JohnA Posted October 11, 2019 Share Posted October 11, 2019 Hi ILI, In my working life I was an Environmental Engineer and did a little PCB work. Since yours are leaking, and are from 1972, they should be replaced. Do not be alarmed. Caps that old MAY contain PCB oil. LARGE exposure to PCB oil for a long time can be a health hazard. PCBs were designed to be inert, non-reactive oils and they do just that, nothing, and will barely burn, good for electrical stuff. Use good gloves to protect your skin. They clean-up easily with Hexane, unleaded gasoline/petrol will do just fine, but do it outside. Dab and wipe the spilled oil with a petrol saturated cloth and dispose of the waste and caps per your local disposal rules. Where I live, household waste is exempt from special rules (quantities are small). No finger licking! 😂 http://www.nepc.gov.au/system/files/resources/378b7018-8f2a-8174-3928-2056b44bf9b0/files/anzecc-gl-identification-pcb-containing-capacitors-information-booklet-electricians-and-electrical.pdf See page 4. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeloManiac Posted October 12, 2019 Author Share Posted October 12, 2019 10 hours ago, JohnA said: Hi ILI, In my working life I was an Environmental Engineer and did a little PCB work. Since yours are leaking, and are from 1972, they should be replaced. Do not be alarmed. Caps that old MAY contain PCB oil. LARGE exposure to PCB oil for a long time can be a health hazard. PCBs were designed to be inert, non-reactive oils and they do just that, nothing, and will barely burn, good for electrical stuff. Use good gloves to protect your skin. They clean-up easily with Hexane, unleaded gasoline/petrol will do just fine, but do it outside. Dab and wipe the spilled oil with a petrol saturated cloth and dispose of the waste and caps per your local disposal rules. Where I live, household waste is exempt from special rules (quantities are small). No finger licking! 😂 http://www.nepc.gov.au/system/files/resources/378b7018-8f2a-8174-3928-2056b44bf9b0/files/anzecc-gl-identification-pcb-containing-capacitors-information-booklet-electricians-and-electrical.pdf See page 4. Thanks for the advice. I'll take the necessary precautions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeloManiac Posted October 16, 2019 Author Share Posted October 16, 2019 On 10/11/2019 at 1:53 PM, ILI said: Well... , I ordered these, just to have them/test if it makes any difference. Update: Today I finished this little restoration project by installing these Jantzen Cross caps. One of the old caps was indeed slightly leaking, so that was the main reason for replacing them. Never having soldered before, I found it a little daunting, but all is fine. Probably not the cleanest soldering, but I double checked all connections and was very happy the speakers produced sound when reconnected! It took me about two hours to do it and the total cost (caps and soldering gear) was about €40. The sound now is ok, first I thought that perhaps there was little less bass, but the sound is a bit more ballanced between the highs and the lows, sounds less mellow. I would like to thank you all, who helped me and encouraged me to do this. Buying these Heresy I speakers was a wise decision. From the beginning, I wanted to do a minimal restoration, but these old caps needed replacement for safety reasons. So now they are good for another 50 years... 😀 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeloManiac Posted October 20, 2019 Author Share Posted October 20, 2019 Do capacitors have a 'burn in' time? After recapping my C-crossover with Jantzen Cross Capitors, it seems as if my Heresy I pair have improved remarkably after a week or so, esp. in the low frequencies. Or is it my brain/ears adapting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrestonTom Posted October 20, 2019 Share Posted October 20, 2019 I am sure there are others who will have a different opinion ..... I can't imagine any physical changes happening to the capacitor over a period of minutes, hours, days or weeks. Additionally, the two caps are for the mid-range and tweeter only. The output of the woofer is determined by the driver itself, the box geometry, room placement, and the inductor. So the low frequencies would be unchanged by the capacitors (broken in or not). Good luck and I am glad the project has worked out for you, -Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted October 20, 2019 Share Posted October 20, 2019 When the higher frequencies smooth out and aren't as aggressive, the bass is easier to hear. Metallized capacitors are called "self healing". What would a brand new capacitor need to be "healed" from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeloManiac Posted October 20, 2019 Author Share Posted October 20, 2019 I get it. It's between my ears. 🤔🤔 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted October 20, 2019 Share Posted October 20, 2019 Did you investigate what self healing means? See my response in your other thread where you asked the same question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeloManiac Posted October 20, 2019 Author Share Posted October 20, 2019 3 hours ago, PrestonTom said: Additionally, the two caps are for the mid-range and tweeter only. Being a noob. I did't know this. My biggest surprise when opening the speakers was that the tweeter and squawker horns are cast iron... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted October 20, 2019 Share Posted October 20, 2019 3 hours ago, ILI said: I get it. It's between my ears. 🤔🤔 Nm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted October 20, 2019 Share Posted October 20, 2019 1 hour ago, ILI said: the tweeter and squawker horns are cast iron... Cast aluminum, actually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeloManiac Posted October 21, 2019 Author Share Posted October 21, 2019 6 hours ago, Marvel said: Cast aluminum, Is it still the case for modern day heritage speakers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted October 21, 2019 Share Posted October 21, 2019 Newer horns are an injected molded synthetic of some kind. Different depending on the size and type of horn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WMcD Posted October 30, 2019 Share Posted October 30, 2019 Let me second Marvel's good comments. I recently bought a used K500. Examined while numounted it sounds like a cast iron skillet when tapping it with a finger nail. But the refrigerator magnet test shows it is not iron. I think aluminum is much easier than iron to machine when creating the threaded hole for the screw-on driver. WMcD 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted October 30, 2019 Share Posted October 30, 2019 11 hours ago, WMcD said: I think aluminum is much easier than iron to machine when creating the threaded hole for the screw-on driver. Unless it's a funky alloy, aluminum also has a lower melting point. It might make casting a bit easier, but I wouldn't know. Bob has a cast aluminum 600Hz and 700Hz horn that he had made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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