In search of a capacitor application list. Link? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: t1d
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2022, 10:29:39 pm
content: I want a very specific thing... A list which indicates what type of capacitor to use for a broad list of applications. Such as...Power Supply - bulk smoothing = general purpose electrolyticAudio - (When/Where? I do not know, hence one reason I need the chart.) = low ESR electrolyticVoltage Regulator Output - TantalumA/C Voltage Dropper = Type X Safety CapEtc.What brought this to mind is that I have never incorporated a film resistor into one of my builds. That came to light when, after building a micro audio amp and using ceramic SMDs, I discovered that I might should have used film caps. Why did I make this error? Because I do not know when they would be the better choice. So, I need a resource that tells me what type of cap to use in different situations.It would be nice if it was in a poster format, so I could hang it on the lab wall.So, I am hopeful that someone will know of such a thing and have a link to it.Thank you for your help.PS If you have some rant about me being too lazy to study and learn, please do not post it. The topic of proper cap application is huge. I just need a pointer to even know what I might need to research.

author: nightfire
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2022, 10:40:35 pm
content: You mean something like this?https://resources.altium.com/p/which-type-capacitor-should-you-usehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fixed_capacitors_overview.svghttps://www.electronicproducts.com/choosing-capacitors-for-power-supplies/

author: t1d
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2022, 11:06:05 pm
content: Thanks, nightfire, for your help and effort. Yes, those articles do contain charts, however they are charts as in graphs, as opposed to charts as in posters. I will correct my title to read "list," for "chart." I am sorry to have created confusion.The articles have helpful information, but the information is general, in nature, as to the types of caps, as opposed to when (for what use) and where (in what location, within the circuit) a particular type of cap is the better choice.But, thank you so much for your contribution and support.

author: exmadscientist
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 05, 2022, 06:29:46 am
content: Quote from: t1d on July 04, 2022, 10:29:39 pmI hate to be that guy, but you're going about this entirely backward. There are many, many, many more applications than there are capacitor types. So learn what eachtypeis good for instead! If you understand the available types and what they are good and bad at, and you understand your application's needs, you can hardly go wrong.Memory and a quick glance at Digi-Key suggests the following main types:Aluminum ElectrolyticAluminum PolymerTantalum Electrolytic (plus niobium types because why not)Tantalum PolymerMultilayer Ceramic, StableMultilayer Ceramic, High-KCeramic Disk (now uncommon)Polymer Film (all subtypes because they're all really pretty similar, you can pick the best one after choosing this class)SupercapsAll The Rest (Air caps, silver mica, silicon, ...)There are a lot of shared strengths and weaknesses in there, but with price and availability as your tiebreakers, it is rarely too hard to know which one fits best.