To learn more about electronic's, and other "things" you may not know about, check out my Patreon site, click here: www.patreon.com/MrCarlsonsLab Thanks to all for supporting this channel, you're keeping the video's coming!
Many years ago I was involved in developing sensitive alarm systems. We utilised the Piezo-electric effect of ceramic caps for vibration detection as part of an 'anti-tamper' warning sub circuit. Our ceramic cap piezo-detection circuit was much cheaper than the vibration detection devices used in previous systems and they turned out to be much more reliable, I believe there are still several of these alarm systems still in 24hr use today over 25years after installation. Sometimes the normally 'unwanted effects' of components can be put to good use. :-) Many thanks for these videos Paul. Keep up the good work Sir! 73.
Thank you for your videos. I've been an electrical and electronics hobbyist since 1964 when I was 10 years old. I destroyed my family's toaster when I took it apart out of curiosity. My parents bought another one and also bought me some tools and other second hand electrical things from a second hand store to pursue my interests. Later I got into repairing stereos, CB and other radio equipment, and designing electronic gadgets, like a signal system for model trains. I do enjoy your videos as I can always learn something from them.
It's been 37 years since I was in electronics school and working in the same industry for 36 years; so I get stuck with the type of electronics that I do (non-destructive test equipment). I really appreciate your refresher courses! Thanks kindly; you're a great teacher.
You did a super job today, appreciate you showing the different applications. one of your best tips. I believe you are the top electronic engineer on youtube, no one else comes close. Thumbs Up.
Shahriar of TheSignalPath is absolute top level as well and w2aew is an incredible teacher. Dave Jones is also usually very very good at teaching when he does his fundamental friday videos (unfortunately not so often).
Not to take away from Mr. Carlson’s EE (and teaching) skills, but I agree that there are a handful of other great engineers who (also) regularly put out content that shouldn’t be missed. For a different style and focus - though just as captivating - I recommend checking out “electronupdate.”
2 years ago I bought a brand new 50 watt all tube Marshall amp JVM 215C. I couldn't use it for a few months. But when I turn it on it started crackling which I guess is a typical sign of the capacitor It took him five weeks to figure out it wasn't tube or a resistor. It was a "silver mica" capacitor. He said it's rare for one to go out on a new amp but it did. Now that it is fixed, it sounds like new. Thank you for this video it's thorough and informative. 🙏🕊️❤️
I was wondering what replacement by type to use for these old bumble bee and paper type capacitors. The heat drift was amazing. Slowly rebuilding an old R-390A and you convinced me to remove the old caps. Thank you for making electronics fun while receiving a great education. Hope you never tire of making videos because I enjoy the training. Thank you Mr. Carlson, great job!
I wish you were my electronics lab instructor in college. I went to college in 1978 which I thought I knew most about capacitors. Now I am in my 60's and just about to retire and you came along and showed us things that should have been taught back then. This video showed why some of my home made circuits failed.
+w2aew Thanks for the kind words Alan! In the future, I will do a dedicated video on electrolytic's, complete with the usual examples. This video was already getting pretty long for a TTT. I always look forward to seeing that little notification pop up that says you have made a new video :^)
+w2aew Agreed, I think this effect is what many folk unwitingly experience most. The change in capacitance under DC bias would be good too,especially how the values can be changed perminantly under high voltage excursions
Greetings from the golden shores of goose lake, in the Topock Marsh, where my Class A Motor Home is parked letting me enjoy the warm sun, and avoid the Cold and Snow in South Dakota, my home state. Just wanted to thank you for these wonderful videos. I have always thought that if I could learn at least one new thing every day, I would keep my brain young and active instead of just sitting in my recliner and getting older and slower every day. This has kept me going now for over 65 years, in fact Workers Comp just called me last week to congratulate me on my assumed retirement! Yes they are cutting my paycheck in half so I can get the feel of real retirement!! Aren't they wonderful folk. Anyhow I am an electronics hobbyist, and have had a love and wonder at the operation of electrical circuits since my days as a boy at my fathers knee as he changed tube in our old battery pack radio, in our old farmhouse in North Dakota, we had neither electricity nor running water, so I felt a real reverence for the magic in that old wooden radio up on dad's secretary that sat near the living room window that looked out over our small front yard and the alfalfa field that lay beyond. My love continued when I entered the US Army, telling the recruiter that I wanted to work with radios and electric stuff, he got me a job as a field wire-man, stringing field wire through the jungle in Vietnam, and packing a prick 77 radio on my aching back. But I kept pushing and ended up getting into first, land line teletype, then radio teletype, and finally became a communications Chief with my own communications section at battalion level. When my kids became of school age, I left the Army and joined a police force, and after 24 years became disabled in an accident. The rest is a sad and painful story, but still I love the old electron moving through the wires making things happen. So anyhow thanks for the continuing education, you are indeed appreciated.
Paul, Thanks. What really sets your videos tutorials apart from the rest is that once you have explained theory, you shuffle off to the workbench and demonstrate with a simple setup. At least to my way of learning, that way of demonstrating really helps me to understand far better than your merely reciting theory. I am late for work each time you release a new video.........
Sir, thank you for making this video because as I was going through the engineering class at my college way back when, there wasn't this "qualitative" advice that your videos give as to what components to use. We just concentrated on the equations and circuits, but not what discrete device is good for what. So, Thank You for these videos.
I'm just now getting started back in electronics from a class that I never got to complete just 1 semester on but I knew instantly that it was the only thing in school that I ever liked, besides the early math. So from the late 70's I guess it's about time I get the chance but only from a disability, so I'm learning a lot from your films, so don't give up on them. You are reaching the people who really want to learn this but never had the time to do so by reading everything involved with the learning process, thank you.
Hi, I've been in the electronics game a long time and have just learnt a hole lot about capicitors from your short video . Explains a lot why some of my circuits that have been built have performed poorly or not at all thanks for your time and effort you put in every week and numerous hours in prepration for each video session, I have appreciated your work. Regards David Grey
+David Grey Thanks David! I"m glad you are enjoying the video's. You must have made some video's yourself to know about the time. Thanks for your very kind words!
