Old electrolytic capacitors

[Dillen_de]

Gentlemen,

I have deliberately not posted this in the offered for sale section, because an exact selling price is asked for there and I have absolutely no idea of the value - if any at all. I have a box full of old filter/reservoir electrolytic capacitors of the alu can types, that I've pulled from vintage radios/TVs when I scrapped them in my youth (read: in the 1970s).
They are single, double and triple caps, and I would be surprised if any of them still work, but I've read about restorers re-stuffing the old cans with modern components to make them look right and that makes me wonder what would be their likely value?

They are in Denmark but shipping is possible.

Martin

[Diabolical Artificer]

I think the answer is not a lot if anything. I save old electrolytics too, but mostly for use in breadboarding projects.You see handfuls of old pulls come up on ebay, but I've never seen them sell. Requests for older caps sometimes come up on the wanted section here but not often.

Andy.

[mark pirate]

Old electrolytics can sometimes be reformed successfully and be reused.
As previously mentioned they can be restuffed and used in a set where the original can has gone missing.

Andy is spot on regarding value, only prewar cans would be desirable in cases where the original has long gone.
Even then the value is only nominal.

Mark

[David Simpson]

Hello Martin,
Just scroll through the "Search" facility - there is a heap of info on testing & reforming electrolytics. Some of it quite recent.
Quite frankly, over in the UK, boxes of 2nd hand untested electrolytics often are sold at swap meets & radio club sales for just a £ or two. That would make it totally uneconomic for you to supply them from Denmark.
If your box contains stuff from the 70's, there is a good chance that many of them will re-form, and can be used for your own(or local Dansk vannen)
on-going projects.

Regards, David

[turretslug]

Very much concur with the above conclusions- I used to keep a small box of old salvaged multi-section/high voltage electrolytics but some time ago came to the conclusion that mains transformers and rectifier valves were getting sufficiently expensive and scarce that it just wasn't worth risking them when current-production HV types are so relatively good, compact and cheap. Some things here retain their original PSU caps, but I wouldn't replace with old, especially salvage.

Having said that, quite a few European capacitor makers adopted the threaded container/bung with large fixing nut format that was less widespread in British manufacture- it might be that someone concerned with originality of appearance would be interested in specifically getting hold of these, whether for re-forming or re-stuffing. I was never convinced of the long-term dependability of this form of connection but it has to be said that a lot of respected makers used them.

[Dillen_de]

Thanks for all inputs.
It made my decision regarding this sorry bunchs future much easier.

Martin

[high_vacuum_house]

As previously said, if they are just ordinary pre-war caps there is probably very little value though if there are pre-war ones, particularly those that are in rectangular wax cardboard boxes then these have some value as can be restuffed.

Might also be worth holding onto any with peculiar bases ECT.

Christopher Capener