McIntosh column pot connector to balance pot broken connection

[firealley]

hi folks,
I Need help to repair my Mcintosh 1900. The connection that comes from the volume pot and connects to the balance pot is broken. It's broken at the resistor. (I think). I'll post the pics. I've thought about repairing it with epoxy or replacing the resistor. Can someone out there give me some good advice?
Thanks to everyone in advance..

 

[Pio1980]

It appears to be a film capacitor. If it's working normally with balanced channels, you can patch that with epoxy for a simple quick fix.

 

[firealley]

Thanks, I should have also said that I wasn't getting any sound from my left channel. That's what caused me to start investigating. Also, I very carefully pushed the wire next to the film capacitor and the channel came back to life! So I know that this is the fix. Just not sure how best to fix it. Are foil capacitors easy to find?

 

[Pio1980]

Thanks, I should have also said that I wasn't getting any sound from my left channel. That's what caused me to start investigating. Also, I very carefully pushed the wire next to the film capacitor and the channel came back to life! So I know that this is the fix. Just not sure how best to fix it. Are foil capacitors easy to find?

Yes, very. If you can't replace with the same type cap, replace both in the channels.

 

[firealley]

Thanks for your advice!

 

[Pio1980]

http://vraj181.blogspot.com/2016/02/capacitor-color-codes.html?m=1

 

[KeyserSozee]

They're 0.22uf 250V capacitors (tropical filmsh), they're pretty cheap and easy to replace. If you're able to solder in a new pair that would be the best path to take as that one cap looks like toast, and they're known to be pretty fragile. If replacing I'd recommend as high quality of a capacitor as possible here, as it's directly in the audio path.

That cap is toast, because it 'works' when touching that lead doesn't mean its okay to reinstall. Do not epoxy it back on, you wouldn't be able to resolder a new cap there once that one fails. Epoxy is a nightmare to remove from something like that ...and replacing either one of those (Volume or Balance) Pots is a lot more work and money.

Take it to a friend that knows how to use a soldering iron, or watch some YouTube videos and do it yourself!

 

[KeyserSozee]

Good quality caps here are a good idea, but if you're into the stock/retro vibe ...I have a few NOS replacements I could send you

The two black Solen 0.22uf caps in the picture were some of the ones I went through before finally settling on the ClarityCap PX 250V that are in my MAC1900 now.

 

[MACKIE1975]

It is time for replacing all original electrolytic caps and there maybe some tantalum cap.

 

[Pio1980]

They're 0.22uf 250V capacitors (tropical filmsh), they're pretty cheap and easy to replace. If you're able to solder in a new pair that would be the best path to take as that one cap looks like toast, and they're known to be pretty fragile. If replacing I'd recommend as high quality of a capacitor as possible here, as it's directly in the audio path.

That cap is toast, because it 'works' when touching that lead doesn't mean its okay to reinstall. Do not epoxy it back on, you wouldn't be able to resolder a new cap there once that one fails. Epoxy is a nightmare to remove from something like that ...and replacing either one of those (Volume or Balance) Pots is a lot more work and money.

Take it to a friend that knows how to use a soldering iron, or watch some YouTube videos and do it yourself!

The epoxy would be only on the cap end of the lead, and intermittent if not ineffective since the connection is broken, so I'd withdraw the suggestion to glue it for a replacement.

 

[KeyserSozee]

Good call, for some reason I was thinking it was the other end of that lead ...epoxy away!
I'd doubt that cap would test anywhere near what it's supposed to read, so if you (the op) experience any attenuation or frequency discrepancies between channels after ...at least you'll know the culprit. GL

 

[Pio1980]

Good call, for some reason I was thinking it was the other end of that lead ...epoxy away!
I'd doubt that cap would test anywhere near what it's supposed to read, so if you (the op) experience any attenuation or frequency discrepancies between channels after ...at least you'll know the culprit. GL

Best to replace with similar type or two of the same type, one for each channel.

 

[firealley]

Great ! thanks to both of you...Okay , So to understand this clearly , I should replace both film capacitors. No epoxy..????????
I have the soldering equipment, but the only electric parts I've ever soldered are tuner lamps and speaker connections. If I'm replacing the film capacitors, I want to use the best possible. Are they available at most electronics store?
thanks

 

[c_dk]

Bringing up the best available could turn this into a 40 page thread.

Any electrical supply house should have some .22 film capacitors but I doubt a electronics store would have any unless they have a service department.

 

[Pio1980]

Good quality caps here are a good idea, but if you're into the stock/retro vibe ...I have a few NOS replacements I could send you

The two black Solen 0.22uf caps in the picture were some of the ones I went through before finally settling on the ClarityCap PX 250V that are in my MAC1900 now.

Great ! thanks to both of you...Okay , So to understand this clearly , I should replace both film capacitors. No epoxy..????????
I have the soldering equipment, but the only electric parts I've ever soldered are tuner lamps and speaker connections. If I'm replacing the film capacitors, I want to use the best possible. Are they available at most electronics store?
thanks

 

[firealley]

New old stock?

 

[firealley]

1.Do film capacitors have to be replaced with the exact original values?
2. Is there a positive and neg side of the film caps?
Sorry for asking basic questions but electronics isn't a strong suit for me..

 

[Pio1980]

Film caps are not polarized, but some indicate the outside foil orientation. These do not. Exact value isn't rigid for coupling caps, but close is best.
You do have an offer for exact replacements in this thread.

 

[firealley]

thanks so much for all your help! I'll let you know how the soldering goes. it will be the first soldering something besides lamps!

 

[firealley]

Good quality caps here are a good idea, but if you're into the stock/retro vibe ...I have a few NOS replacements I could send you

The two black Solen 0.22uf caps in the picture were some of the ones I went through before finally settling on the ClarityCap PX 250V that are in my MAC1900 now.