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How important are "other" specs for choosing a replacement capacitor?

UnionTech

Mar 5, 2012
17
Joined
Mar 5, 2012
Messages
17
Hi all, I'm just wonder if anyone can tell me how important the specs would be when choosing a replacement capacitor? I can find plenty with the same voltage rating and capacitance but when it comes to ESR or current ripple I really don't know if those matter. If I chose a capacitor that was out of spec what would be the worse that could happen?
 

(*steve*)

¡sǝpodᴉʇuɐ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥd
Moderator
Jan 21, 2010
25,510
Joined
Jan 21, 2010
Messages
25,510
It really depends on what the capacitor is being used for and what specs are important in that application.

If you're replacing it, then that tells me it has failed.

A common trick is to replace a capacitor with the next higher voltage rating because that will generally give it an easier time. Of course all the other (important) specs should be at least as good.

Beware that in some places, too low an ESR can be a bad thing. I noted that for a particular voltage regulator when I was reading the specs. I can't remember what the device was, but it suggests that checking the datasheets of nearby devices may be needed in some cases.
 
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