Mr. Carlson, I have to tell you how much I enjoy your videos. Everyone I have watched has been entertaining but most importantly educational. I recently became involved in restoring old ham Radio boat anchors and your videos have been invaluable. With your help I am relearning vacuum tube theory! Keep up the great work. Looking forward to more videos.
The tip about using Tantalum in a 555 circuit is just what I was looking for! I'm just beginning my foray into hobby electronics and your channel has been very educational, thank you.
Paul, I have found when upgrading, restoring Telefunken tube type stereos, shielded capacitors. These are three legged types. I make my own since I’ve never been able to find any.
Thanks a lot I’m just a simple guitar player trying to learn a little bit about my tube out and this is one of the first videos you’ve played it wasn’t way above my head
Excellent overview and tutorial for someone starting out. There is one application where I always replace ceramic capacitors. Old tube type CB radios often used either a dual section or two separate ceramic caps as line to ground safety caps. They are in service all the time since they are connected directly to the mains input they live a hard life. I have seen several of these plain blow up and flame out. I just uploaded a couple videos yesterday and today on a customers Tram D201 I restored and went over why the ceramic dual section bypass cap should be replaced. I use modern X1 / Y2 rated caps (the blue disc type) for line to ground and also add a X2 rated one (yellow box type) across the line for some additional filteting. Ever run into silver migration problems in the old mica mold caps. I did once and it drove ne nuts tracking down the culprit. Mike
+MikesRadioRepair .CBRadio Hi Mike, I have run across silver mica disease in some AA5 IF transformers. I use those 1206 NP0 parts displayed in the video as replacements. Those old Tram radio's are pretty neat, I have one as well, somewhere around here. Thanks for the kind comment!
Just learnt especially the Ceramic cap test for sonic interference and didnt know there was an antenna effect too. Thanks,you also gave clear illustration.
If you had told me that I would spend 24 minutes watching a video about capacitors this morning, I’d say you were crazy. I figured I’d watch the first two minutes and move on. This was an excellent video, while I don’t see myself designing circuits (I will copy them), this knowledge is useful in practice. I would like to have seen some segment on the leaky effect of the paper caps too, something to back up your claim (although I don’t doubt you).
Just check the DC resistance between the capacitor terminals. If the capacitor is not leaky the resistance will be high (tens of megohms at least), whereas if the capacitor is leaky the resistance will be much lower.
Paul, Very good explanation of the various capacitor types. Don't have any horror stories about tantalum caps, but in my youth we had some (temporary) fun making paper caps explode like firecrackers. That was definitely an extremely dangerous stunt that should not be done. Still have a scar on my forehead where one of the capacitor leads impaled itself. If it was one inch lower, and I had removed my glasses, I would have lost sight in my right eye. The high school lab instructor was not pleased and we ended up with a weeks worth of detention.
My friend built an amplifier with some fairly large paper caps that he somehow managed to solder the wrong way round, luckily it exploded when he was out of the room ! destroyed the amp and made a mess of his room, NEVER mess with electrical equipment unless you know what you are doing, and double check anything you know could be dangerous, my friend knew wiring the caps wrong could be bad news , but just had a brainfart, always double check!
happened to me a couple of days ago... just toooo late in the evening wanting to finish and test it before going to bed is not such a good idea ;-) Surprise surprise with a nice bang and hissing. Must have been 35 years ago or such when that happened to me last time before...
Got out of the electronics profession years ago. Watching this reminds me of how much I enjoyed and still enjoy this field. Great video. Not for the uninterested viewers as seen by the negative thumbs down.
Glad I checked this video out...! That damn ceramic cap must have fooled me so many times thinking that my circuit concept was bad when infact it was that cap all along.
fantastic presentation, Mr. Carlson. Absolutely the best description of capacitor characteristics and their uses, especially the temperature characteristic of the polystyrene. That was new to me, after 50 years. Thank you!
+Applied Science Thanks for the kind words Ben! Glad your enjoying the video's. I'm looking forward to another SEM video, that home made one was incredible!
I keep comming back to see this video over and over again so I learn which caps to swap out with whats still inside my vacuum-tube test gear and radio's :) Excellent content and well described. I take my hat off for you, Mr Carlson
Love your channel. I know this is an old post, but had to comment. When you described the ceramic as very dependable and rarely fail I had to laugh a bit. In high school in the 70s I worked in a radio and TV repair shop. One of the first TVs I repaired in the shop had no audio. Guess what it was... A ceramic cap had shorted! I know it's rare, but it had no visible damage and yet tested as a direct short. That was a fun one. By the way, the shop was in SW Virginia where a lot of folks heated their homes with coal. Still saw a lot of tube TVs... There would always be a coating of coal dust all over the HV sections and CRT.... Made for some fun troubleshooting as the coal dust is conductive and the HV would find its way all over... The light show inside these TVs was quite pretty! Lol 😂
Morning Mr. Carlson! I only recently started to run into the problems you can get from using the wrong capacitor, and this was super helpful. Thanks for the great rundown!
From the bottom of my heart, thank you Carlson. You and other youtubers give me the oppetunity to learn electronics. Before youtube it was difficult to obtain education, anyway if you are from a small country like Denmark. This is what i dreamt about for 25 years. Please keep share.
Viewing in 2019. This was so informative and has helped greatly in clarifying the subject. I wish I had watched it a couple of days ago before I had to re-solder a tiny SMD cap in an RF tuner that had shifted due to my having to repair the RF socket. I wouldn't have worried so much about heat transfer. Thank you again Mr Carlson. Cheers.
This is a very good tutorial. I've been following a couple of your video's and let me tell you, you would make a very good teacher ! I learned more with you than when I was in high school in my electronics courses ! Keep it coming... teach me new things. I like to repair my old stuff but I don't have all the equipment necessary sometimes to do it. I'm also a HAM and i love your diagnostic skill in troubleshooting problems. 73 de André VE2WNF
As an Electronic Engineer working in the design, testing and maintenance of aircraft phased array radar targeting and mapping systems, I really like your videos. My original training in by 20's as an electronics technician was with ground--to-air radio transceivers, receivers and transmitters that still used electron vacuum tubes and Klystrons. Although your area of expertise is outside (below) the frequency bands where I currently reside, I still enjoy learning from you about other frequency circuit deign and characteristic paradigms. One can never learn too much.....although we at times can over-think things.....which can most generally lead to error..... Keep up the good work, my friend.
