Mounting can capacitors to point-to-point chassis

GroupDIY Audio Forum

Help Support GroupDIY Audio Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

ron_swanson

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 14, 2018
Messages
174
Location
San Francisco, USA
Can anyone provide me information, a link or reference somewhere that would explain the best practice for installing a can capacitor using a metal (or phenolic) wafer in a point-to-point build? 

I want to completely understand how to best secure the ground both mechanically as well as electronically.  In my case, I have a thickly painted new enclosure which is not conductive.  This is my first point-to-point build after building a number of PCB board audio units, so trying to learn the old school ropes.

I'm assuming I'll want to remove some of the paint where the can caps are mounted to allow for a proper ground connection.    Do I solder the wafer to the chassis or just solder the can tabs to the wafer and then make sure the wafer is making a secure connection to the chassis using screws and star washers to mount the wafer?

Thanks in advance!
Greg
 
If the chassis is steel or aluminium, soldering as an option isn't even on the table, so star washers are the way to go.

Same with (or rather, especially) the mains earth connection.
 
ron_swanson said:
Can anyone provide me information, a link or reference somewhere that would explain the best practice for installing a can capacitor using a metal (or phenolic) wafer in a point-to-point build? 

I want to completely understand how to best secure the ground both mechanically as well as electronically.  In my case, I have a thickly painted new enclosure which is not conductive.  This is my first point-to-point build after building a number of PCB board audio units, so trying to learn the old school ropes.

I'm assuming I'll want to remove some of the paint where the can caps are mounted to allow for a proper ground connection.    Do I solder the wafer to the chassis or just solder the can tabs to the wafer and then make sure the wafer is making a secure connection to the chassis using screws and star washers to mount the wafer?

Thanks in advance!
Greg
For best noise performance, the can should be insulated from chassis. The negative connection should be made according to hierarchical ground ("ground follows signal").
 

Latest posts

Back
Top