Rebuild CA-3000- Pictures to come

super98lsc

Well-Known Member
I will add pictures as the process begins. Those who have done this before are there any problematic transistors I should swap out while I am in there?
Noticed a thread here about 2SC726 and 2SA1313 where the OP mentioned replacing them while in there. I think the poster of that thread meant to say 2S(A)726 instead of 2S(C)726 ?? Found plenty of 2SA726 in the service manual and know those are known to be "issues".


Oh if anyone wants to share a ready made cap list that would be awesome!! :)

-Rob
 
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Hey Rob , I've two of those , one restored , and one completely original. The difficulty of the placement taken , it is too difficult to swap them , hence I only talk about the second one. Apart from , the first belongs to misus , as a wedding gift from me , and given she doesn't allow me to get even close to it , (sold one ba 5000 in the past) , it is difficult for me to get the first one out and check it thoroughly , but I believe it is in dire need of a recap. Anyway I rarely I'm allowed to go in there so I don't give a dam . Let it (burn) and then I'll fix it my way.
The other one the second , in my office rig is recapped and sounds nice. I've said that before . It sure sounds like a ca3k should , classy with finesse and strong where it needs to, but not all the time. It is a different beast , classy with finesse as I said before. The phono stage of this preamp is something else , different , airy , light , it makes any cart sound airy , it's one of a kind. Give it a good restore , and it will show out thins that are forgotten , things we used to like about sansui , and it's unique sound. Just give it a try. It's a hard one redoing all those passthroughs , or feedthroughs or whatever they are called but believe me it worth's it .
Along with ba 3000 power amp, which is a perfect match , you have the perfect duo , that anyone can ask for.
 
My new bench toy arrived today. Hakko FR-300 desoldering gun! This thing is awesome! Caps just literally fall off the board in a second. Clean perfect no risk of overheating the traces.
Parts ordered from Mouser today. Plan to do the rebuild this weekend. Can't wait to hear it when done.
 
SEE ain't that the BOMB! Your biggest problem(s) 1) Cap leads on a double pad folded over and the one you want in under the other one ! 2) The shear volume of solder you will pull out so have LOTS of spare filters and wool around. CONGRATS!!!
 
Wow so started on the CA3k today. What a mess. Burned meter board and burned power supply board. Evidence is that it's from a previous crappily done repair. Epoxied traces, cold solder joints the works. The main 1000uf power filter caps one was exploded the others were no place near tolerance. One blown fuse in the supply as well. Surprised me it actually played at all. Some moron removed the molex connectors on about half the connections and direct soldered to the pins. Fun taking it apart and labeling all the wiring in the right order. So far I have recapped and cleaned 3 boards the Pass Thrus look terrible. Found plenty of cold joints and lifted pads etx. I will have it better than new before the week is over.
 

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The story with removed molex connections runs on mine too. I'll have it checked by a friend who's currently pulling his hair off his head with my BA 3000.
 
I wonder if it was one person doing all this 'Molex mashing' - I wonder if he realises how misguided he was/is :sigh:
 
I wish I knew John. Mine was done - recapped in Canada , I think before sansui 88 bought it. Don't remember clearly , what he told me. We can ask him though.
Who had this brilliant idea of removing molex's and solder the female directly to the pin.
 
In some cases they left the female pins on and just soldered the pins to each other, in others they removed the pins and just soldered the wires. :no:

Is there a good source for molex replacements anywhere? For the plastic plug portion anyhow? Really hate the idea of putting it back the way they had it. Aside from it being a damned nightmare to work on.

Also the inside of this thing looked like it had been cleaned with motor oil. Several of the boards literally have oil running off them. Someone used a non-evaporating cleaner/lube and essentially lubed the entire unit. Crusty crap everywhere,oxidized corroded bits/chunks, the death glue crumbled in with all that. :thumbsdn:

Of course the Service Manual was not accurate with the parts list,(not shocking at all) so as I go I am making a list of additional caps to change and anything else suspect. One of the F-2486 EQ boards had some really sloppy repair work done to it, new transistors installed which are not the same brand/model # as the other F-2486. I wonder if I should just change them all on both boards so they match? Hmmm..:scratch2:
 
Here come the pictures... :)

And you can see how rough the back panel is, really needs to be stripped and redone.
 

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Pics X2
 

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Pics X3
 

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2 EQ Boards recapped and cleaned up, have 3 more caps on each to change but they are on my next order/shipment from Mouser.
 

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Your back is better than my Japan one ( and mine's CRAP ). Have you discovered if your input boards are pre jumped ( from top to bottom ) ? You have some nice puffer caps !
And you have the SAME IDIOT Molex removal… that was a PITA to re do !
 
Here are the passthroughs on the main board as I found them.
Whatever engine degreaser/oil/kerosene/jet fuel + napalm cleaner they used all over this thing also eats flux. So the oily crumbles are flux bits scattered all over everything. My guess is they just unleashed a can of something similar to DeOxit (doesnt smell like DeOxit) into this thing and left it all in there.
 

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HOLY Mother of Molex $%^&^%$. Does anyone know which Molex pins/connectors I would need. I dont care if they are exact for the cases, I can cut those down to the # of pins I need. Just need Pins/Crimper/Cases.

Vigman you out there? Can you share with me which ones/part #'s you ordered and from where? Was hoping Mouser would have them.
 
Ended up ordering 13 packs of the 5 pin Molex KK-156 from Mouser. They look right... so I hope. I will cut them as needed to obtain my desired pin configuration then color code them to match the board locations and polarity. I need 80 PINS each package has (3) x 5 Pin connectors in it. I ordered extra kits to ensure I have enough to mix/match to the desired pin configurations.

The Butcher of Sansui Molex struck on the following of my CA-3000
10 of the 5 Pin connectors
3 of the 6 Pin connectors
2 of the 4 Pin Connectors

Good grief the crimp tools cost 1/4 of what I spent on the amp! 300 bucks for a good ratchet action crimper. I will just smasth them down with a hammer and a rock then tape them with scotch tape to the pins.:bash:
 
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