That's a lot of nice test gear. This is very good showing the effect of temperature on capacitors. I built an FET 5-5.5 MHz vfo for my home built transceiver using silver mica capacitors which had some drift so I looked at capacitor data and they had a Positive Temperature Coefficient so I changed one for a polystyrene type which had a Negative T.C. and stability improved after leaving it one hour to fully cool down from soldering. Still some drift so I changed another and stability improved again. I changed another and the drift went the other way so I settled on two polystyrene. I drew a graph and checked every ten minutes over an hour on several days and it showed a very slight up and down drift but basically remaining on frequency. I had glued the components to prevent any movement and used a ceramic coil former. Bill, G4GHB.
One thing to try might be to put two different types of caps in parallel, such that the positive temp coefficient of one counteracts the negative temp coefficient in the other one.
@@drtidrow Many years ago there was a trimmer capacitor called a Tempatrimmer which used that principle. When making my transceiver I contacted the company to see where I could get one but they had stopped making them. I was reminded of them because one day I walked past their place in the Lake District while on holiday. G4GHB
This is one of the best informative videos. As a humorous side note you can reuse the old wax coated caps. When driving a screw into wood it can be coated with the wax by scraping it off an old cap. Screws in go in much easier.
We all say NPO, the difference is understanding what you really are talking about. I find nothing wrong when using the common venacular after explaining what it really means. Same is true for every acronym.
In English /oʊ/ and /zɪɹoʊ/ are synonyms in any numerical context. Saying NPO like he did is precisely identical to saying "NP zero". There is *no* difference.
Just caught this (after two years!). Good demonstration, but I wish you'd covered more than just polypropylene (& polystyrene) films. I think the public would be well-served to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the various film dielectrics, including polycarbonate, polyethylene (/PET/PEN/PPS), Teflon, etc. Perhaps a "Part 2" specifically on film caps? I noticed "Raindrop Services" asking for it (about a year ago) as well.
Yes, it is a good idea. People think that some capacitors have some magical properties, say Teflon, or silver foil in oil, or Clarity Cap being better than Solen, so to bust the myths and give us guide what actually works properly in given circuit would be great idea for a video. I read stories, say, where Wima MKP supposedly sounds better than other brand, but I don't really buy it, and if it really does what's the reason for it (maybe accidentally polarity was reversed).
This video deserves a million likes instead of some stupid kid smashing a grilled cheese on his face. When faced with the multitude of choices on DigiKey this gives you a great way to get to the perfect part. How about a video on electrolytic caps, trade offs for tolerance, high temp, and so forth, I've seen some with super lifespans and have not ordered them just chose a good brand matching basically what was originally used. I've always wondered if you were to recap a receiver completely with the extremely long life ones if other properties of the part would be an issue. I have one project from the 70s I havent torn into yet but it's a very nice unit and when I tear in I would love to design the boards to last 100 years, maybe it can live through a couple generations in my family, I'm pretty sure there are some downsides to the properties of those that would make them not the best choice
Great presentation. I'll have to save it to view later as I need to remind myself about what caps I should choose when I swap out old ones from my old equipment.
This just became my new favorite channel for electronic component diag. You actually managed to give me some information for building vibration sensors without even trying. lol
This is some really useful info. You discussed tons of gotchas I had no idea existed with capacitors, and I've replaced quite a few in devices that would be vulnerable to these gotchas. Keep up the awesome work!
Your electronics knowledge astounds me. Ive just recently got into this field of study and though it has been a little challenging in some areas, the rewards of understanding are immense. I have 30 years of experience in 120v and 480v 3 ph electrical, HVAC, high pressure hydraulics & pneumatics, diesel maintenance and a little automotive. With most things, you learn to take it in modular chunks, as it builds upon itself. None of those fields are difficult once you understand the physics or basics. But electronics has been a pain, as once I think I understand something, I see some RF voodoo and it blows my mind while simultaneously reminding me that I don't know shit lol. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and making damn good vids. Godspeed
Paul, a couple of things: there are, of course, disc ceramic NPO caps. These have their tops painted black. (Sometimes it's just a slight smudge on the top.) Also, would you ever do a video on measuring receiver sensitivity? Sure would be helpful from an expert. tnx es 73, Bill, k6whp
What would be the best choice for replacing basic through hole electrolytic capacitors in video game systems such as Sega Genesis,NES,and SNES? I mean of course other than just putting new ones of the same type. Also what would be a good type to substitute for basic Electrolytic through holes in Game cartridges? I have seen a few leak and make one hell of a mess on the board so am looking for solid alternatives.
I have a 60+ year old radio badly in need of re-capping before I even power it up. Had to look up this video again.Now I think I have a better chance of a good result. Thank you.
I am sorry but no mention of electrolytics? I have some old Heathkit kits that have electrolytics. I assume, since they are decades old, have gone bad. Thanks for an otherwise great vid on caps.
To be fair, he kind of covered those when talking about the paper and foil caps. Electrolytics are the same thing, just paper and foil and the paper is soaked in an electrolyte. It's not that they're inherently bad, electrolytics do serve a purpose, particularly in achieving higher farad values than polyester or ceramic ones.
Thanks for reminding me they're aluminium canned paper jobs. So would I be mad to try and replace all aluminium electrolytics that I maybe replacing anyway (for example power supply) with poly or tantalums, ignoring expense and availability of farad capacity?
Tyeth Gundry Yes and no. There are some benefits to using electrolytics. Capacitors are more than just things that can store an electrical charge, and the makeup of them determines their overall activity in a circuit. Electrolytics are super common in power supplies for smoothing out ripple, which you'll want to achieve a smoother output voltage. I can't speak for ceramic or tantalum capacitors as I do not know enough about their major usages, but I know for a fact you'll find more electrolytics in high-voltage filtering applications than the other types, like in power supplies and amplifiers. That might be something you can do as a little fun project. Build your own power supply and test the outputs with different kinds of capacitors. You'd need a scope but I think the results would be interesting.
Electrolytic capacitors lose their capacity over time, even when just stored. At the same time they remain as much as big and weight as much. But they still can be used, though not in the most efficient way.
