Grainger's Fast Break In Method for Caps

[Deke609]

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

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

[Karl5150]

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.

[Deke609]

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.

[Paul Birkeland]

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.

[Deke609]

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?

[Paul Birkeland]

Highlighting the potential risks.

[Paul Joppa]

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.

[Deke609]

Many thanks PJ.