How to identify tantalum capacitor

2024-08-17

Tantalum capacitors, featured with high capacitance density, good stability, low ESR, etc, are widely used on electronic applications, However, with the diverse range of capacitor types available, identifying a tantalum capacitor can be challenging for beginners. We will introduce you the key features and characteristics to help you identify tantalum capacitors. Firstly, let’s know tantalum capacitors basically.

Basic information of tantalum capacitors:

A tantalum capacitor is an electrolytic capacitor, a passive component of electronic circuits. It consists of a pellet of porous tantalum metal as an anode, covered by an insulating oxide layer that forms the dielectric, surrounded by liquid or solid electrolyte as a cathode.

all electrolytic capacitors are polar, meaning that current will only pass from the positive end (the anode) to the negative end (the cathode). The three major elements of an electrolytic capacitor are the anode, dielectric, and cathode. The tantalum anode consists of particles of very pure tantalum powder that are pressed and sintered into a sponge-like structure.

As the Tantalum capacitors’demand is increasing, it’s necessary to know how to identify them, who can be your reliable tantalum capacitors supplier in China.Identifying them accurately is crucial for component replacement and understanding circuit design. Let us identify tantalum capacitors from below aspects:

1. Physical Features:

Case Shape: Tantalum capacitors typically have a cylindrical or rectangular shape, often with a distinctive "pill" or "button" appearance.

HONGDA Capacitors, the good capacitor brand in China, provide full range of tantalum capacitors:

CA42 series: this is radial type

Other series: standard CA45 series, Low ESR CA45L series, Polymer CA55 series, etc, are the SMD type.

We also offer military tantalum capacitors, high temperature tantalum capacitors, wet tantalum capacitors, most are cylindrical type.

Size: They are generally smaller than electrolytic capacitors of comparable capacitance, contributing to their popularity in space-constrained devices.

Color: The case color can provide a hint, but it's not a definitive identifier. Tantalum capacitors often come in black,yellow, brown, or gray shades.

Take standard CA45 series for example, we have yellow color and black color. standard is yellow, and sometimes we have black in stock, and ship black color goods to support customer fast delivery.

Since 2022, in order to improve our delivery speed on tantalum capacitors, we started to build our running stock for tantalum capacitor. Until now, we have around 200 items for below tantalum capacitors series in stock for fast delivery. Our customers can place order and get goods

quickly. This definitely improves our customers' satisfaction.

CA45 Chip Tantalum Capacitors

CA45L Low ESR Tantalum Capacitors

CA55 Polymer Tantalum Capacitors

2. Labeling and Specifications

Capacity and Voltage Ratings: Tantalum capacitors will have their capacitance (in microfarads, µF) and voltage rating printed on the case. For example, as below photo1:686 means 68uF, J means: 6.3V;

Photo 2 is our packing, with our label on the reel.

Tantalum capacitors, vacuumed packing, and showed datacode on the label.

We have a specified documents to clarify the datacode.

https://www.hongdacapacitors.com/res/download/Clarification%20of%20Date%20Code.pdf

Polarity: Tantalum capacitors are polarized, meaning they have a positive and negative lead. The positive lead is usually longer or marked with a "+" sign. Misconnecting these can lead to failure or explosion, so recognizing the polarity is essential.

3. Internal Construction

If you have a dismantled capacitor, examining the internal structure can provide clues. Tantalum capacitors consist of a tantalum metal anode, a dielectric oxide layer, and a conductive cathode. However, it is not practical to open capacitors for identification in most cases.

4. Testing

Capacitance Measurement: Use a multimeter or capacitance meter to check the capacitance. Tantalum capacitors tend to have stable capacitance values and can be tested while still in the circuit (depending on other connected components).

ESR Testing: The equivalent series resistance (ESR) of tantalum capacitors is typically lower than that of ceramic capacitors, and measuring ESR can help confirm the capacitor type.

HONGDA Capacitors, is the top capacitors manufacturer in China, can offer you best capacitors. We have the strict quality control and test on our tantalum capacitors.

5. Comparison with Other Capacitors

Tantalum capacitors can resemble ceramic and electrolytic capacitors, but there are key differences:

Tantalum vs. Electrolytic: While both are polarized, tantalum capacitors are usually smaller with higher capacitance values for the same size. They also have a lower ESR compared to electrolytic capacitors.

Tantalum vs. Ceramic: Ceramic capacitors are typically unpolarized and can come in a range of shapes and sizes, with different characteristics regarding frequency and stability.

6. Application

Tantalum capacitors are commonly found in power supply circuits and for decoupling applications in digital devices due to their stability and reliability.Applications, like computing, telecommunications, medical devices, industrial and military applications, aerospace, they use lots of tantalum capacitors.

Especially in Aerospace, tantalum capacitors play a role in:

Avionics: Power management and signal processing in navigation and communication systems.

Satellite Technology: Ensuring reliable performance in space environments.

Please contact Sandy if you need our specification or more details.

She will send it to you immediately.

Email: sandy@hongdacap.com.hk

Skype: info@hongdacapacitor.com

Mobile: +86 134 1426 6962((Wechat/Whatsapp)