Capacitors for Vintage English Electric Food Mixer - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Dazmond · 31st Mar 2015, 9:38 am

Hi Everyone,

I'm new here so this is my first post, but hopefully one of many!

I wonder if anybody could help me with a capacitor issue?

I am currently restoring an old 'English Electric' food mixer, i'd like to replace the old wax type capacitors found inside.

The capacitors are:

Dubilier SMT 513 0-25 MFD 1500v dc

Dubilier SMT 526 0.1 MFD 1500v dc

The markings are quite faded so there maybe some slight errors in the above, i've contacted Dubilier directly but they haven't responded - would anybody be kind enough to point me in the right direction as to where I can source some modern replacements?

I've looked on CPC, RS etc but i'm not 100% certain on which ones to go for.

Many thanks in advance,

Darren.

Radio_Dave · 31st Mar 2015, 12:10 pm

I've no experience with your food mixer but I'm guessing they are mains suppression capacitors? In which case they should be changed for modern class X2 or Y2, depending on how they're connected.

David

Dazmond · 31st Mar 2015, 5:10 pm

Hi David,

Thank you for your reply,

I've attached a photo of the little beasties, not sure if this helps?

They're not faulty as such but I'm replacing them as a matter of course as I believe these can cause safety issues?

Many thanks,

Darren.

Tractorfan · 31st Mar 2015, 5:59 pm

Hi,
I have a few vintage appliances here which have waxy suppression capacitors go pop over the years including film projectors, vacuum cleaners and an ancient 'Silex' hand mixer which was my mother's. All I've done is to cut out said capacitors and leave it at that. I've not had any problems at all.
Cheers, Pete.

31st Mar 2015, 6:07 pm

Quote:

All I've done is to cut out said capacitors and leave it at that. I've not had any problems at all

You are all right, it's the neighbours that will suffer from RF interference. Please for the sake of LW/MW and SW radio users put them back (with new ones).

Dazmond · 31st Mar 2015, 7:35 pm

Thank you for the tip but I think I'd sooner replace them, I want it to be as safe as possible with up to date components where needed.

Thanks,

Darren.

paulsherwin · 31st Mar 2015, 7:53 pm

Faulty suppression caps will not usually cause safety issues if the appliance is earthed. If they fail short circuit, they will blow the plug fuse or trip a breaker in the consumer unit. If they fail open circuit, they will just stop working, in which case the motor will generate more radio interference which may or may not be a problem for you and your neighbours.

Given that you are a beginner and that physically identical capacitors aren't be available today, I would leave them alone. They may soldier on for decades.

Dazmond · 31st Mar 2015, 8:41 pm

Hi Paul,

Thank you for your reply, yes I'm just starting out but I'm hoping to learn a lot.

I'll take your advice and leave them be, I was hoping to renew the wiring fitted to the caps too but I don't fancy trying to take the old ones of so I'll leave them as is.

I've replaced the main flex so I guess its time for a clean up and a respray!

Many thanks,

Darren.

Richard · 31st Mar 2015, 9:32 pm

Hi

They look to big to be suppression capacitors, and the voltage ratings to high.

I think they are motor run capacitors, but don't know why there would be 2 on such a small motor. This is assuming its not a brush motor?

Richard

Having looked again at the motor it looks like the motor rotor has windings on it, so it is a brush motor, which would not need start or run capacitors....

Dazmond · 31st Mar 2015, 11:01 pm

Hi Richard,

Thank you for your reply,
Yes it's definitely a brush motor, I've got the gubbins out of it so you can take a better look.

Incidentally the actual fault with it was those copper contacts which were all dull and corroded!

Many thanks,
Darren.

Mike Phelan · 1st Apr 2015, 10:07 am

Darren,

If the copper segments (commutator) were corroded the carbon brushes that bear on it probably need replacing as well.

There are places where you can obtain them. Google will help.

As Paul Sherwin says, don't worry about the capacitor, just leave it as is.

Dazmond · 1st Apr 2015, 5:34 pm

Hi Mike,

Thank you for your reply, yes sorry my fault I didn't really go into much detail there.

The brushes could do with a clean but otherwise look fine, with the copper contacts I meant the operating switch, both sides were quite corroded but 10 minutes with a fibre pen sorted them out so all seems to be good.

The unit now runs whereas it didn't before, I just need to swap the main flex for something safer, part of it runs into one of the capacitors so rather then disturb that I may cut it back further along and join it there.

All the best,

Darren.

Dazmond · 1st Apr 2015, 8:59 pm

I tried a bit of googling on this model and virtually nothing came up, however for those of you that are interested I did find a wiki article on the company, by the looks of it they're responsible for some pretty significant creations!

Link - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Electric

AC/HL · 2nd Apr 2015, 2:22 am

They certainly were, my Father worked for them from Demob to Retirement, but a good proportion would be OT for the Forum.

31st Mar 2015, 9:38 am	#1
Dazmond Hexode Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: York, North Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 254	Capacitors for Vintage English Electric Food Mixer Hi Everyone, I'm new here so this is my first post, but hopefully one of many! I wonder if anybody could help me with a capacitor issue? I am currently restoring an old 'English Electric' food mixer, i'd like to replace the old wax type capacitors found inside. The capacitors are: Dubilier SMT 513 0-25 MFD 1500v dc Dubilier SMT 526 0.1 MFD 1500v dc The markings are quite faded so there maybe some slight errors in the above, i've contacted Dubilier directly but they haven't responded - would anybody be kind enough to point me in the right direction as to where I can source some modern replacements? I've looked on CPC, RS etc but i'm not 100% certain on which ones to go for. Many thanks in advance, Darren.

