Bose amp capacitor question
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 90
Likes: 4
From: Hollister CA
Bose amp capacitor question
Calling all Bose techs...
I have Bose amps out of the car to replace the capacitors (they work well, just squealing a bit)
I've looked all over at different threads and find that different years have different amp configurations. I have an '89 which is the poster child for amps gone bad.
I know I have to replace the green and blue capacitors in the picture. The greens have leaked.
My question is; do I also replace the brown capacitors I have circled in blue? None of the threads I looked at were specific to my '89 amps and none said anything about those other caps.
I checked the numbers on the caps and find they're obsolete. If they should be replaced, what did you replace them with?
Thanks
I have Bose amps out of the car to replace the capacitors (they work well, just squealing a bit)
I've looked all over at different threads and find that different years have different amp configurations. I have an '89 which is the poster child for amps gone bad.
I know I have to replace the green and blue capacitors in the picture. The greens have leaked.
My question is; do I also replace the brown capacitors I have circled in blue? None of the threads I looked at were specific to my '89 amps and none said anything about those other caps.
I checked the numbers on the caps and find they're obsolete. If they should be replaced, what did you replace them with?
Thanks
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 90
Likes: 4
From: Hollister CA
Here's a tidbit I found on-line:
"The 1989 Corvette is different from the 1988 and older Corvette Bose systems. The 1989 Bose amplifier design is not as reliable as the older amplifiers. This system can have four bad amplifiers."
Makes my day....
"The 1989 Corvette is different from the 1988 and older Corvette Bose systems. The 1989 Bose amplifier design is not as reliable as the older amplifiers. This system can have four bad amplifiers."
Makes my day....
Cruising
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: River Ridge LA
I am not a Bose guru, but I am an electronics Technician. The Brown Caps you circled are Mylar and they rarely if ever go bad. The Blue and green caps are Electrolytic. They always go bad, even sitting on shelf.
Were it mine I would just replace the electrolytics.
Not sure this will fix your problem, but it can't hurt.
Ron
Were it mine I would just replace the electrolytics.
Not sure this will fix your problem, but it can't hurt.
Ron
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,621
Likes: 206
From: Orlando FL
Calling all Bose techs...
I have Bose amps out of the car to replace the capacitors (they work well, just squealing a bit)
I've looked all over at different threads and find that different years have different amp configurations. I have an '89 which is the poster child for amps gone bad.
I know I have to replace the green and blue capacitors in the picture. The greens have leaked.
My question is; do I also replace the brown capacitors I have circled in blue? None of the threads I looked at were specific to my '89 amps and none said anything about those other caps.
I checked the numbers on the caps and find they're obsolete. If they should be replaced, what did you replace them with?
Thanks
I have Bose amps out of the car to replace the capacitors (they work well, just squealing a bit)
I've looked all over at different threads and find that different years have different amp configurations. I have an '89 which is the poster child for amps gone bad.
I know I have to replace the green and blue capacitors in the picture. The greens have leaked.
My question is; do I also replace the brown capacitors I have circled in blue? None of the threads I looked at were specific to my '89 amps and none said anything about those other caps.
I checked the numbers on the caps and find they're obsolete. If they should be replaced, what did you replace them with?
Thanks
No, do not replace the regular capacitors, only the electrolytic green ones you have circled. Don’t bother with the big blue ones either which are 750 or 800 mfd. They don’t almost ever go bad and are hard to find the physical size also (regardless of what other tips say).
Do the 5 green ones and that should do it. The orange drops are probably OK and don’t leak or change value like the others. They are thallium capacitors and have seen them short in my electronics career but not in the Bose amps. I don’t know what value they are or the C number.
Don't mess up the lands, use a solder sucker or wick, easy on the heat.
Observe polarity, solder blobs and ESD.
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Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 90
Likes: 4
From: Hollister CA
I live close to a Frys electronics so I went today and got the replacements for the 5 green caps, one 1mf, two 10mf and two 47mf (per amp). I did 3 of the 4 amps this evening and tested. Awesome! No more popping, hissing or whining. Great sound too! It was a quick easy fix. All 20 caps cost less than half of what it costs to have one amp repaired.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,027
Likes: 30
From: Granite City Illinois
Electrolytics are the ones that are to be suspect. The others I have hardly ever seen be bad.
I would think theyre ceramic or possibly mylar, maybe poly. Thallium is new for me.
I would think theyre ceramic or possibly mylar, maybe poly. Thallium is new for me.
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 85
Likes: 4
From: Fort Worth Texas
I live close to a Frys electronics so I went today and got the replacements for the 5 green caps, one 1mf, two 10mf and two 47mf (per amp). I did 3 of the 4 amps this evening and tested. Awesome! No more popping, hissing or whining. Great sound too! It was a quick easy fix. All 20 caps cost less than half of what it costs to have one amp repaired.
Cruising
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: River Ridge LA
Ron
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 11,470
Likes: 764
I am not a Bose guru, but I am an electronics Technician. The Brown Caps you circled are Mylar and they rarely if ever go bad. The Blue and green caps are Electrolytic. They always go bad, even sitting on shelf.
Were it mine I would just replace the electrolytics.
Not sure this will fix your problem, but it can't hurt.
Ron
Were it mine I would just replace the electrolytics.
Not sure this will fix your problem, but it can't hurt.
Ron
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 90
Likes: 4
From: Hollister CA
The Fry's part numbers: All are NTE brand
1 mf-50 volt - NTE-VHT1M50 - Fry's SKU 1005453 - Need 4 (1 per amp) - $1.99 ea
10 mf-50 volt - NTE-VHT10M50 - Fry's SKU 1005443 - Need 8 (2 per amp) - $1.09 ea
47 mf-50 volt - NTE-VHT47M50 - Fry's SKU 1005583 - Need 8 (2 per map) - $1.09 ea
1 mf-50 volt - NTE-VHT1M50 - Fry's SKU 1005453 - Need 4 (1 per amp) - $1.99 ea
10 mf-50 volt - NTE-VHT10M50 - Fry's SKU 1005443 - Need 8 (2 per amp) - $1.09 ea
47 mf-50 volt - NTE-VHT47M50 - Fry's SKU 1005583 - Need 8 (2 per map) - $1.09 ea
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 85
Likes: 4
From: Fort Worth Texas
Well I got a chance to go down to fry's and pick up some capacitors for the amps.
Did the repair to the rear speakers and no more popping or screeching coming from the rear speakers.
Repair was pretty simple after getting the speakers out.
A big thanks to all the electronic gurus that contributed to this thread.
Now off to the front speakers.
Did the repair to the rear speakers and no more popping or screeching coming from the rear speakers.
Repair was pretty simple after getting the speakers out.
A big thanks to all the electronic gurus that contributed to this thread.
Now off to the front speakers.
