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Better than Nichicon UPW --> UPM (for restorations)

lowredmoon

lowredmoon

Active Member
I've been using Nichicon UPW for restorations where the capacitor is in a power section and not in the "signal path."
I discovered the UPM series, which are larger, and thus often a better fit for vintage restorations, where the lead spacing is almost always narrower than most new caps. The UPM series also has lower ESR than the UPW series.
Don't know if I've been overlooking that, or if it's a new series.

Just figured I'd share that.

Adam

EDIT: I meant to say that the lead spacing on vintage gear is typically WIDER than the lead spacing of newer capacitors.
 
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This is what I have determined from various Nichicon spec sheets .....

UKZ - Premium Audio 10 - 1000 uF
UKT - General Audio 2.2 - 10,000 uF
UKA - High Grade Audio 22 - 22,000 uF
UFG - High Grade Standard 1 - 10,000 uF
UMW - General Audio 1 - 470 uF
UFW - Standard 2.2 - 33,000 uF
UKW - Standard 2.2 - 33,000 uF

TVX Axial General Purpose

USA General Purpose (USR smaller, UST high temperature)
USR General Purpose

UMA Standard, Low Profile (UMT high temperature, UMV long life, UMF low impedance)
UHE Miniature, Low Impedance, High Reliability (UHD lower life)
UKL Low Leakage
URS Low Profile (URZ high temperature)
URZ Low Profile, Wide Temperature
UPM Low Impedance, High Reliability (UPW smaller)
UCS Miniature, High Reliability, High Ripple (UCA larger, UCY smaller)
UVR Miniature (UKL lower leakage, UVK smaller, UVZ high temperature)
UFG High Grade Standard (UKZ higher grade)
UKZ Premium Audio
UVZ General Audio, Miniature, Wide Temperature (UKT higher audio quality, UVY smaller)

UKT General Audio, Wide Temperature (UKA higher audio quality)
UMW Standard Audio, Low Profile
UKA High Grade Audio, Wide Temperature

UFW Standard Audio (UFG higher grade, UKW higher audio quality)'
UKW Standard Audio
UFG High Grade Audio MUSE (UKZ higher grade)
UKZ Premium Audio MUSE

UPJ SMPS Low Impedance (UPS smaller, UPV long life)
UPS SMPS Low Impedance, Miniature
UPV SMPS Low Impedance, Miniature, High Reliability
UPW SMPS Low Impedance, Miniature, High Reliability (UTT long life, UPA low impedance)
UTT SMPS Miniature, High Reliability

UDB Bipolar, Speaker Network
UES Bipolar MUSE
UVP Bipolar
 
all of this info is available for most cap manufacturers of note on their websites.

https://www.nichicon.co.jp/english/index.html
Then Miniature Aluminum Electrolytic Caps (top center box)
Then the choice of list search, diagram search which shows the caps of similar characteristics and the quick differences or the pictorial search.

Panasonic has this, Elna has this. Hell might be web pages made by the same company for them.

Obviously, the big ps caps will the in the large cap section.
 
Thanks for posting the selection guide. Didn't know that existed. My info was compiled from a lot of the individual spec sheets.
 
fred soop said:
This is what I have determined from various Nichicon spec sheets .....
Click to expand...
Thanks for posting.
I often see folks just picking the capacitors that are the "best" in the product line for replacements.
I, and many of us, prefer to use the type that most closely matches the original, in order to mimic what the engineers were working with when they designed it.
Though I admit I do use KZ and FG caps in the signal path, where "general purpose" caps were originally used.
It'd be nice to have datasheets for the caps that were used back then.

Adam
 
avionic said:
UPM also have larger diameter leads.

Hell no .. Been around just as long as PW's have.
Click to expand...
I figured that. I just managed to overlook them.
I really appreciate being able to do a job that doesn't leave caps hovering above the circuit board, only supported by its leads, due to narrower lead spacing of the replacement capacitors. It's unacceptable with large caps, but keeping such standards with small ones is a bonus.

Adam
 
lowredmoon said:
I often see folks just picking the capacitors that are the "best" in the product line for replacements.
Click to expand...

This recapping all started with ak back around the turn of the century, well discounting the vintage radio scene where the dangerous paper caps and stuff were being done decades ago. The usual suspects were the Nichicon PW and HE caps and the Panasonic FC and FM caps. These were what the pros were talking about and looking at the spec sheets these were the long lasting, high temp and other good attribute general purpose caps, something better than what was being replaced.

