When NOT to use "new" caps?

FourT6and2

Well-known member
I just received some of these BC 10uF, 160v caps for the bias supply of a build. There's no way to know how long they've been sitting on the shelf, because I think BC no longer makes 'em. But I measured them and they all come in at 13.5uF. That is a 35% variance, which is pretty huge. Although the caps are rated -10% / +50%.

So, my question is when caps like this go bad from age and non-use, do they tend to drift up or drift down? And would y'all feel comfortable using these?

BC10uf160v.jpg
 
Yes electrolytic go bad from age, even if they are setting on a shelf. The electrolyte evaporates overtime, also the oxide layer deteriorates overtime (this will cause a short).

Electrolytic's are the one cap I would not use as NOS.
 
FourT6and2":14arlpdm said:
I just received some of these BC 10uF, 160v caps for the bias supply of a build. There's no way to know how long they've been sitting on the shelf, because I think BC no longer makes 'em. But I measured them and they all come in at 13.5uF. That is a 35% variance, which is pretty huge. Although the caps are rated -10% / +50%.

So, my question is when caps like this go bad from age and non-use, do they tend to drift up or drift down? And would y'all feel comfortable using these?

BC10uf160v.jpg


Yes electrolytic go bad from age, even if they are setting on a shelf. The electrolyte evaporates overtime, also the oxide layer deteriorates overtime (this will cause a short).

Electrolytic's are the one cap I would not use as NOS.
 
Are you using these in the negative bias supply? The extra capacitance will be beneficial in that case.
 
V2a":1jntpz7a said:
Are you using these in the negative bias supply? The extra capacitance will be beneficial in that case.

Yeah bias supply filter caps. I'm not worried about the higher capacitance, I'm concerned that using NOS caps means using caps that have been on the shelf too long.
 
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