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11-07-2018, 03:24 PM
Hi Yann
With all those amps it is important to power them up regularly to keep the electrolytic caps healthy. Electros are formed by voltage and need regular application of voltage to continue life as a capacitor.
Note that it is NEVER of benefit to use a higher-voltage-rated electrolytic cap than is needed by the circuit. If you place a 400V cap in a 50V circuit, over time that cap reforms to be good for 50V. Maybe it was what you had at the time? If later you need a high-voltage cap for a new circuit and pull this one out, you MUST start up the new circuit with heavy current limiting or the cap will fail. At this point in its life it behaves like a 50V cap and must be reformed to its original rating.
Note that you cannot do the opposite, trying to reform a 50V-rated cap to 450V.
The "NEVER" above refers to voltage and reliability benefits. Sometimes you might choose a higher-voltage cap because its physical size provides a different sonic signature than a smaller cap with appropriate voltage rating.
Have fun
With all those amps it is important to power them up regularly to keep the electrolytic caps healthy. Electros are formed by voltage and need regular application of voltage to continue life as a capacitor.
Note that it is NEVER of benefit to use a higher-voltage-rated electrolytic cap than is needed by the circuit. If you place a 400V cap in a 50V circuit, over time that cap reforms to be good for 50V. Maybe it was what you had at the time? If later you need a high-voltage cap for a new circuit and pull this one out, you MUST start up the new circuit with heavy current limiting or the cap will fail. At this point in its life it behaves like a 50V cap and must be reformed to its original rating.
Note that you cannot do the opposite, trying to reform a 50V-rated cap to 450V.
The "NEVER" above refers to voltage and reliability benefits. Sometimes you might choose a higher-voltage cap because its physical size provides a different sonic signature than a smaller cap with appropriate voltage rating.
Have fun