Then work was done dissecting the Pioneer parts lists with indications of low leakage or whatever and the UKL came into favor for some applications. Nichicon has a decent line of audio grade electrolytics that folks argue about what the heck could be different so I contacted them and they talk about different internals but externally they have better leads, tinned copper instead of steel, use a magnet see the difference. I don't know the 'secrets' and I didn't get much of a sales talk when I spoke to them but there are differences. Up to us to decide what we want to use.

Most don't know cap specs or cap applications in the gear and select best because it is only 50% more...a quarter or so maybe in many cases and it doesn't hurt. I guess that process works but we keep learning more and more and maybe the next round of recapping in 10-20 years (for units that were done 10 years ago to more recent ones) the ak collective will have a much better idea of what to use. But all new 'lytic caps from the major manufacturers should be better than the old, tired, dried up, overheated units they are replacing.
 
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I was recapping a Luxman 5F70 and noticed it had Nippon Chemicon caps of the SL line. Looked em up and they had a recommended replacement. Don't see cross reference for old caps much. Looking for that info again i came across the diagram of their caps including a few Audio grade caps in their lineup. Here is the chart for you to pick what you need.
https://www.chemi-con.co.jp/e/catal...al-groupchart-e-2020.pdf#page=2&view=fitH,670
 
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Then there are the folks that pick them by color after they just installed purple LED’s. Joking aside, knowing good, better and best equivalents for vintage UCC, Rubycon, Elnas, etc would be helpful. The only thing I have found that gets more folks riled up than discussing capacitors is vintage two cycle engine premix oil…
 
jefferylhenr said:
Then there are the folks that pick them by color after they just installed purple LED’s. Joking aside, knowing good, better and best equivalents for vintage UCC, Rubycon, Elnas, etc would be helpful. The only thing I have found that gets more folks riled up than discussing capacitors is vintage two cycle engine premix oil…
Click to expand...
Just have to go through the datasheets.

All gasoline power equipment that I own runs on non-ethanol gas, if it's not a diesel. My new Stihl gets Stihl synthetic two stroke oil. Everything else gets whatever I have on hand.
 
jefferylhenr said:
Then there are the folks that pick them by color after they just installed purple LED’s. Joking aside, knowing good, better and best equivalents for vintage UCC, Rubycon, Elnas, etc would be helpful. The only thing I have found that gets more folks riled up than discussing capacitors is vintage two cycle engine premix oil…
Click to expand...
On AK the electrolytics are Nichincon and the film caps are the red Wimas.
Tempted to switch to the Wurth brand of caps, since they are red, also. ....;)

No fuel for my Stihl hedge trimmer needed as it has electric drive, in my small country everything is within mains power outlet distance.;)
 
Well the husky hedge trimmer works just fine with stihl 2-stroke oil, all good stuff imo, but most 2-strokes just love the mix using super fuel. I am not sure how much ethanol they use in the super around here. They just say it could contain upto a certain amount
 
lowredmoon said:
I've been using Nichicon UPW for restorations where the capacitor is in a power section and not in the "signal path."
I discovered the UPM series, which are larger, and thus often a better fit for vintage restorations, where the lead spacing is almost always narrower than most new caps. The UPM series also has lower ESR than the UPW series.
Don't know if I've been overlooking that, or if it's a new series.

Just figured I'd share that.

Adam

EDIT: I meant to say that the lead spacing on vintage gear is typically WIDER than the lead spacing of newer capacitors.
Click to expand...

UPW and UPM are for switching power supplies so it's not really recommended for vintage gear power supply sections unless it is a switching power supply design.
I use UKT UVR, UKL, UVY and Panasonic FC for power supply sections
 
dapbmw said:
UPW and UPM are for switching power supplies so it's not really recommended for vintage gear power supply sections unless it is a switching power supply design.
I use UKT UVR, UKL, UVY and Panasonic FC for power supply sections
Click to expand...
where does it say that upm are for switching power supplies?

https://www.mouser.com/datasheet/2/293/e_upm-3082341.pdf

i've used plenty of upw in vintage audio and nothing has blown up or been noisy:dunno:

upw says hi reliability for switching power supplies but it does not say it is only for switching power supplies

upj does says "for switching power supplies" and i used those before in vintage audio and nothing blew up. same with ups

i've been starting making more of a move to uhe myself.
 
UPW, UPM, UHE (especially) are much better caps than UKT, or UVR. UHE, in most cases and values is better than Panasonic FC. UKL is a special case as it is a low leakage cap, and it absolutely has its place.
All of the above are vastly superior to the electrolytic caps the manufacturers were using 40-50 years ago.
 
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