Do I need to use the same exact model and series or can I use any similar capacitor?

[giyad]

Re: Do I need to use the same exact model and series or can I use any similar capacit

So I've chosen three caps. If someone doesn't mind looking them over and comparing them with the ones I'm replacing I'd appreciate it.

Nichicon UHW replacing Rubycon 16V 1800uf MCZ, 10mm diameter
Nichicon UHV replacing Rubycon 6.3V 2700uf MFZ, 10mm diameter
Nichicon UHV replacing Samxon 6.3V 1500uf GC, 8mm diameter

[Stefan Payne]

Re: Do I need to use the same exact model and series or can I use any similar capacit

To be safe, use the value closest to the original specced caps.
So in this case 14 Ohms would be better than the 7 Ohms one.

Still, depending on where you are using them, it may work with lower ESR values as well.

[giyad]

Re: Do I need to use the same exact model and series or can I use any similar capacit

Thanks for all your help!

So I'll definitely be using Digikey or Mouser, but I'm not able to find caps with the same ESR or Ripple. If my ESR is .012 Ohms, but I can't find any, should I go with something lower (like .07 ohms) or higher (.14ohms)?

Same thing for ripple, mine is 2220mA, but I can find only 1950mA or 2880mA.

Also, if I select the same height, I end up only having options for .3ohms

[BustinCaps]

Re: Do I need to use the same exact model and series or can I use any similar capacit

@giyad. I would be cautious about buying capacitors at Amazon or ebay. A lot of fake capacitors being sold out there. Stick to more reputable sites such as Digi-Key or Mouser.

[Per Hansson]

Re: Do I need to use the same exact model and series or can I use any similar capacit

The caps on your board are Ultra low ESR.
Most of the major manufacturers that rhomanski mentioned have unfortunately stopped production of them and switched to solid polymer caps.

Depending on what part of the circuit the failed caps are in it might be advantageous to switch to solid polymer caps instead.

[rhomanski]

Re: Do I need to use the same exact model and series or can I use any similar capacit

Manufacturer and series doesn't matter as far as replacements. It's the type, low noise or low leakage or low ESR and the values that matter. Also use good quality Panasonic, Nichicon, or United Chemi-con, something like that. Epcos or Cornell-Dubillier. Stay far away from Chinese capacitors. If the unit is old it will be hard to find the same diameter without getting a higher voltage. The caps are much smaller than they were 40 years ago. In the eighties they made major improvements to caps.

Your soldering iron tip is unsolderable. You can try filing it down to fresh metal or get a new tip or just take it back and get a new one. Corrosion will cause it to not be solderable. One time I got a bunch of banana jacks out of stock, 130 of them, got them all mounted and then tried to attach wires. They were ruined, had to throw all of them out and get new. If you want, try chucking up your tip in a drill and hold it against a file. Let it spin against the file until your down to new metal, you can put a new tip on it too when it gets thick and dull.

[giyad]

Hi,

I recently had a board crap out on me and as I took the case off I noticed some bad capacitors. I want to replace them, but its an old board and I can't find the exact capacitors. I'm able to find caps with the same voltage and uf rating, but not the same series number. I know the diameters as well. The caps are rubycon 16V 1800uf mcz, rubycon 6.3V 2700uf mfz, and samxon 6.3V 1500uf gc (m) voa. I can find the rubycon mcz on amazon, but the others I can't find. So I'm thinking to just go into digikey and choose caps with similar voltage, uf, and diameter for all of them. Is that fine?

Also, when soldering, I'm new to this as well, I notice that my iron doesn't melt the solder to liquid, it melts it and then it falls down into a ball. Is my soldering iron not hot enough? Its a radioshack brand, and I'm using the 40W setting (highest it goes). Ive never tinned my iron because as I try to it just makes the solder fall off into a ball, so it doesn't stick to the iron.