One of the caps you didn't describe are the retangular blocks on the input of AC power circuits. I would be greatly interested in what they are, how they are used and how to determine which one to use. Great video
Great video. Shows an excellent reason, with demo, as to why not to use ceramics in an audio path. (would be nice to have seen tantalum distortions though. Speaking of tantalum caps, the biggest thing I dislike about them is when they fail, they usually short, with fireworks when used as power supply filters.)
Those ceramic caps also work in reverse as piezo speakers. The chirping noise from your laptop power 'brick'/cellphone charger/cfl bulbs? It's probably one of these :\
Ultra old school! Why, you whipper-snapper, if I wasn't retired I'd give you such a talking to! Ultra old school was field coil speakers and radio dials that went from 0-100. When you found a station you liked you wrote down where it was - tune in 37 for news and weather. And I'm not buying a hearing aid because they don't make any with loctal tubes - all the octal tubes fall out when I dance. When I got in to General Aviation (small aircraft) avionics in 1970 most of the equipment we worked on was hybrid - some transistors (at least in the power supplies and audio) and some tubes. By 1980 I don't think there were any tubes in the new equipment, and ICs (small scale) were appearing. Technology moves faster now!
I've been in the video business for about 30 years. I've gone from tube type cameras to CCD cameras, from tape to tapeless. Several of my cameras use what I call junk surface mount electrolytics. The useful life of those caps was about 5 years. The cameras not only failed, but oil was leaking from the caps on every circuit card. I took the time to rebuild every camera with tantalum caps and they have been working fine for over 10 years now. Thanks for a nice presentation. Very informative.
if i saw a title like this posted by ANYBODY else i would not even glance at it but i just know Mr. Carlson is going to surprise me with great information that i just did not already possess..
I'm glad I saw something in one of these I wasn't taught back in tech school. I never would have considered what vibrations would do to caps, very useful stuff here.
In English /oʊ/ and /zɪɹoʊ/ are synonyms in any numerical context. Saying NPO like he did is precisely identical to saying "NP zero". There is *no* difference.
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
To learn more about electronic's, and other "things" you may not know about, check out my Patreon site, click here: www.patreon.com/MrCarlsonsLab Thanks to all for supporting this channel, you're keeping the video's coming!
Jay Hickman
GUITARS AND AMPS FOR MUSICIANS ARE DIFFERENT THAT A RADIO OR THOSE METERS YOU HAVE THERE. people like you are called tone killers.
What about testing paper oil or copper foil capacitors?
Mr. Please tell me if i put more tranzistors finals too my amp increase the power ??? Or not? What happend??
Love your work ! Where do you buy your replacement caps? I can find any place locally that sells components :-(
HELP !
Thanks.
Many years ago I was involved in developing sensitive alarm systems. We utilised the Piezo-electric effect of ceramic caps for vibration detection as part of an 'anti-tamper' warning sub circuit. Our ceramic cap piezo-detection circuit was much cheaper than the vibration detection devices used in previous systems and they turned out to be much more reliable, I believe there are still several of these alarm systems still in 24hr use today over 25years after installation. Sometimes the normally 'unwanted effects' of components can be put to good use. :-) Many thanks for these videos Paul. Keep up the good work Sir! 73.
Thank you for your videos. I've been an electrical and electronics hobbyist since 1964 when I was 10 years old. I destroyed my family's toaster when I took it apart out of curiosity. My parents bought another one and also bought me some tools and other second hand electrical things from a second hand store to pursue my interests. Later I got into repairing stereos, CB and other radio equipment, and designing electronic gadgets, like a signal system for model trains. I do enjoy your videos as I can always learn something from them.
Me too about 5 years after you
Very good parents. It's not the corn that we grow. It's the children. The corn is just the means that I need to raise my children.
In electronics since 1957 and never learned so much about capacitors in 24 minutes~Thanks Mr. Carlson
You're very welcome Robert!
It's been 37 years since I was in electronics school and working in the same industry for 36 years; so I get stuck with the type of electronics that I do (non-destructive test equipment). I really appreciate your refresher courses! Thanks kindly; you're a great teacher.
Daveyk021 , And I went to an EE school, RPI, ONLY 60 or so years ago. OMG... things have really changed a tad since I did.
You did a super job today, appreciate you showing the different applications. one of your best tips.
I believe you are the top electronic engineer on youtube, no one else comes close. Thumbs Up.
+MrMac5150
Those are some very kind words! Thanks for that!
Shahriar of TheSignalPath is absolute top level as well and w2aew is an incredible teacher. Dave Jones is also usually very very good at teaching when he does his fundamental friday videos (unfortunately not so often).
Not to take away from Mr. Carlson’s EE (and teaching) skills, but I agree that there are a handful of other great engineers who (also) regularly put out content that shouldn’t be missed.
For a different style and focus - though just as captivating - I recommend checking out “electronupdate.”
Totally agree. Read the comment late...
I think Ave is pretty cool too!
2 years ago I bought a brand new 50 watt all tube Marshall amp JVM 215C.
I couldn't use it for a few months. But when I turn it on it started crackling which I guess is a typical sign of the capacitor
It took him five weeks to figure out it wasn't tube or a resistor. It was a "silver mica" capacitor. He said it's rare for one to go out on a new amp but it did.
Now that it is fixed, it sounds like new.
Thank you for this video it's thorough and informative. 🙏🕊️❤️
After being an amateur radio operator for 25+ years, this is by far the best training on capacitors I've heard. Thanks Man! 🙌
LOL yup... and I have been a ham for a few years, too. KQ2E... and I agree!
I was wondering what replacement by type to use for these old bumble bee and paper type capacitors. The heat drift was amazing. Slowly rebuilding an old R-390A and you convinced me to remove the old caps. Thank you for making electronics fun while receiving a great education. Hope you never tire of making videos because I enjoy the training. Thank you Mr. Carlson, great job!
I love how your videos have concrete use and are not just pissing around. Thanks.
Glad your enjoying John!
I wish you were my electronics lab instructor in college. I went to college in 1978 which I thought I knew most about capacitors. Now I am in my 60's and just about to retire and you came along and showed us things that should have been taught back then. This video showed why some of my home made circuits failed.
