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The Mundorf ECap is a bipolar electrolytic capacitor designed in such a way that is suitable for a signal application.
There is no mention I can find about what direction to place the negative/positive when used as an input coupling capacitor.
I assume the signal flow would be positive to negative for a signal application.
Any solid insight about the matter would be appreciated. TIA
Follow Ups:
The outer foil is preferred to be on the neg. term. or ground
to prevent hum problems. You can find out which lead using
the "hum" test, hooked up to an amp or scope.Have many non-polars here with that ridge too. Polar caps,
the ridge is pos. end.
Edits: 02/20/21
Part of the question is whether bipolar electrolytic construction is such that there even is an "outer foil" to worry about. My guess would be no, but it would be a guess.
from the pic I assume the case is the outer foil. It's just weird
A nonpolar electrolytic is made from two equal value polar electrolytics connected "back to back". Either the two negative leads are connected to each other or the two positive leads, inside the casing. Therefore, I tend to think there is no such thing as an inner or outer foil in such a construction, and the pinched casing simply suggests they used some casings for polar electroytics in order to package the nonpolar one.
It would be easy enough to try one and see.
it's bipolar but has + - ?
The ECap has an indentation on one end that seems to be an indicator, a marking of some sort. Maybe the marking is like an Auricap film capacitor that is directional based on the color of the leads but not necessary to function. Maybe the ECap sounds better when connected in a particular direction, or the indentation is just to keep the aluminum housing secured.
Is it bipolar or no? If bipolar electrolytic, those are usually derived from two polar electrolytics, so in a sense you could say they are not subject to the "outer foil" orientation that is preferred for true film capacitors (assuming that is the basis for your question). So I don't think it matters. However, for the heck of it you can consider that pinched end to be pos. For polar electrolytics that is usually the case.
what's strange is the lack of marking for + - if it's really an electrolytic. Or do they expect people to 'know' the usual physical orientation? Maybe they just came across a crapload of cheap aluminum cases to make their caps.
When you place electro's in a dc circuit with the wrong polarity they will explode eventually.
That would be my guess too. Buying standard axial housings would be cheaper than having some custom made without the indentation, I would imagine.
Below is a link to the data sheet. I don't know if they're stenciled "Bi-Polar" on the back, but if not, they ought to do their customers a favor and add it to avoid confusion. Writing "Plain" on a cap tells me nothing, in itself.
Since the design is symmetrical without any directionality whatsoever, I'm going to place the caps with the signal flow in the direction of the lettering. It's what I do with any other device without explicit instructions about directionality, so it seems to be the thing to do.
The cap per the description is BIPOLAR meaning there is no differential for positive or negative. The cap doesn't care, so to speak. Electrolytics are not typically made this way. Unlike film caps that are largely wound types, electrolytic caps are stacked or layered electrolyte and dielectric. The groove at the end is a roll seal on the case.
It sucks to get old. It really sucks to get old and bitter.
Edits: 02/21/21
I've known about this since I was a wee lad Mike, I hope you keep things like this in mind in the future and examine more carefully.
Here's one example of a true Sprague Electrolytic - notice the casing and markings. There's none to note from the previous pic
whatever
It sucks to get old. It really sucks to get old and bitter.
yep
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