Polymer Capacitor FAQ

[shovenose]

I will edit in the answers and stuff later

How do they look?

Why are they useful?

When can you subsitute them for electrolytics?

When can't you?

Are they better at dealing with hot environments?

Anything to watch out for when installing?

What's the point of polymer caps?

[uligli]

Re: Polymer Capacitor FAQ

Is it a good idea to use an old poly cap? (desoldering from some board) Just in case that i can't find a replacement.

[c_hegge]

Re: Polymer Capacitor FAQ

1. How they look: They don't have vent stamps, but some may have plastic sleeves

2. Why they are usefull: Lower ESR, Higher tolerances to ripple and heat, and thus they generally last longer

3. When you can substitute them for lytics: On the VRM in and out of motherboards and Graphics cards if you reduce the capacitance. They can be used on other parts of a motherboards, but you don't reduce the capacitance. This can be a problem as 1000uF polys are 10mm but 1000uF lytics are 8mm dia.

4. When you cant substitute them for lytics: In PSUs

5. Are they better in hot environments: Yes

6. Anything to watch out for when installing: Yes. Some of them have thicker legs than normal and sometimes they can be physically bigger than lytics

7. The point of them: To provide better reliability and heat tolerance than electrolytics

8. Is it a good idea to use used polys? It can be done and I have done it before, but it is always better to use new ones.

[kc8adu]

Re: Polymer Capacitor FAQ

fujitsu have vent stamps.
and search polymods for the general rules.

[shovenose]

Re: Polymer Capacitor FAQ

Ok. Any other questiins/answers to add before i do the final edit (ill figure out how later)

[c_hegge]

Re: Polymer Capacitor FAQ

fujitsu have vent stamps.

Not anymore. I havent seen one of those yellow fujitsu hybrid caps for ages.

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Polymer Capacitor FAQ

Not anymore. I havent seen one of those yellow fujitsu hybrid caps for ages.

In the last year or two?, Fujitsu sold their Polymer interests to Nichicon so Fujitsu Polymer aren't made anymore.
Nichicon makes Polymer in the 'typical polymer can' with no vent and no sleeve.

From what I can tell there are still a lot of the old Black/Yellows left in the supply channels but you aren't likely to see them in new manufactured items from a main stream company.
.