Nichicon radials without the X vent?

[nmantas]

I recently bought some Nichicon caps on eBay (yeah, I know). These are small 4x7 radial 16V 10uF caps. I feel they are fakes because the plastic pattern on the bottom and they don't have the X-vent stamped in the aluminum end and all the datasheets I have read indicate there is a vent(not exactly sure what series they are....or are supposed to be). I don't really care about the couple dollars wasted but when I let the seller know he thought they were real and he doesn't want to sell fakes. I thought I would do a little research and let him know. Is the lack of the characteristic X enough to prove they are fake or does Nichicon sometimes not stamp the very small radials such as these?

[lti]

Re: Nichicon radials without the X vent?

Caps that small won't have vents.

Those look like either USV (25V) or USF (16V) series.

[nmantas]

Re: Nichicon radials without the X vent?

They are 25V and not 16V like I originally said. The USF datasheet even gives the footprint of the plastic on the bottom and it seems like a match and not the typical footprint of Nichicon caps. Perhaps they are legit after all (I don't know if it is worth bootlegging these little guys)?

[redwire]

Re: Nichicon radials without the X vent?

I have some UPW1E100MDD6 from Digikey. No X vent, and no flat bung, and N621 text as well. The white printing is strong, not washed out like the fakes.

[nmantas]

Re: Nichicon radials without the X vent?

Mine have N823 on them.



My text isn't that bad but does look a little pixelated on the edges. Besides that, all other indicators now seem to point to real and there probably isn't enough of a profit margin to bootleg these little guys and make any money at it.