Really nice video. Maybe a part II on aluminum electrolytics, and the voltage dependency of many capacitor types.
+w2aew
Thanks for the kind words Alan! In the future, I will do a dedicated video on electrolytic's, complete with the usual examples. This video was already getting pretty long for a TTT. I always look forward to seeing that little notification pop up that says you have made a new video :^)
+Mr Carlson's Lab Will look forward to that video, I work more with electrolytics than anything else...
+w2aew Agreed, I think this effect is what many folk unwitingly experience most.
The change in capacitance under DC bias would be good too,especially how the values can be changed perminantly under high voltage excursions
+w2aew Great video! I'd also love to see a similar video on electrolytics!
Maybe even variable capacitors.
Greetings from the golden shores of goose lake, in the Topock Marsh, where my Class A Motor Home is parked letting me enjoy the warm sun, and avoid the Cold and Snow in South Dakota, my home state. Just wanted to thank you for these wonderful videos. I have always thought that if I could learn at least one new thing every day, I would keep my brain young and active instead of just sitting in my recliner and getting older and slower every day. This has kept me going now for over 65 years, in fact Workers Comp just called me last week to congratulate me on my assumed retirement! Yes they are cutting my paycheck in half so I can get the feel of real retirement!! Aren't they wonderful folk. Anyhow I am an electronics hobbyist, and have had a love and wonder at the operation of electrical circuits since my days as a boy at my fathers knee as he changed tube in our old battery pack radio, in our old farmhouse in North Dakota, we had neither electricity nor running water, so I felt a real reverence for the magic in that old wooden radio up on dad's secretary that sat near the living room window that looked out over our small front yard and the alfalfa field that lay beyond. My love continued when I entered the US Army, telling the recruiter that I wanted to work with radios and electric stuff, he got me a job as a field wire-man, stringing field wire through the jungle in Vietnam, and packing a prick 77 radio on my aching back. But I kept pushing and ended up getting into first, land line teletype, then radio teletype, and finally became a communications Chief with my own communications section at battalion level. When my kids became of school age, I left the Army and joined a police force, and after 24 years became disabled in an accident. The rest is a sad and painful story, but still I love the old electron moving through the wires making things happen. So anyhow thanks for the continuing education, you are indeed appreciated.
Thanks for taking the time to write Jerry! Great story and well written.
Paul,
Thanks. What really sets your videos tutorials apart from the rest is that once you have explained theory, you shuffle off to the workbench and demonstrate with a simple setup.
At least to my way of learning, that way of demonstrating really helps me to understand far better than your merely reciting theory.
I am late for work each time you release a new video.........
Glad the video's benefit you! Don't get fired...LOL!
Sir, thank you for making this video because as I was going through the engineering class at my college way back when, there wasn't this "qualitative" advice that your videos give as to what components to use. We just concentrated on the equations and circuits, but not what discrete device is good for what. So, Thank You for these videos.
how sadly this is true , we are left to our own ways hoping we stumble on to this subject esp back in 90's where little info and the net didnt exist
I'm just now getting started back in electronics from a class that I never got to complete just 1 semester on but I knew instantly that it was the only thing in school that I ever liked, besides the early math. So from the late 70's I guess it's about time I get the chance but only from a disability, so I'm learning a lot from your films, so don't give up on them. You are reaching the people who really want to learn this but never had the time to do so by reading everything involved with the learning process, thank you.
The razor sharp trace of a vintage analogue Tektronics scope, such a beauty. Very interesting demonstration.
Hi, I've been in the electronics game a long time and have just learnt a hole lot about capicitors from your short video . Explains a lot why some of my circuits that have been built have performed poorly or not at all thanks for your time and effort you put in every week and numerous hours in prepration for each video session, I have appreciated your work.
Regards David Grey
+David Grey
Thanks David! I"m glad you are enjoying the video's. You must have made some video's yourself to know about the time. Thanks for your very kind words!
Best Cap video I think I've ever seen. Keep it coming Mr. Carlson!
Thanks William!
Yes, I was trying to do an audio oscillator with the wrong one! Is there any other video like this one about inductors or coils? Cheers!
Finally, I've found an EE channel that isn't just all show, but is more focused on sharing actual knowledge! Subscribed.
Glad you're enjoying the video's!
Mr. Carlson, I have to tell you how much I enjoy your videos. Everyone I have watched has been entertaining but most importantly educational. I recently became involved in restoring old ham Radio boat anchors and your videos have been invaluable. With your help I am relearning vacuum tube theory! Keep up the great work. Looking forward to more videos.
Great to read Alan!
The tip about using Tantalum in a 555 circuit is just what I was looking for! I'm just beginning my foray into hobby electronics and your channel has been very educational, thank you.
Paul, I have found when upgrading, restoring Telefunken tube type stereos, shielded capacitors. These are three legged types. I make my own since I’ve never been able to find any.
Best electronics instructor on youtube hands down (personal opinion)
Thanks a lot I’m just a simple guitar player trying to learn a little bit about my tube out and this is one of the first videos you’ve played it wasn’t way above my head
Excellent overview and tutorial for someone starting out.
There is one application where I always replace ceramic capacitors. Old tube type CB radios often used either a dual section or two separate ceramic caps as line to ground safety caps. They are in service all the time since they are connected directly to the mains input they live a hard life. I have seen several of these plain blow up and flame out. I just uploaded a couple videos yesterday and today on a customers Tram D201 I restored and went over why the ceramic dual section bypass cap should be replaced. I use modern X1 / Y2 rated caps (the blue disc type) for line to ground and also add a X2 rated one (yellow box type) across the line for some additional filteting.
Ever run into silver migration problems in the old mica mold caps. I did once and it drove ne nuts tracking down the culprit.
Mike
+MikesRadioRepair .CBRadio
Hi Mike, I have run across silver mica disease in some AA5 IF transformers. I use those 1206 NP0 parts displayed in the video as replacements. Those old Tram radio's are pretty neat, I have one as well, somewhere around here. Thanks for the kind comment!
Holy Moly. What an efficient resource. A teacher that takes the shortest route to practical applicable capability.
Visse Volker u09876
Just learnt especially the Ceramic cap test for sonic interference and didnt know there was an antenna effect too. Thanks,you also gave clear illustration.