31st Mar 2015, 12:10 pm	#2
Radio_Dave Nonode Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Norwich, Norfolk, UK. Posts: 2,543	Re: Vintage Capacitors for Food Mixer I've no experience with your food mixer but I'm guessing they are mains suppression capacitors? In which case they should be changed for modern class X2 or Y2, depending on how they're connected. David __________________ http://www.youtube.com/ My Nixie Clocks

31st Mar 2015, 5:10 pm	#3
Dazmond Hexode Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: York, North Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 254	Re: Capacitors for Vintage English Electric Food Mixer Hi David, Thank you for your reply, I've attached a photo of the little beasties, not sure if this helps? They're not faulty as such but I'm replacing them as a matter of course as I believe these can cause safety issues? Many thanks, Darren. Attached Thumbnails

31st Mar 2015, 5:59 pm	#4
Tractorfan Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: St. Frajou, l'Isle en Dodon, Haute Garonne, France.(Previously: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, UK.) Posts: 3,184	Re: Capacitors for Vintage English Electric Food Mixer Hi, I have a few vintage appliances here which have waxy suppression capacitors go pop over the years including film projectors, vacuum cleaners and an ancient 'Silex' hand mixer which was my mother's. All I've done is to cut out said capacitors and leave it at that. I've not had any problems at all. Cheers, Pete. __________________ "Hello?, Yes, I'm on the train, I might lose the signal soon as we're just going into a tunn..."

31st Mar 2015, 7:35 pm	#6
Dazmond Hexode Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: York, North Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 254	Re: Capacitors for Vintage English Electric Food Mixer Thank you for the tip but I think I'd sooner replace them, I want it to be as safe as possible with up to date components where needed. Thanks, Darren.

31st Mar 2015, 7:53 pm	#7
paulsherwin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 27,966	Re: Capacitors for Vintage English Electric Food Mixer Faulty suppression caps will not usually cause safety issues if the appliance is earthed. If they fail short circuit, they will blow the plug fuse or trip a breaker in the consumer unit. If they fail open circuit, they will just stop working, in which case the motor will generate more radio interference which may or may not be a problem for you and your neighbours. Given that you are a beginner and that physically identical capacitors aren't be available today, I would leave them alone. They may soldier on for decades.

31st Mar 2015, 8:41 pm	#8
Dazmond Hexode Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: York, North Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 254	Re: Capacitors for Vintage English Electric Food Mixer Hi Paul, Thank you for your reply, yes I'm just starting out but I'm hoping to learn a lot. I'll take your advice and leave them be, I was hoping to renew the wiring fitted to the caps too but I don't fancy trying to take the old ones of so I'll leave them as is. I've replaced the main flex so I guess its time for a clean up and a respray! Many thanks, Darren.

31st Mar 2015, 9:32 pm	#9
Richard Heptode Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Garnant, near Ammanford, South Wales, UK. Posts: 657	Re: Capacitors for Vintage English Electric Food Mixer Hi They look to big to be suppression capacitors, and the voltage ratings to high. I think they are motor run capacitors, but don't know why there would be 2 on such a small motor. This is assuming its not a brush motor? Richard Having looked again at the motor it looks like the motor rotor has windings on it, so it is a brush motor, which would not need start or run capacitors.... __________________ BVWS member. Last edited by Richard; 31st Mar 2015 at 9:35 pm. Reason: Looked again.

31st Mar 2015, 11:01 pm	#10
Dazmond Hexode Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: York, North Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 254	Re: Capacitors for Vintage English Electric Food Mixer Hi Richard, Thank you for your reply, Yes it's definitely a brush motor, I've got the gubbins out of it so you can take a better look. Incidentally the actual fault with it was those copper contacts which were all dull and corroded! Many thanks, Darren. Attached Thumbnails

1st Apr 2015, 10:07 am	#11
Mike Phelan Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Near Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK Posts: 4,609	Re: Capacitors for Vintage English Electric Food Mixer Darren, If the copper segments (commutator) were corroded the carbon brushes that bear on it probably need replacing as well. There are places where you can obtain them. Google will help. As Paul Sherwin says, don't worry about the capacitor, just leave it as is. __________________ Mike.

1st Apr 2015, 5:34 pm	#12
Dazmond Hexode Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: York, North Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 254	Re: Capacitors for Vintage English Electric Food Mixer Hi Mike, Thank you for your reply, yes sorry my fault I didn't really go into much detail there. The brushes could do with a clean but otherwise look fine, with the copper contacts I meant the operating switch, both sides were quite corroded but 10 minutes with a fibre pen sorted them out so all seems to be good. The unit now runs whereas it didn't before, I just need to swap the main flex for something safer, part of it runs into one of the capacitors so rather then disturb that I may cut it back further along and join it there. All the best, Darren.

1st Apr 2015, 8:59 pm	#13
Dazmond Hexode Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: York, North Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 254	Re: Capacitors for Vintage English Electric Food Mixer I tried a bit of googling on this model and virtually nothing came up, however for those of you that are interested I did find a wiki article on the company, by the looks of it they're responsible for some pretty significant creations! Link - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Electric

2nd Apr 2015, 2:22 am	#14
AC/HL Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 9,642	Re: Capacitors for Vintage English Electric Food Mixer They certainly were, my Father worked for them from Demob to Retirement, but a good proportion would be OT for the Forum.