[Russtafarian]

I just picked up some Jantzen Z-Superior 0.22 uF 1200V caps for coupling caps in my tube amps.  To burn them in I’m thinking of wiring them up in series to a 100w light bulb, then plugging them into a variac and run them at around 20VAC for a few days. 

Assuming of course that this is wired correctly and safely, will this work or am I about to do something stupid?   Would more or less AC voltage be better? 

Thanks for your help.

Russ

[turkey]

I just picked up some Jantzen Z-Superior 0.22 uF 1200V caps for coupling caps in my tube amps.  To burn them in I’m thinking of wiring them up in series to a 100w light bulb, then plugging them into a variac and run them at around 20VAC for a few days. 

Assuming of course that this is wired correctly and safely, will this work or am I about to do something stupid?   Would more or less AC voltage be better? 

Thanks for your help.

Russ

I'm not at all convinced that things like these caps "burn-in." However, if you're going to burn them in, it's probably best to do so by installing them in the amp and using it. If it really requires "burn-in," it needs to be under the conditions you will be using it in.

[Mike B.]

burn in usually involves a broad range of sound being pumped through the cap. The cable conditioners I have seen produce a variety of tones and levels to do it. The variac will just pump voltage at 60 hertz though the cap. It will help stabilize the cap to working temps, so not a waste if that is all you can do.

[turkey]

It will help stabilize the cap to working temps, so not a waste if that is all you can do.

How warm will a cap in series with a light bulb get on 20 VAC? How does that relate to how warm it will typically get in-circuit in a tube amp?

[Mike B.]

How warm will a cap in series with a light bulb get on 20 VAC? How does that relate to how warm it will typically get in-circuit in a tube amp?

Good point. It would be more effective at 100% voltage

[turkey]

Good point. It would be more effective at 100% voltage

Which is why I suggested that the best bet might be to just install it in the amp and use the amp normally. A few days of use and thermal cycling as you turn it on during use and off afterwards should accomplish whatever "break-in" is needed.

[BobM]

Just wire the cap from the + to + on a male and female RCA jack. Run a separate wire from - to - on the jacks, then pulg that between your CD player and your interconnect. Play CD's on repeat for 100 hours and you're OK to go.

[turkey]

Just wire the cap from the + to + on a male and female RCA jack. Run a separate wire from - to - on the jacks, then pulg that between your CD player and your interconnect. Play CD's on repeat for 100 hours and you're OK to go.

I thought the OP said the caps were to be used as coupling caps in a tube amp? I don't see that what you suggest is anything like that environment.

[BobM]

This is just for burn-in. Not for any permanent usage. Basically you are throwing the cap on the output of the CD player, as a coupling cap, to burn it in. Same usage.