Very useful video. I wasn't aware that ceramic caps are so temperature sensitive!
Thank you.
+Cezary Siwek
Your welcome Cezary.
If you had told me that I would spend 24 minutes watching a video about capacitors this morning, I’d say you were crazy. I figured I’d watch the first two minutes and move on. This was an excellent video, while I don’t see myself designing circuits (I will copy them), this knowledge is useful in practice. I would like to have seen some segment on the leaky effect of the paper caps too, something to back up your claim (although I don’t doubt you).
Just check the DC resistance between the capacitor terminals. If the capacitor is not leaky the resistance will be high (tens of megohms at least), whereas if the capacitor is leaky the resistance will be much lower.
Paul, Very good explanation of the various capacitor types. Don't have any horror stories about tantalum caps, but in my youth we had some (temporary) fun making paper caps explode like firecrackers. That was definitely an extremely dangerous stunt that should not be done. Still have a scar on my forehead where one of the capacitor leads impaled itself. If it was one inch lower, and I had removed my glasses, I would have lost sight in my right eye. The high school lab instructor was not pleased and we ended up with a weeks worth of detention.
+Donald D'Egidio
LOL, Great story! I think we all did silly things like that.... Your not alone :^) Glad you enjoyed the video.
My friend built an amplifier with some fairly large paper caps that he somehow managed to solder the wrong way round, luckily it exploded when he was out of the room ! destroyed the amp and made a mess of his room, NEVER mess with electrical equipment unless you know what you are doing, and double check anything you know could be dangerous, my friend knew wiring the caps wrong could be bad news , but just had a brainfart, always double check!
happened to me a couple of days ago... just toooo late in the evening wanting to finish and test it before going to bed is not such a good idea ;-) Surprise surprise with a nice bang and hissing. Must have been 35 years ago or such when that happened to me last time before...
Got out of the electronics profession years ago. Watching this reminds me of how much I enjoyed and still enjoy this field. Great video. Not for the uninterested viewers as seen by the negative thumbs down.
Glad I checked this video out...! That damn ceramic cap must have fooled me so many times thinking that my circuit concept was bad when infact it was that cap all along.
fantastic presentation, Mr. Carlson. Absolutely the best description of capacitor characteristics and their uses, especially the temperature characteristic of the polystyrene. That was new to me, after 50 years. Thank you!
You're welcome Warren!
Thanks for another really great video!
+Applied Science
Thanks for the kind words Ben! Glad your enjoying the video's. I'm looking forward to another SEM video, that home made one was incredible!
I've watched a lot of these electronics videos from other very talented people, but you're on a level of its own... Thank You!
I keep comming back to see this video over and over again so I learn which caps to swap out with whats still inside my vacuum-tube test gear and radio's :)
Excellent content and well described. I take my hat off for you, Mr Carlson
You're welcome!
Carlsons Lab, effectively educating one million at a time.
Love your channel. I know this is an old post, but had to comment. When you described the ceramic as very dependable and rarely fail I had to laugh a bit. In high school in the 70s I worked in a radio and TV repair shop. One of the first TVs I repaired in the shop had no audio. Guess what it was... A ceramic cap had shorted! I know it's rare, but it had no visible damage and yet tested as a direct short. That was a fun one. By the way, the shop was in SW Virginia where a lot of folks heated their homes with coal. Still saw a lot of tube TVs... There would always be a coating of coal dust all over the HV sections and CRT.... Made for some fun troubleshooting as the coal dust is conductive and the HV would find its way all over... The light show inside these TVs was quite pretty! Lol 😂
Thanks for sharing your story Marty.
Now this kind of content is the real deal on RUclips!
Very informative and educational! thanks! 👍
Very "hands on". Wish I had this information 50 years ago, when starting on electronics....Thanks a lot.
Well done Paul! Some really handy info in there for anyone working with caps/circuits. Cheers. Eric
+MKme Lab
Thanks for the kind words Eric!
Morning Mr. Carlson! I only recently started to run into the problems you can get from using the wrong capacitor, and this was super helpful. Thanks for the great rundown!
Piezo-electric caps and noisy resistors? I had no idea.
Thanks Paul.
noisy resistors ? can you tell me where he mentioned about that in this video
Carbon resistors can introduce hissing in high gain circuits.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you Carlson. You and other youtubers give me the oppetunity to learn electronics. Before youtube it was difficult to obtain education, anyway if you are from a small country like Denmark. This is what i dreamt about for 25 years. Please keep share.
Mr Carlson, do you happen to have a video about MOSFET's. I wish i could learn more about matching and replacing burned MOSFET's.
Viewing in 2019. This was so informative and has helped greatly in clarifying the subject. I wish I had watched it a couple of days ago before I had to re-solder a tiny SMD cap in an RF tuner that had shifted due to my having to repair the RF socket. I wouldn't have worried so much about heat transfer. Thank you again Mr Carlson. Cheers.
This is a very good tutorial. I've been following a couple of your video's and let me tell you, you would make a very good teacher ! I learned more with you than when I was in high school in my electronics courses ! Keep it coming... teach me new things. I like to repair my old stuff but I don't have all the equipment necessary sometimes to do it. I'm also a HAM and i love your diagnostic skill in troubleshooting problems. 73 de André VE2WNF
it Is Interesting Lecture
As an Electronic Engineer working in the design, testing and maintenance of aircraft phased array radar targeting and mapping systems, I really like your videos. My original training in by 20's as an electronics technician was with ground--to-air radio transceivers, receivers and transmitters that still used electron vacuum tubes and Klystrons. Although your area of expertise is outside (below) the frequency bands where I currently reside, I still enjoy learning from you about other frequency circuit deign and characteristic paradigms. One can never learn too much.....although we at times can over-think things.....which can most generally lead to error..... Keep up the good work, my friend.
is this guy on a space station?
what makes you think the guy is on a space station?
+AlwaysQuestionItNoMatterWhat everything around him..
It was a joke.
he is clearly not floating around, nor is any of his stuff.
Yes, he just forgot to wear a micro-gravity harness. (joking, or am I ?)
Thank you for a very well narrated description on capacitor operation and value choosing.
