Welcome To the Hoffman Amplifiers Forum

September 07, 2025, 06:09:32 am
guest image
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
-User Name
-Password



Hoffman Amps Forum image Author Topic: Cap can in place of separate caps  (Read 3056 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Joe6v6

  • Level 2
  • **
  • Posts: 392
  • Kill Ugly Radio !
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Cap can in place of separate caps
« on: April 08, 2018, 03:50:54 pm »
If I wanted to use a cap can that has a shared ground for 2 - 100 UF caps is there a way to wire it that would that would work for these two separate caps?
Tubeaholics dont want recovery they want tone!

Offline sluckey

  • Level 5
  • *******
  • Posts: 5075
    • Sluckey Amps
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: Cap can in place of separate caps
« Reply #1 on: April 08, 2018, 04:03:18 pm »
Sorry, impossible.
A schematic, layout, and hi-rez pics are very useful for troubleshooting your amp. Don't wait to be asked. JUST DO IT!

Offline Joe6v6

  • Level 2
  • **
  • Posts: 392
  • Kill Ugly Radio !
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: Cap can in place of separate caps
« Reply #2 on: April 08, 2018, 04:08:01 pm »
Thats what I thought - but I had to ask.    Thanks : Joe
Tubeaholics dont want recovery they want tone!

Offline dude

  • Level 3
  • ***
  • Posts: 1875
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: Cap can in place of separate caps
« Reply #3 on: April 08, 2018, 06:13:47 pm »
Those two caps are in series with two 220K balancing resistors, meaning the voltage rating is now 700 watts and only 50uf. Must be an amp that has high plate voltage.
« Last Edit: April 08, 2018, 06:16:15 pm by dude »
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Offline shooter

  • Level 5
  • *******
  • Posts: 11014
  • Karma Loves haters
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: Cap can in place of separate caps
« Reply #4 on: April 08, 2018, 07:08:37 pm »
fwiw
some have "gutted" old metal caps and repopulated with modern small caps, probably sneak in a couple R's also.    :dontknow:
Went Class C for efficiency

Offline Leevi

  • Level 3
  • ***
  • Posts: 1574
  • I love tube amps
    • Rikstone
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: Cap can in place of separate caps
« Reply #5 on: April 09, 2018, 05:30:31 am »
You can use the multi section cap in the following way.
Move the cap after choke in series with one of the multi section cap.

/Leevi
« Last Edit: April 09, 2018, 05:54:52 am by Leevi »

Offline 92Volts

  • Level 2
  • **
  • Posts: 385
  • I love Tube amps
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: Cap can in place of separate caps
« Reply #6 on: April 09, 2018, 10:42:40 am »
Those two caps are in series with two 220K balancing resistors, meaning the voltage rating is now 700 watts and only 50uf. Must be an amp that has high plate voltage.

Caps get expensive past 450v, and hard to find past 500v... this makes series caps necessary (or cheaper) for as low as 500v. Once a series setup was picked, 350v might have been cheapest or most available. I haven't seen many 275v caps, even if the voltage isn't high enough to require 350v.

This brings up another issue though, if the first set of caps needs more than 450v tolerance how can the second cap, after the choke be safe? Only if the tubes are warmed up and draw power the instant it's applied to that second cap. That's the function the standby switch, which we've now decided isn't needed, serves in these older amps.

I'd encourage rethinking this design based on what's available now-- cheaper caps, to use a series pair after the choke. That lets you forget about the standby switch which can cause more trouble than good (especially if it's protecting the PS caps, and you forget to use it!)

Offline Joe6v6

  • Level 2
  • **
  • Posts: 392
  • Kill Ugly Radio !
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: Cap can in place of separate caps
« Reply #7 on: April 09, 2018, 10:56:28 am »
Thanks for the replys - I was thinking the same thing about modifing a cap can in some way, I have attached the schematic Im going to be using. I probably wont use the fet input & also I will be using 5v taps on the power trans for the relays. If those 2 caps on the schematic add up to 50uf I dont see why I couldent just use 1 cap rated at 500v or would that not be enough? my power trans is 325-325 @ 200 ma.   Thanks : Joe
Tubeaholics dont want recovery they want tone!

Offline sluckey

  • Level 5
  • *******
  • Posts: 5075
    • Sluckey Amps
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: Cap can in place of separate caps
« Reply #8 on: April 09, 2018, 11:03:28 am »
I wouldn't even bother with stacking caps. The max B+ you can get from that PT in that circuit is 460VDC.
A schematic, layout, and hi-rez pics are very useful for troubleshooting your amp. Don't wait to be asked. JUST DO IT!

Offline dude

  • Level 3
  • ***
  • Posts: 1875
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: Cap can in place of separate caps
« Reply #9 on: April 09, 2018, 11:17:19 am »
47uf @500 volts are cheap and available, would work fine in that amp, IMO. You could buy two 100uf @350 wired in series but not needed, I have a 330-0-330 PT, with SS, B+ off the diodes is 425v loaded with EL34s. I have a 32uf @500v cap, no problems.




al
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 


Choose a link from the
Hoffman Amplifiers parts catalog
Mobile Device
Catalog Link
Yard Sale
Discontinued
Misc. Hardware
What's New Board Building
 Parts
Amp trim
Handles
Lamps
Diodes
Hoffman Turret
 Boards
Channel
Switching
Resistors Fender Eyelet
 Boards
Screws/Nuts
Washers
Jacks/Plugs
Connectors
Misc Eyelet
Boards
Tools
Capacitors Custom Boards
Tubes
Valves
Pots
Knobs
Fuses/Cords Chassis
Tube
Sockets
Switches Wire
Cable


Handy Links
Tube Amp Library
Tube Amp
Schematics library
Design a custom Eyelet or
Turret Board
DIY Layout Creator
File analyzer program
DIY Layout Creator
File library
Transformer Wiring
Diagrams
Hoffmanamps
Facebook page
Hoffman Amplifiers
Discount Program