 19, 2006 9:21 am

Re: Capacitor Cans

Post by RevD »

Thanks Martin! I appreciate your response, that's the route I'll travel, I have quite a few single 16's and 22's (those old Tweed deluxe spare capacitors come in handy!:D ) . Much appreciated!

Regards,

Don
User avatar
M Fowler
Posts: 14036
Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2008 2:19 am
Location: Walcott ND

Re: Capacitor Cans

Post by M Fowler »

50/50 can and a 40/20/20/20 can
User avatar
rooster
Posts: 1622
Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2008 8:50 am
Location: Pacific NW

Re: Capacitor Cans

Post by rooster »

40-40-40 and 20-20-20 here, parallel two of the 40s(80)>choke>40, then move on to the PI and pres with the 2nd can.
Most people stall out when fixing a mistake that they've made. Why?
rmroza
Posts: 52
Joined: Mon Aug 16, 2010 5:58 pm

Re: Capacitor Cans

Post by rmroza »

cool. I'll use 40/40/40 and 20/20/20 cans on the next build. I think I found some CE's yesterday that are clones of Mallory's and use the same equipment to make them, soo sounds cool to me!
User avatar
rooster
Posts: 1622
Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2008 8:50 am
Location: Pacific NW

Re: Capacitor Cans

Post by rooster »

Yes rmroza, those are the ones I use. Not had any problems either. Not cheap but they seem to be built well.
Most people stall out when fixing a mistake that they've made. Why?
User avatar
dorrisant
Posts: 2790
Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2010 1:27 pm
Location: Somewhere between a river and a cornfield
Contact:

Re: Capacitor Cans

Post by dorrisant »

Just a thought... If you have some EL34s you might as well try them, at least to know what that option sounds like...

Tony
"Education is what you're left with after you have forgotten what you have learned" - Enzo
Post Reply