You are welcome!
Thank you. This was a truly fascinating video about what would normally be a pretty dry subject. I really enjoy your videos, sir.
That's a lot of nice test gear. This is very good showing the effect of temperature on capacitors.
I built an FET 5-5.5 MHz vfo for my home built transceiver using silver mica capacitors which had some drift so I looked at capacitor data and they had a Positive Temperature Coefficient so I changed one for a polystyrene type which had a Negative T.C. and stability improved after leaving it one hour to fully cool down from soldering. Still some drift so I changed another and stability improved again. I changed another and the drift went the other way so I settled on two polystyrene. I drew a graph and checked every ten minutes over an hour on several days and it showed a very slight up and down drift but basically remaining on frequency. I had glued the components to prevent any movement and used a ceramic coil former.
Bill, G4GHB.
One thing to try might be to put two different types of caps in parallel, such that the positive temp coefficient of one counteracts the negative temp coefficient in the other one.
@@drtidrow Many years ago there was a trimmer capacitor called a Tempatrimmer which used that principle. When making my transceiver I contacted the company to see where I could get one but they had stopped making them. I was reminded of them because one day I walked past their place in the Lake District while on holiday.
G4GHB
Brought to you from a space shuttle far far away :) The ultimate men's shed. Great video.
which capacitors used by changing temperature
This is one of the best informative videos. As a humorous side note you can reuse the old wax coated caps. When driving a screw into wood it can be coated with the wax by scraping it off an old cap. Screws in go in much easier.
+Rick Goebel
Thanks Rick!
I couldn't help but notice how you emphasized on calling it NP-ZERO but then a minute later called it NPO...
Its good to see you paying attention!
We all say NPO, the difference is understanding what you really are talking about. I find nothing wrong when using the common venacular after explaining what it really means. Same is true for every acronym.
across the atlantic brits call zero "O" all the time
In English /oʊ/ and /zɪɹoʊ/ are synonyms in any numerical context. Saying NPO like he did is precisely identical to saying "NP zero". There is *no* difference.
Bad habits die hard.😎
Oh and BTW that Type 547 Oscope is just beautiful. Really glad to see you take care of these baby's they are a treat to watch in operation.
Just caught this (after two years!). Good demonstration, but I wish you'd covered more than just polypropylene (& polystyrene) films. I think the public would be well-served to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the various film dielectrics, including polycarbonate, polyethylene (/PET/PEN/PPS), Teflon, etc. Perhaps a "Part 2" specifically on film caps? I noticed "Raindrop Services" asking for it (about a year ago) as well.
Thanks for your input Andrew.
Yes, it is a good idea. People think that some capacitors have some magical properties, say Teflon, or silver foil in oil, or Clarity Cap being better than Solen, so to bust the myths and give us guide what actually works properly in given circuit would be great idea for a video. I read stories, say, where Wima MKP supposedly sounds better than other brand, but I don't really buy it, and if it really does what's the reason for it (maybe accidentally polarity was reversed).
I'm learning much more from your videos than I learned for 3 years in electronics school. Thank You for Your AWESOME videos!
Glad to help
This video deserves a million likes instead of some stupid kid smashing a grilled cheese on his face. When faced with the multitude of choices on DigiKey this gives you a great way to get to the perfect part. How about a video on electrolytic caps, trade offs for tolerance, high temp, and so forth, I've seen some with super lifespans and have not ordered them just chose a good brand matching basically what was originally used. I've always wondered if you were to recap a receiver completely with the extremely long life ones if other properties of the part would be an issue. I have one project from the 70s I havent torn into yet but it's a very nice unit and when I tear in I would love to design the boards to last 100 years, maybe it can live through a couple generations in my family, I'm pretty sure there are some downsides to the properties of those that would make them not the best choice
Great presentation. I'll have to save it to view later as I need to remind myself about what caps I should choose when I swap out old ones from my old equipment.
Very informative video , thank you for taking the time to make it and uploading it for all of us to view.
This just became my new favorite channel for electronic component diag. You actually managed to give me some information for building vibration sensors without even trying. lol
Glad to assist Doug!
Great info Mr Carlson thanks for sharing.
+wade hicks
Your welcome Wade!
This is some really useful info. You discussed tons of gotchas I had no idea existed with capacitors, and I've replaced quite a few in devices that would be vulnerable to these gotchas. Keep up the awesome work!
Glad your enjoying!
You are an internet gem
Thanks Brandon!
A tech tip on toroid core selection would be really helpful! Thanks for all of these videos.
Great video! I'm just getting into electronics as a hobby. Never knew vibrations/heat affected these components that much!
Your electronics knowledge astounds me. Ive just recently got into this field of study and though it has been a little challenging in some areas, the rewards of understanding are immense. I have 30 years of experience in 120v and 480v 3 ph electrical, HVAC, high pressure hydraulics & pneumatics, diesel maintenance and a little automotive. With most things, you learn to take it in modular chunks, as it builds upon itself. None of those fields are difficult once you understand the physics or basics. But electronics has been a pain, as once I think I understand something, I see some RF voodoo and it blows my mind while simultaneously reminding me that I don't know shit lol. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and making damn good vids. Godspeed
Hey, thanks Dave. Many more to come!
Paul, a couple of things: there are, of course, disc ceramic NPO caps. These have their tops painted black. (Sometimes it's just a slight smudge on the top.)
Also, would you ever do a video on measuring receiver sensitivity? Sure would be helpful from an expert.
tnx es 73,
Bill, k6whp
+William Phinizy
Good future video topic William! Thanks for your input.
So nice to have knowable people explaining things, thank you!
Pretty cool lesson Paul, thanks.
+Robert Calk Jr.
Your welcome Robert.
Self-teaching EE here. Your videos are indispensable. THANKS!
+Justin L.
Thanks for the kind words Justin!
What would be the best choice for replacing basic through hole electrolytic capacitors in video game systems such as Sega Genesis,NES,and SNES? I mean of course other than just putting new ones of the same type.
Also what would be a good type to substitute for basic Electrolytic through holes in Game cartridges?
I have seen a few leak and make one hell of a mess on the board so am looking for solid alternatives.
