Author Topic: Is this Cap a Tantalum??  (Read 1292 times)

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Offline K1JOSTopic starter

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Is this Cap a Tantalum??
« on: August 11, 2015, 03:25:53 am »
I came upon a stash of MIAL brand axial blue molded caps with a black stripe around one end.  At first I thought these were vintage tantalums with the J being the old voltage reference for a tantalum but then I found many were of very low value, e.g, 0.0033 uF at 35v.  I don't see any modern tantalums less than 0.1 uF at Mouser or Digikey.  Attached is a picture of a typical one.  Any advice appreciated.

Jerry


 

Offline bills

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Re: Is this Cap a Tantalum??
« Reply #1 on: August 11, 2015, 03:29:43 am »
I am not sure but some caps have a stripe indicating the foil end (the lead connected to the foil) old school for rf.
Never argue with idiots. They drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.
 

Offline Paul Moir

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Re: Is this Cap a Tantalum??
« Reply #2 on: August 11, 2015, 03:45:24 am »
Dunno, but if you can sacrifice one, just hook it up to a current limited power supply.  If it's tantalum, it should leak like crazy well below it's working voltage if reversed biased.  10mA limit should be plenty.  I'd go 5, 10 then 15 if I didn't know the WV. 

Bonus if it's tantalum, you'll get to know if the stripe indicates the positive terminal or the negative...  ;)

« Last Edit: August 11, 2015, 03:48:19 am by Paul Moir »
 

Online Psi

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Re: Is this Cap a Tantalum??
« Reply #3 on: August 11, 2015, 06:37:52 am »
If it explodes under full voltage reverse polarity.. It was a tantalum  :-DD
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