Are you sure you are using bipolar caps??
Replacement capacitors exploding
I replaced the capacitors in the crossovers in my Klipsch KSM-1 stage monitors.
There is a capacitor that runs parallel to the woofer which had blown in a couple of my dozen stage monitors. They are from the 90s, which is not ancient, but I figured maybe that age is a factor so I swapped them all out.
The replacement capacitors have all of the same numbers printed on them but are a fraction of the physical size, and in just one season almost all of them have blown. I don’t think they were being pushed harder.
Is there a way for me to order capacitors with the same specs printed on them that are also heavier duty in some other way?
There is a capacitor that runs parallel to the woofer which had blown in a couple of my dozen stage monitors. They are from the 90s, which is not ancient, but I figured maybe that age is a factor so I swapped them all out.
The replacement capacitors have all of the same numbers printed on them but are a fraction of the physical size, and in just one season almost all of them have blown. I don’t think they were being pushed harder.
Is there a way for me to order capacitors with the same specs printed on them that are also heavier duty in some other way?
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- 58 posts total
Oh, i see he did later clarify that it was in fact a BP/NP. Bipolar and Non Polarized are functionally identical. So if the voltage rating was the same it ought to work. That said, i would never want a Bipolar electrolytic where i could have a film cap. The film may be much larger, but will be far more linear and better sounding, and more reliable (like within its rating, pretty much forever). In fact i have some large value films, very old, depending on the value you need. I was trying to give them away without success some time back. |
oh and to someones point a DC offset might have an impact on a NP cap (if its big enough) but not on a film. Which brings up an interesting theory on how it failed originally - if in fact you have enough DC (easy to measure) a BP cap, which is designed for AC on a small, ideally zero, DC base (need the spec sheet for more) could have failed. And the replacement. Putting in a film would stop that failure but not the DC offset - which is likely applied to your woofer BTW. |
Examples of electrolytics, specifically for crossovers: (https://theaudiocrafts.com/x-over-parts/audio-grade-capacitors/bennic-non-polar-electrolytic-capacit...) and: (https://theaudiocrafts.com/x-over-parts/audio-grade-capacitors/panasonic-bipolar-andquot-for-audio-c...) For a large selection of quality crossover capacitors, these guys are a go-to: (https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/capacitors/) |
- 58 posts total