Capacitor problems

[talking_goat]

I'm putting together one of those MXR Microamp circuits off the general guitar gadgets site and i the schematic asks for a 15uF  Tantalum or Aluminum Electrolytic. i can't seem to find one right now. is there something else i could use that wouldn't effect the sound?

[erio fraga]

Remember that when you connect capacitors in parallel the final value is equal to the sum of individual values. For example, you can connect a cap of 10 micro in parallel with a 4,7 micro and you'll get almost 15 micro ( nominal)

Rgds

Erio

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

I'd put in a 10mF, if you have one, and that will get you working (if no faults ) then sometime you can replace it or put the 4.7mF in parallel as
Erio says.

[talking_goat]

I'd put in a 10mF, if you have one, and that will get you working (if no faults ) then sometime you can replace it or put the 4.7mF in parallel as
Erio says.

What difference (if any) would doing this make to the sound? and excuse my stupid question, but what/how do you put it in parallel??

cheers

[zener]

Check the DIY FAQ link above and see how an electro cap looks like.

To connect in parallel, just solder the respective negative and positive leads of the two caps together. Then use the resulting joints as the two leads of the cap in the layout. Take note of the orientation of the cap as shown in the layout.

The difference may be on the sense that you can use tantalum or electrolytic caps, but not on putting two electro caps in parallel to get the desired value than having one cap with the value specified.

Someone has said it here before as he answered a newbie question It goes something like this:

It's better to feel stupid for a while for asking a (perceived) stupid question
than to feel (be) stupid all of your life for not knowing the answer to that question  :wink:

[R@bbiT]

If you have a multimeter that can measure the capacity then you can test some capacitors if they are 15 micros you can take 10uF caps with >20% tolerance and I am sure that you will finf one close to the 15uF, but also you can buy a 15uF tantalum 5% tolerance - they are on market I ocne bought one and measured it Really it was close to the 15uF. If you don't like my variants than the only way is to use a parallel conecton.

[erio fraga]

Yeah, Zener, you are right. Someone told me, many years ago, something close to “a question never can be considered as stupid, only answers can be”

Erio