Opinions on cap kit

[kn8243]

Guy on the bay has a kit for restoring an array of fishers. Since I have not tackled restoring one yet i'm thinking about purchasing a kit from him. anyone purchase one from him? I'm dying to get my 400 up and running. Aside from what he provides and the selenium bridge what else should I purchase.

Thank you all.

 

[audiodon]

Metalbone?
Have you done this kind of thing before?

 

[jonboy55]

I have used Metalbone and have been happy with his service and parts on both a 400 and 800c.

As Audiodon asked "have you done this kind of thing before?".

You have to know soldering, schematics, etc.

 

[kn8243]

I have used Metalbone and have been happy with his service and parts on both a 400 and 800c.

As Audiodon asked "have you done this kind of thing before?".

You have to know soldering, schematics, etc.

This would be my first. I'm still learning a great deal. Not a whole lot of 22 yr olds know how to do it so that is the most enticing thing about it. I restored the car in my avatar so i'm looking for another challenge, this time a little smaller. If need be I can just ask my uncle who just so happens to be an electrical engineer. So its a stepping stone but i'm familiar with soldering and stuff. Green light on this project?

 

[audiodon]

Yep. You've got the requisite skill to know how to perform mechanical tasks, how and when to walk away, and how and when to ask for help, you're halfway there.
Green light.

 

[kn8243]

Yep. You've got the requisite skill to know how to perform mechanical tasks, how and when to walk away, and how and when to ask for help, you're halfway there.
Green light.

Haha. Thank you for the green light. Won't lie the underside of these old amps are legit insane. Won't lie its very scary. haha. I'm just glad i have AK to post questions if I run into any. Other than the kit which replaces all the underside caps is there anything else I have to purchase, the large caps on top, ect. I want this thing to last me forever...

 

[audiodon]

Do one set of things at a time. The metalbone kit is a good start and will sharpen your skills.
These look like a rats nest underneath but:
1. They're point to point wired - there are no circuit boards
2. A lot of the wire routing is so you don't have noise problems
3. People made the same sections of these daily and knew what they were doing.

It's not that much messier than the wiring harness under the dash in the Mustang.

 

[kn8243]

Do one set of things at a time. The metalbone kit is a good start and will sharpen your skills.
These look like a rats nest underneath but:
1. They're point to point wired - there are no circuit boards
2. A lot of the wire routing is so you don't have noise problems
3. People made the same sections of these daily and knew what they were doing.

It's not that much messier than the wiring harness under the dash in the Mustang.

haha, except that the mustang actually had a rats nest surrounding the wiring harness. Any help on the black cylindrical tower in between the transformers? It has some residue on it and just curious if it was something that went bad and something that I should replace immediately. I'm assuming its a capacitor but thats just my guessing.

The gent I bought it off of said it was his dads. Hadn't been played in 12 years or so. Brought it up on a variac and it sounded great. I got it, was playing great. Had it on for an hour and sounded amazing. Turned it on a week later and upon powering up there was a wooshing sound in the right channel upon powering up and then it subsided and played great. After 10 minutes or so the wooshing sound came back. I had full intent of restoring it but this prompted me to restore it quicker than expected. Any opinions on this? I'm almost certain that they are all the original tubes. All are marked fisher or telefunken. From what I understood he did not play it often. Cheers and thanks guys!

 

[audiodon]

The black tower is a cardboard cover over a can cap.
There are two things about that particular can cap.
1. The cardboard cover is so you won't touch the metal can because, in the case of that one, it's not grounded to the chassis but has a voltage potential on it . . . hence the cardboard cover. Keep it on.
2. The base of it goes into an insulating grommet to keep the metal of the outside from contacting the chassis because it's not supposed to be grounded.

Got a schematic? If not, ask if they have 'em in the proper forum (digital something).

Did the whooshing sound go away the second time? I don't have an opinion on that because I don't have enough information.

