Blaupunkt Arkansas 59 Audio Problem

[G6Tanuki]

It doesn't matter which way round it goes, it's not a 'polarised' component like an electrolytic capacitor.

And yes, modern parts are a lot smaller! That's one of the benefits of 50 years of technological progress!

[Techman]

Originally Posted by Jordan T

Hi Folks. My capacitors have arrived. Can anyone tell me which way round the new yellow capacitor should be placed? There doesn't seems to be a ring or an arrow. Also this new capacitor is much smaller than the one Im replacing. Is this correct?

Thanks, Jordon

There is actually a right and a wrong way to connect this type of capacitor in this type of circuit, but you don't need to worry about it. A google search on the subject will tell you all you need to know and you can do a test to find which is the 'marked' end on an unmarked capacitor - it's to do with inner and outer foil connection and the outer foil should ideally go to the low impedance side of the circuit and inner foil, which is screened by the outer foil should go to the high impedance side of the circuit, ie, the control grid of the EL84. If you feel you really want to do a bit of bedtime reading, then you'll find a lot of discussion on the subject, including various YouTube videos etc. It's all to do with reducing possible hum pick up, which you're unlikely to notice on that gram.

Regarding capacitors and what someone said regarding testing the surrounding resistors, some of them do look a little discoloured, but I'm trying to keep things simple and stop you from doing a lot of unnecessary extra work and possibly create unwanted man made faults on an old circuit board with possible lifting tracks etc. I noted on one of your pictures (first one in post #13) that there was a 2uf @ 350 volt electrolytic capacitor, which I couldn't spot on the diagram. These low value electrolytics can sometimes be unreliable and it might have been an idea to replace it, however, without knowing its board identification number it could be a manufacturing change and is one of the ones you're already replacing, but only you will know that, as you have the board and chassis in front of you and will be able to compare with your circuit diagram.

You also asked about a valve in an earlier link and I forgot to say at the time that Hot Rox and JJ valves are all good as far as I know.

Good luck with it and make sure you get those electrolytic capacitors the right way round - old ones are marked at the positive end and new ones are marked at the negative end. If you're in ANY doubt, ask before applying power.