Cap Confusion

The_Krell

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So I was looking up - as an example - a replacement Nichicon cap.

With the specs I pulled off the cap 1000uF 25V there's like loads of choices. Apart from the lifetime bit (even I can understand that one) there seems to be a large variety in the ripple current values being offered and quite frankly I'm all at sea on what I need.

Also can anyone recommend a reputable cap supplier as I don't really want to buy pack of 25+ to just use 6 etc.
 

The_Krell

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Thanks Johnny.

However no mention of ripple current....

My confusion arose as a result of...

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/aluminium-capacitors/7152678
https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/aluminium-capacitors/1653923
https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/aluminium-capacitors/1653918
https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/aluminium-capacitors/5201539

which all have different specs despite being the same manfr part number and indeed the same as your example at mouser.

And from what I've read the amount of ripple current it can cope with is important.

As to what part of the circuit I have no idea. Was wondering how feasible it was to replace the caps in my KPE Phono board rather than wait an eternity and pay a lot more money for Absolute Sounds to do it.

Just one example of at least 3 different types of cap in the unit.
 

Alister M

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If you follow the RS datasheet links the ripple current is shown on the second page. Just go for a capacitor of the same or higher ripple current at the value and voltage rating needed. Should give you a better idea.
 

mac72

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So I was looking up - as an example - a replacement Nichicon cap.

With the specs I pulled off the cap 1000uF 25V there's like loads of choices. Apart from the lifetime bit (even I can understand that one) there seems to be a large variety in the ripple current values being offered and quite frankly I'm all at sea on what I need.

Also can anyone recommend a reputable cap supplier as I don't really want to buy pack of 25+ to just use 6 etc.
The best thing would be to replace these caps with exactly the same make and type as you do not know their exact position .
Judging by the capacitance value these are most likely smoothing/filtering caps but it's just a guess , if so higher ripple current means capacitor has lower ESR- equivalent series resistance and could take higher amount of current without going over temperature also would result in a lower noise levels at higher frequencies .
If above applies and you need electrolytic capacitor with a very low ESR organic polymer caps should be your choice but you need to check the size and lead spacing to match :
https://www.mouser.co.uk/ProductDetail/KEMET/A750MV108M1EAAE014?qs=vmHwEFxEFR/Ihm5HsH8zPQ==

As to where to buy one HiFi Collective , eBay, RS, Mouser but most have a minimum order value
 

Beobloke

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A higher ripple current rating means the capacitor should last longer but in a well designed circuit this shouldn’t be too much of an issue.

Don’t worry about it too much - pick a decent name like Nichicon, Panasonic or Rubycon, go for one with the higher temperature rating of 105degC and make sure you get the right physical size and leg pitch so it’ll fit where you need it to.

Oh, and avoid anything overpriced that claims to be “audiophile” unless you particularly like wasting money.
 
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Jazid

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The best thing would be to replace these caps with exactly the same make and type as you do not know their exact position .

As to where to buy one HiFi Collective , eBay, RS, Mouser but most have a minimum order value

...avoid anything overpriced that claims to be “audiophile” unless you particularly like wasting money.
Wot they sez (y) Capacitor datasheets tend to be written with the component's ultimate purpose in mind, so can be confusing at first. A lot of caps these days are aimed at switch mode PSUs and similar where higher frequency performance is significant, unlike in ye olden days when they would more likely be aimed at reducing low frequency ripple in linear PSUs. 25 small caps from mouser may well be cheaper than 5 from hifi collective, although the minimum price could be an issue. The price of mainstream caps is not a reliable indicator of either quality or suitability, although very cheap means you'll get what you expect.
 

rabski

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Replace like for like, as others have said. At the voltage ratings there, it'll be power supply smoothing and solid state, so there is no point at all in going for different values (and the potential to actually increase ripple). That said, a higher temperature rating will normally give a longer life.

At the voltages and currents in a circuit like that, any of the Nichicon ranges that fit will do absolutely fine. None of them have an ESR rating that would cause any issues and if you buy from a proper supplier, you'll get the 'real' ones.

There is a place for 'audiophile' capacitors, but generally it's not in solid-state, low voltage power supplies.

One practical point that I always stress. Take pictures before, and if practical swap them one at a time. Always refer to the polarity of what comes out, and never refer to any markings on the circuit board or even the schematic, unless you double check the latter. I've seen more than a few instances of the PCB printing being the wrong way round or showing incorrect values and not all schematics are accurate. Things change over a production run, errors are made in print/print design, and it's far from unkown for manufacturers to leave deliberate mistakes.
 

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