Bottlehead Forum

General Category => Technical topics => Topic started by: Deke609 on January 13, 2019, 05:07:13 AM

Title: Grainger's Fast Break In Method for Caps
Post by: Deke609 on January 13, 2019, 05:07:13 AM

There are a number of references to Grainger's method on this forum, but the links are broken.

Here is a working link to Grainger's post on the now-archived Audio Asylum Bottlehead forum: https://db.audioasylum.com/mhtml/m.html?forum=bottlehead&n=134386&highlight=fast+break+in&r=&search_url=/cgi/search.mpl (https://db.audioasylum.com/mhtml/m.html?forum=bottlehead&n=134386&highlight=fast+break+in&r=&search_url=/cgi/search.mpl)

Does anyone know whether multiple caps can be broken in at the same time using Grainger's method by putting them in either parallel or series?

Edit: fixed and tested the wonky link - it should now work.

cheers,

Derek

Title: Re: Grainger's Fast Break In Method for Caps
Post by: Karl5150 on January 13, 2019, 01:33:30 PM

Don't remember the specifics of Grainger's method. I insert 1 in each channel of the + speaker line of the garage stereo, tune to static (?) and let it play for 3-4 days.

Title: Re: Grainger's Fast Break In Method for Caps
Post by: Deke609 on January 13, 2019, 02:16:58 PM

What about breaking in multiple caps at the same time on the same line? What would be better for break-in, in series or in parallel?

I'd like to experiment with different values of output caps by building a switchbox of different values of already broken in caps for quick comparisons.

Title: Re: Grainger's Fast Break In Method for Caps
Post by: Paul Birkeland on January 13, 2019, 02:19:14 PM

Quote from: Deke609 on January 13, 2019, 02:16:58 PM

or in parallel?

Amplifiers that aren't unconditionally stable won't be very excited about having a cap connected across the speaker terminals. 

Any of the Bottlehead tube power amps won't mind this though.

Title: Re: Grainger's Fast Break In Method for Caps
Post by: Deke609 on January 13, 2019, 02:30:54 PM

Thanks PB.  So, do think in parallel is better than in series for break-in? Or did you simply mean to highlight the potential risks of going parallel with other amps?

Title: Re: Grainger's Fast Break In Method for Caps
Post by: Paul Birkeland on January 13, 2019, 03:09:09 PM

Highlighting the potential risks.

Title: Re: Grainger's Fast Break In Method for Caps
Post by: Paul Joppa on January 13, 2019, 03:23:51 PM

Since nobody knows for sure how break-in works for caps, the only way to tell whether series or parallel is better would be to do the experiment. I am not aware of any documented results from such an experiment.

That said, I will speculate that you need AC current, the more the merrier, so I'd put them in parallel so each cap sees the highest voltage (and carries the highest current) possible.

Title: Re: Grainger's Fast Break In Method for Caps
Post by: Deke609 on January 13, 2019, 03:36:37 PM

Many thanks PJ.