Testing capacitors for orientation of outside foil end

[@choimdachoim9491]

Or...plug a cable into an amp and touch the leads of the capacitor to the ground, etc. at the other end of the cable. So quick, so easy, so wonderful.

[@Technostiel]

This is an ingenious method to test!

[@NewReligion1954]

I find it really only necessary on high gain build using caps at .0022uf and lower but being somewhat OCD i do it anyway. I need a new O-Scope...♫

[@Technostiel]

Hopkins Marshall-Mods Do you know wich wire of the capacitor goes to the ground arm of the Master Tone potentiometer in a passive bass circuit and wich wire goes to the top of that potentiometer for the shielding effect? The outer foil on the ground arm and the other wire to the top of the potentiometer?

[@NewReligion1954]

Follow the attached link to my facebook page for entire layout of foil orientation. David Hopkins...♫ facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2727027864081236&set=a.133010450149670&type=3&theater

[@kwacz]

I tried the oscilloscope method but couldn't get it to work. Then i tried this method with an old audio amplifier i had and it worked great. Thanks.

[@NewReligion1954]

You are very welcome.

[@renemikkers6404]

I have tried this method of finding the outher foil it is a very cost effective method. Sometimrs I had to adjust the gain of the amp a little

[@NewReligion1954]

Thanks for sharing. David

[@ProjetHomeStudio]

It doesn't prove much, because once mounted the caps are never touched / applied pressure upon.

[@Homer19521]

I will try this, thanx. I also put my Fluke 189 on AC mV & do the same thing, looking for the lowest voltage as I grab the cap. I will see if your technique matches mine.

[@NewReligion1954]

Great Idea. I’m glad it may help you. I use an oscilloscope these days. David Hopkins

[@swangonzalez4797]

Does this apply to installing orange drops in Les Paul Control Cavities? If yes what would be the benefits of proper orientation? Thank You

[@NewReligion1954]

No. at .022uf injecting an AC signal into an amp there is no concern there. I ensure correct orientation because I builds very high gain amps & often use values much smaller than .022uf...♫

[@ericwilson2585]

Yeah, it would seem ta me that this would be of most importance in a high gain amp.

[@bikdav]

I’m confused. I thought that foil capacitors were non-polarized.

[@giulioluzzardi7632]

Thanks, you just have to check em all I suppose to be on the safe side. Is the out-side of the foil the positive?

[@NewReligion1954]

at .0022uf and lower I do.

[@picksalot1]

Do you think that capacitor orientation (polarity) makes any difference on the "Tone Pot" of a guitar? I don't have an oscilloscope, so your method looks handy. Thanks

[@NewReligion1954]

No. The potentiometers are variable resistors Mot capacitors.

[@EmopunkDr]

@@NewReligion1954 So excuse me if I ask again just to be sure. When installing caps on guitar tone pots, no need to test orientation since it will make no difference? I hope you will find the time to reply. Thanks!

[@NewReligion1954]

@@EmopunkDr My Stratocaster's, Ibanez Custom Shop's, $ Gibson Les Paul's all use .022uf Caps. Orientation will likely not be noticeable in this value or higher. I use .0022uf caps for coupling caps on some of my high gain amp modifications. With this value of .0022uf the noise to very noticeable to my ears. The following link will take you to my method of using a oscilloscope. studio.kzbin.info52oIUQH8SCc/edit?o=U

[@vintagetubeamplifiers]

@@NewReligion1954 No, when using tone caps in guitars it doesn't matter, it only matters when they're installed inside the amplifier.

[@NewReligion1954]

@@vintagetubeamplifiers Agreed since everything in the control cavity is grounded. ♫

[@johnmiller9219]

why must you keep turning the amp off and on?

[@NewReligion1954]

You don’t have to. I do it out of good practice when handling components & avoid added ground noise when changing sides. In summary avoiding complacency.

[@angelooliveira7757]

A newbie trying to improve his sound. No electronics experience of note. Have a. Orange tube amp . What are the safety concerns . Can you get electrocuted by this . What are the precautions to take. Thank you . Ps. I dont want to damage my amp.

[@NewReligion1954]

There is always a possibility of electrocution. My view on this is if one must ask it is best the individual take some time and read data on electronics before jumping into a guitar amp with upwards of 500+ VDC. With the process I demonstrate, no as we are just testing for the quietest end of the cap. As for getting inside the chassis, do some reading first is my advice. ♫

[@ronfrey5327]

HUGE HELP needing to mark orange drop caps. Ill have to desolder them one by one mark replace but at least Ill know which is the quiet end.. I also have an amp which does not have them marked but they are installed.. So ill make this and try testing them all and reinstalling them the correct direction then power the amps up. much thanks for great idea..

[@NewReligion1954]

You are very welcome. David ♫

[@russellesimonetta3835]

The sozo's are good for fenders. Have you tried the mojo dijons?? They say those are great for marshall sound.

[@NewReligion1954]

Hello and thanks for the question. I agree. I do not care fore the Sozo's in a Marshall circuit. Yes the Mojo Dijons sound great for most applications. My go to caps are Mallory 150/Sprague 715/Green Polyesters. They all have their place in my circuits for my ears. I remember certain amp guys telling me when I started how it does not matter. Wow, how wrong they were.

[@russellesimonetta3835]

@@NewReligion1954 thanks for the answer. I think the mallory 150's are awesome in a fender circuit. They are cheap too. What do you like for electrolitics? I hate IC AND DON'T LIKE THE ORANGE DROPS.

