Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange
Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [tantalum]

Tantalum (Ta) is a chemical element used as an anode in tantalum electrolytic capacitors.

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Are tantalum capacitors safe for use in new designs?

I've heard it suggested that "solid tantalum" capacitors are dangerous and may cause fire, may fail short circuit and are fatally sensitive to even very short over voltage spikes. Are tantalum capacitors reliable? Are they safe for use in general…
Russell McMahon
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Why does the LM1117 data sheet specifically specify tantalum capacitors?

I'm planning on using an LM1117 to regulate 5 V to 3.3 V. Looking at (any of the several) data sheets for the LM1117, they recommend 10 µF tantalum capacitors between input and ground and between output and ground. I understand the need for the…
Jon Bright
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Why recommend tantalum over ceramic capacitor for voltage regulator?

The LM1117 voltage regulator datasheet recommends using tantalum capacitors on the input and output. What is the reason for this? What advantage does tantalum have over a ceramic capacitor? A 10μF tantalum capacitor costs about 21 cents, while a…
user31708
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Ceramic (MLCC) versus Tantalum capacitors

From the perspective of an electronics designer, but also taking into account price/cost and social considerations (see Coltan mining and ethics link below), I tend to avoid Tantalum capacitors under many circumstances, while favouring Multi-Layer…
jose.angel.jimenez
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What is this: a dual CAP?

I am trying to figure this cap out and locate a new one. It says 107K and 10K on it. Is is polarized ? what is it and where do i find one ?
Neil
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Which type of 100nF capacitor is best for 78xx regulator output?

I use 78L12 or similar voltage regulators in a few power supplies. I use them in their basic setup, see the picture: This diagram is common for all 78xx and 78Lxx regulators. It says that output capacitor should be 100nF. I am able to obtain these…
Al Kepp
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Are tantalums good for PIC Vcap?

I understand that ceramics are good at ESR but would like to know if tantalum would suffice for my application. Some 16 bit PICs require a >4.7uf cap (10uf recommended) low ESR cap for their internal regulator. The datasheet doesn't specify the type…
Chetan Bhargava
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Why use a tantalum instead of a ceramic capacitor?

On page 72 of the AD7124-4 datasheet it says: Decouple AVDD with a 1 μF tantalum capacitor in parallel with a 0.1 μF capacitor to AVSS on each pin. Why would this capacitor be specified to be a tantalum? At this low capacitance a ceramic MLCC is…
Miomio
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What are the key differences between Tantalum and Tantalum Polymer capacitors?

I've noticed that most component retailers split these types, and am wondering what comparative differences there are between them. I know that "regular" tantalum caps usually use MnO2 as an electrolyte, whereas polymer ones use (generally…
Polynomial
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Why do tantalum capacitor datasheets only quote endurance at their max temperature? How does it change at room temperature?

I'm on my first large board design, and it's only begun to dawn on me how infuriating capacitors can be to design with. Exhibit A: I need 100uF for a simple circuit to keep my FPGA on for 1ms after power is cut. This is hard to find in a…
jalalipop
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MLCC vs Tantalum: For Decoupling, input to regulator and ripple reduction

I require a 3.3uf capacitor in a 30 VDC environment for three different purposes: decoupling of precision ADC or DAC; input to a regulator (linear, switching, LDO); and output of any regulator for the purpose of ripple reduction. I can either use…
hadez
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Burned Out Tantalum Capacitor Replacements

I have an old computer with a broken Miniscribe 8425SA hard disk. One of the capacitors has burned out, and need some help finding a replacement. Here are my questions: It appears there are similar capacitors on the board which are marked "-A-…
Kaypro II
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MAX682 with electrolytic capacitors

In a new design I would like to use the MAX682. In the datasheet I found this typical operating circuit: I would like to use it exactly like that except that I'm going to pull /SKIP to GND. In table 2, I find the recommended values for the…
user17592
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Voltage rating and tantalum capacitors

I was originally considering using a 10 µF 6.3 V 0603 ceramic capacitor for stabilising the onboard voltage regulator on my microcontrollers. However, it may not be capable because of temperature coefficients, tolerances and applied voltage (losing…
Thomas O
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Should I be skeptical of a component when its datasheet specifies a specific type of capacitor?

I'm researching 5V regulators for a project and came across one that looks promising, but I noticed that its datasheet specifically calls for a tantalum capacitor on its output. Normally I wouldn't mind, but I remembered advice that if a datasheet…
E.HP.S
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