I have a 60+ year old radio badly in need of re-capping before I even power it up. Had to look up this video again.Now I think I have a better chance of a good result. Thank you.
I am sorry but no mention of electrolytics? I have some old Heathkit kits that have electrolytics. I assume, since they are decades old, have gone bad. Thanks for an otherwise great vid on caps.
To be fair, he kind of covered those when talking about the paper and foil caps. Electrolytics are the same thing, just paper and foil and the paper is soaked in an electrolyte. It's not that they're inherently bad, electrolytics do serve a purpose, particularly in achieving higher farad values than polyester or ceramic ones.
Checkout badcaps.com They maybe able to help you?
Thanks for reminding me they're aluminium canned paper jobs.
So would I be mad to try and replace all aluminium electrolytics that I maybe replacing anyway (for example power supply) with poly or tantalums, ignoring expense and availability of farad capacity?
Tyeth Gundry
Yes and no. There are some benefits to using electrolytics. Capacitors are more than just things that can store an electrical charge, and the makeup of them determines their overall activity in a circuit.
Electrolytics are super common in power supplies for smoothing out ripple, which you'll want to achieve a smoother output voltage. I can't speak for ceramic or tantalum capacitors as I do not know enough about their major usages, but I know for a fact you'll find more electrolytics in high-voltage filtering applications than the other types, like in power supplies and amplifiers.
That might be something you can do as a little fun project. Build your own power supply and test the outputs with different kinds of capacitors. You'd need a scope but I think the results would be interesting.
Electrolytic capacitors lose their capacity over time, even when just stored. At the same time they remain as much as big and weight as much. But they still can be used, though not in the most efficient way.
Excellent video comparing specified performance with actual measurements. Very well presented. Thanks for putting this together.
You're welcome!
Bye Bye Bumble Bee... All circuits are COOL Mr C :-)
You have revealed an unsuspected hole in my technical training, and given me a good start in patching it. Many thanks.
+Hopelessand Forlorn
Your welcome!
Wonderful video... one more subscriber to the counter. Keep it up! Greetings from Mexico!
Thanks Rene!
One of the caps you didn't describe are the retangular blocks on the input of AC power circuits. I would be greatly interested in what they are, how they are used and how to determine which one to use. Great video
The man is a genius.
Great video. Shows an excellent reason, with demo, as to why not to use ceramics in an audio path. (would be nice to have seen tantalum distortions though. Speaking of tantalum caps, the biggest thing I dislike about them is when they fail, they usually short, with fireworks when used as power supply filters.)
When I grow up, I want to be just like Mr Carlson!!!
Same but I'm also poor af so I can't buy equipment
@@Rainbow__cookie You can, if you spare.
@will edwards i dont smoke drink or doing drugs i would never do that
This has got to be one of the best capacitor videos on RUclips.
Those ceramic caps also work in reverse as piezo speakers. The chirping noise from your laptop power 'brick'/cellphone charger/cfl bulbs? It's probably one of these :\
+TheChipmunk2008
Thanks for your comment!
Chipmunks
Paul, that demonstration of the capacitors was very revealing and informative. Excellent video capacitor types and uses. Thanks for your post.
you know you are going ultra old school when you hear "solid state electronics" ☺
+A. R. Jasso
LOL, It's an easy way to separate the two technology's.
Ultra old school! Why, you whipper-snapper, if I wasn't retired I'd give you such a talking to! Ultra old school was field coil speakers and radio dials that went from 0-100. When you found a station you liked you wrote down where it was - tune in 37 for news and weather. And I'm not buying a hearing aid because they don't make any with loctal tubes - all the octal tubes fall out when I dance.
When I got in to General Aviation (small aircraft) avionics in 1970 most of the equipment we worked on was hybrid - some transistors (at least in the power supplies and audio) and some tubes. By 1980 I don't think there were any tubes in the new equipment, and ICs (small scale) were appearing. Technology moves faster now!
I've been in the video business for about 30 years. I've gone from tube type cameras to CCD cameras, from tape to tapeless. Several of my cameras use what I call junk surface mount electrolytics. The useful life of those caps was about 5 years. The cameras not only failed, but oil was leaking from the caps on every circuit card. I took the time to rebuild every camera with tantalum caps and they have been working fine for over 10 years now. Thanks for a nice presentation. Very informative.
Thanks!
I'm embarrassed to say that I had no idea how unstable ceramic disc caps were with temperature. Wow they're bad!
Well, he did say that that was a particularly low quality cap. A high quality X7R would probably do better.
Gooberslot But nowhere near an NP0 ceramic cap.
if i saw a title like this posted by ANYBODY else i would not even glance at it but i just know Mr. Carlson is going to surprise me with great information that i just did not already possess..
learned a lot today. Thanks..
I keep coming back to this "oracle" video on capacitors. So many variations on a theme. Very helpful.
Thanks, very informative. Sharing is caring
I'm glad I saw something in one of these I wasn't taught back in tech school. I never would have considered what vibrations would do to caps, very useful stuff here.
Lol, You called the NP Zero NPO.You could put a diagonal line through the 0 so it looks like a zero not an O. Great video's BTW
They have been called NPO for years.
In English /oʊ/ and /zɪɹoʊ/ are synonyms in any numerical context. Saying NPO like he did is precisely identical to saying "NP zero". There is *no* difference.
Navy electronics taught NPO-> Non Polarized cap
@@real3tron3
In electrolytic capacitors yes, basically two electrolytics in series.
I knew what he was talking about.
That is a really nice analog oscilloscope. Granted I still love my DSO, but I gotta respect that old one too
You will respect any good old rebuilt and calibrated scope, especially an old Tec scope at low frequencies.
fantastic video! Very informative, this told me everything i wanted to know,
Glad you enjoyed!
Learned many things from this video. The visual demonstrations really reveals the nature of those caps, previously unaware of. Thanks a lot.
fun drinking game:
"all right" = take a shot.
"ok" = drink a beer.
but seriously, great video.
I think it's good how he gives the learner time to digest what he says, or drink some alcohol, which ever you feel like doing. :)
Dead
But don't drink and solder
what do I do at 'very'?
Sniff glue?
I learned a lot, especially about temperature stability and why it's important to replace old paper and foil caps. Thanks for the video!
Your welcome!