Jazzman's System

Hey, you will let me know if you hear about any more TFM's for sale, won't you?

Buying an extra amp is not at all a bad idea. Some are getting on in age and could stop working at any time. And you would need a spare when you send off the other to get repaired.

Buying an extra amp is not at all a bad idea. Some are getting on in age and could stop working at any time. And you would need a spare when you send off the other to get repaired.

Yes! Thanks thuffman! I was wondering how to explain that to my wife.

Buying an extra amp is not at all a bad idea. Some are getting on in age and could stop working at any time. And you would need a spare when you send off the other to get repaired.

Sending off amps for repair could get expensive I'll bet.
I wouldn't recognize a electolytic capacitors if one bit me on the ass but I hear those are what typically craps out in amps at about the 20 year mark. I've never done any electronics repair myself but I'm petty handy and would love to learn how to replace the caps in my amps myself (after boning up on basic electronics and practicing my soldering on some old busted radios or something). If I could find some instructions for dummies on how to refurbish my Carver amps (at the dummie's' own risk, of course)... I would jump on that in a NY minute.

Buying an extra amp is not at all a bad idea. Some are getting on in age and could stop working at any time. And you would need a spare when you send off the other to get repaired.

Sending off amps for repair could get expensive I'll bet.
I wouldn't recognize a electolytic capacitors if one bit me on the ass but I hear those are what typically craps out in amps at about the 20 year mark. I've never done any electronics repair myself but I'm petty handy and would love to learn how to replace the caps in my amps myself (after boning up on basic electronics and practicing my soldering on some old busted radios or something). If I could find some instructions for dummies on how to refurbish my Carver amps (at the dummie's' own risk, of course)... I would jump on that in a NY minute.

Jazzy,
Anybody with your skill set shouldn't have any problem replacing a few Lil ole caps !

Buying an extra amp is not at all a bad idea. Some are getting on in age and could stop working at any time. And you would need a spare when you send off the other to get repaired.

Sending off amps for repair could get expensive I'll bet.
I wouldn't recognize a electolytic capacitors if one bit me on the ass but I hear those are what typically craps out in amps at about the 20 year mark. I've never done any electronics repair myself but I'm petty handy and would love to learn how to replace the caps in my amps myself (after boning up on basic electronics and practicing my soldering on some old busted radios or something). If I could find some instructions for dummies on how to refurbish my Carver amps (at the dummie's' own risk, of course)... I would jump on that in a NY minute.

Jazzy,
Anybody with your skill set shouldn't have any problem replacing a few Lil ole caps !

I hope you're right about that Mr.500T--- Today I bought soldering tools and an electronics book for dummies. After I study up on this stuff for a while, it'll be time to download a service manual, identify and order the caps and then go for it. I now have a spare amp so I can afford to take my time with it. It's gonna make me cringe to open up a working amp and start desoldering caps, though.

Go for it. Guys like us ain't afraid of nothing.

It is always good to have extra amps around.

Sending off amps for repair could get expensive I'll bet.

Not as much as you think. I sent my TFM 55 off to Rita Helm, good friend of Bob Carver, and it cost me about $250 with shipping. Will be about $20 more since she just increased her price but she also stands behind her work and did a very nice job on my amp.

I know a total recap of my M-500t will cost me a little over $45 in parts, and a LOT of time.

So do you also have the parts list for recapping M500?

Thanks

Yes I do. Do you want it?

yes

  Code:

Carver Num     Qty Description      Panasonic     Digikey  Spacing  M-500 Component        Cost   Total  Comment
MS-16TW 471M    2  470µF 16v      EEU-FC1C471L   P10247-ND    3.5   C103-C104              $0.47   $0.94
MS100TW 1R0M   10  1µF 100v       EEU-FC2A1R0    P10765-ND     2    C119-C122, C135-C138   $0.24   $1.33 Buy 10
MS-50TW 1R0M    2  1µF 50v        EEU-FC1H1R0    P10312-ND     2    C123-C124, C517        $0.27   $0.54 Substitute 2 ^
MS-25TW 1R0M    0  1µF 25v (50v)  EEU-FC1H1R0    P10312-ND     2    C522                   $0.27   $0.00 Substituted 50v
MS-16TW 470M    3  47µF 16v       EEU-FC1C470    P11196-ND     2    C133, C605-C606        $0.34   $1.02
MS-16TW 101M    2  100µF 16v      EEU-FC1C101    P11198-ND    2.5   C134, C526             $0.34   $0.68
NP-25TW 470M    1  47µF 25v       ECE-A1EN470U   P1179-ND     2.5   C201                   $0.31   $0.31
MS-16TW 221M    1  220µF 16v      EEU-FC1C221    P11199-ND    2.5   C202                   $0.48   $0.48
MS-50TW 470M    1  47µF 50v       EEU-FC1H470    P10321-ND    2.5   C203                   $0.28   $0.28
MS-25TW 101M    1  100µF 25v      EEU-FC1E101S   P10269-ND    2.5   C525                   $0.23   $0.23
MS-16TW 100M    3  10µF 16v       ECE-A1CKG100   P910-ND       2    C527, C603-C604        $0.19   $0.57
MS-25TW 4R7M    1  4.7µF 25v (35v)ECE-A1VKG4R7   P920-ND       2    C528                   $0.19   $0.19 Substituted 35v
BC 80682YC60GH4 2  6800µF 80v     ECE-T1KA682EA  P10642-ND    22.5  C508-C509              $9.05  $18.10
BC 50682XB50CC3 2  6800µF 50v     ECO-S1HA682CA  P6686-ND      10   C510-C511              $5.20  $10.40
BC 80222M250CC2 2  2200µF 80v     ECO-SIKA222BA  P7505-ND      10   C512-C513              $4.89   $9.78
                                                                                           Total  $44.85


Notice that I bought 10 (only needed eight) of the 1µF 100v caps and sused the two extras for C123-C124. Then I bought 2 1µF 50v caps and used them for C517 and C522. Also notice I couldn't find a 25v cap for C528, so I bought a 35v one instead.

All these caps (except the non-polar) are 105ºC operating temperature. I'm having a hard time finding the 2200µF 80v cap in that temperature, and might have to go with an 80ºC cap in the future. In fact, all the caps in your M-500 are probably 80ºC caps now. BTW, prices may have changed a little since I did this.

Did you think about different brands of caps to install for sonic differences? I'm a rookie on this topic.