🚀 go-pugleaf

In Article: <24300028@silver>
 sl144007@silver.bacs.indiana.edu  Robert Schofield  Writes:

>    I have a question that should be easy for those in this group.
>
>    Is the voltage rating of an electrolytic capacitor the maximum it can 
>handle or is it the voltage required to drive the capacitor? (If that is even a
>correct thing to say) What I really want to know is if I can substitute a 35v,
>47 microfarad capacitor for a 16v, 47 microfarad capacitor.

Yes you can substitute a 35V Electrolytic for a 16V Electrolytic....
However it may degrade and drop in capacitance some over time (but I would
not worry much about it with that voltage difference, this could be a
significant problem with a 100V Electrolytic used in place of a
16V though).

The newer electrolytics (ex. Tantalum's) will probably be bothered less
by "Under Voltage" than older ones containing "moist" electrolyte soaked
paper (the "moist" electrolyte can disolve the dielectric and needs a
small leakage current to keep it "formed").

It was recommended in the Electronics books I used in school (if I remember
it right) not to replace an Electrolytic with another one rated much more
the about 2x to 3x the rating the circuit was designed for... but NEVER
replace one with a rating less than the one it was designed for (it will
probably explode)!

					R. Tim Coslet

Usenet:	R_Tim_Coslet@cup.portal.com
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