[@NewReligion1954]

@@russellesimonetta3835 Nichicon for cathode bypass caps. Original Mustards are great in most circuits when available but I have quite a collection of them stashed away. There are so many great caps that are no longer available like the old yellow Ploy's from circa 1976 etc... I am on the fence with Silver Mica and find that ceramic performs better IMO for the fizz cap and a lot of the custom point to point work I do but I have my recipe's for the Hopkins Growl/Grind/Cry thing. Resistors are just as important IMO. I watch guys drop loads of money on CC for terrible resistors as they drift way far and are noisy. The only advantage is that you can connect a meter and file away carbon until you reach a lower desired resistance. David Hopkins...♫ :)

[@russellesimonetta3835]

@@NewReligion1954 thanks man. I'm a drummer by trade and began playing 5 to 6 nights a week when 64 fenders were new. Amps are fascinating. I've played next to great and horrible.

[@GTguitarworks]

Just so I understand; The foil end is the negative end, which is the end you mark?

[@NewReligion1954]

Correct. Do not trust the markings from most factories as 50% will be wrong in my experience as they just mark these for QA/QC fulfillment requirements is my guess.

[@kelvinlee7423]

Great video. Thanks alot.

[@NewReligion1954]

Yare very welcome. David Hopkins ♫

[@DemonKingOFFICIAL]

If you are only dealing with one in a circuit, you can just install in one orientation, listen, and then in the other… and the correct orientation will present itself. The wrong way will be noisier, and to my ears, have a lesser frequency response.

[@NewReligion1954]

Yes, that too will work. I use an oscilloscope for this task, it makes the process more efficient and I’m not soldering components in & out exposing the circuits to as little heat as possible & minimizing flux splatter. Thanks for posting, David Hopkins

[@jeeplvr2000]

How do you do this with an oscciloscope?

[@k13m13]

Google is your friend here, there are also good videos to be found online.

[@NewReligion1954]

I am on my Mobil phone & can’t reach the KZbin channel. If you go to KZbin, then type in “ Hopkins Marshall-Mods “ just as it appears you can scroll down to easily find my oscilloscope methods. I hope this helps. David Hopkins

[@BlankBrain]

Thanks for your video! I bought some 4.7µF and 22µF polypropylene caps (they're big), and tried to determine the foil end with my scope. I couldn't detect any difference. I'm now pretty sure that's due to the high capacitance, and not something wrong with my test method.

[@NewReligion1954]

Yes anything above .047uf even in very high gain amps usually will not display anomalies.

[@BlankBrain]

@@NewReligion1954 Thanks for the clarification of capacitance value.

[@ledlardo]

Outstanding

[@NewReligion1954]

I’m glad it may help you. David Hopkins

[@lexzbuddy]

Excellent

[@NewReligion1954]

I’m glad you found it helpful. David Hopkins

[@michaelkelly1251]

OK this is the truth about how I found this. Yes, I have seen Mr. Carlsons lab. Yes, I know there is a difference. Why do I need this information that you have so greatly provide? Because I have an Old oscilloscope. Eico 480 model Wide band. It's not working so I ordered a bunch of Capacitors and resistors just like Mr. Carlson would be proud of me for doing, and going on his advice. I have also seen his Foil side capacitor checker. But it needs the Scope I haven't repaired yet. The whole reason I want this is because I play guitar and drums and bass and record. I like the idea of having dedicated pedals rather than a one size fits all. That's where the noise and hum comes in. It also stands to reason that if by some stroke of bad luck you buy a wrongly marked capacitor, and replace your tone cap or treble Bleed cap, then you have just added unneeded noise. I want the oscilloscope to examine the waves I get with different op amps etc. You sir just solved my problem. Oh and if a smaller size cap works best it may even work if you have a large size but parallel it with smaller one and use that one to test for noise something I am going to check perhaps in series even. Thank you from the guy who really can appreciate your way of thinking .

[@NewReligion1954]

You are very welcome. David

[@deandee8082]

you marked the capacitor, so that makes it which end? - or +? I think you're full of it myself, lets say your little test works, you had the red lead on the end with the circle or marked end? and in your little test that was the quietest end or so you say, but you say they marked it backwards? huh, you think the circle denotes negative? you didn't really show anything here, lets say I touch a cap to the jack, and its quieter a certain orientation, WHICH end is then +? the end that's touching the tip of the jack right? then which end do we solder to the ground, the negatived end or the positive end, clarity, we need clarity not just that if you touch it to a jack it can be louder one way as apposed to another if you touch the paper.. imma say the - end is soldered to ground and the quietest orientation makes the lead touching the tip of the jack +, prolly wrong tho

[@NewReligion1954]

Preface: Link Below - It's just basic electronic science. This is an easy way for people to make a proper determination as the outer paper is wrong on most make and models at about 50% because they are just slapped on to appease QA/QC. This process is not critical on caps at or larger than .022uf. The line identifies the less insulated end there fore should be placed in the circuit in accordance with proper orientation. Most people do not own an oscilloscope nor know how to use an oscilloscope but I will attach a link below that I did using an oscilloscope. David Hopkins ♫ kzbin.info/www/bejne/a2PSeoiHfZ2GecU

[@darrenconway6701]

I am a professional electronics engineer and I declare this method far too simple.

[@erin19030]

Bogus BS

[@NewReligion1954]

Required for serious high gain builders. If you know how to use an oscilloscope attached is additional scientific proof. BS = Be Smart...♫