 

[kn8243]

After the second time i immediately turned it off. I turned it off as it was doing it. For fear of something going wrong. Thanks for the info on the cap. I'll check the digital archives as well.

 

[larryderouin]

Re: the Manual. As FISHER made 4-5 different manuals for it, you need the serial # to match the manual.

I did my 400 about 6 months ago. Before that I cut my teeth on a tube unit with a Sansui 1000A. Now THAT's a Rat's Nest. The 400 is STUPID EASY compared to a Sansui 1000A, BUT! Like anything else when working with electrical equipment, the VOLTAGES and CURRENT(AMPS) INSIDE WILL KILL! PERIOD! NO IF's, AND's or BUT's. If you're not sure, ASK Questions, and keep one hand in a rear pocket when working inside with the cord plugged in.
My SANSUI 1000A underside for comparison.

No "AFTER" Pics of my 400.


The Whooshing you heard is more likely a cap. Don't power it up again except to test. Get a couple of "DUMMY LOADS". They are high wattage resistors that take the place of speakers. You'll need two of 8oHm/50Watt variety. They are NOT polar so it won't matter which side goes to which speaker lead. DO NOT POWER UP without either speakers or the Dummy Loads.

BIG ITEM. Selenium Rectifier. Make sure you replace it as one of the first items done.

Larry

 

[kn8243]

Re: the Manual. As FISHER made 4-5 different manuals for it, you need the serial # to match the manual.

I did my 400 about 6 months ago. Before that I cut my teeth on a tube unit with a Sansui 1000A. Now THAT's a Rat's Nest. The 400 is STUPID EASY compared to a Sansui 1000A

Larry

Haha. Thank you for the words larry. I'm a huge fan of sansui and was looking for a 1000a for myself to fix up. It just so happened that the fisher fell into my hands and I stopped looking. Your words made me feel a lot better about stopping to look. Have to ask hows the sound in comparison? I own several of the G-series and love them (originally got me started with hi-fi). Plan on getting the rectifier done asap. closest ratshack is about half an hour away (live out in the woods).

 

[larryderouin]

They sound about the same although the 400 is kinda "laid back", and the 1000A is more "in your face". I think its the additional "presence" control on the 1000A. the 1000A is 45-50WPC depending on who you talk to and the 400 is 32wpc or so. the 1000A will rock better but the 400 is better on classical and slower blues/jazz.

Like them both. Done right they are both excellent units.

Larry

 

[Destructor]

The 400 is fairly roomy inside but I found that removal of old leads can still be a pain. I restored two 400's and a Scott 340B. The 340B was a bit more of a challenge. Both sound fantastic. A Sansui 1000A would be a nice addition to my collection.

 

[Blast]

Yes, the "whooshing" could be a cap. But, I was thinking loose tube socket. Wiggle some tubes a bit and see if you can force it. Or, next time it happens wiggle some tubes and see if you are able to change the symptom.

 

[kn8243]

Yes, the "whooshing" could be a cap. But, I was thinking loose tube socket. Wiggle some tubes a bit and see if you can force it. Or, next time it happens wiggle some tubes and see if you are able to change the symptom.

I will try but I'm reluctant to turn it on...I'm terribly missing the sound over my solidstate but I'm hesitant to turn on yet.

 

[audiodon]

Just keep the volume down to a reasonable level while doing this troubleshooting.

 

[kn8243]

Just keep the volume down to a reasonable level while doing this troubleshooting.

Never took it up past two yet. 604s love these.. I'll test in a lil bit

 

[kn8243]

Must have been a tube...

Still im going to be tackling this project sometime in the near future so i can start extended listening sessions. So how hard is it to come across a low hours 400 with all original tubes? I do not own a tube tester yet but they all look fantastic.

P.S. I found a copy of miles davis Kind of Blue in my dads closet the other day. Holy shit. 604s and fisher...good god. I'm merely recommending that everyone try it haha.