What's the difference between a none-polar electro cap and a err.. none-NP cap?

Started by Floyd Pepper, April 01, 2006, 04:59:50 AM

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Floyd Pepper

I've got a bunch of electrolytic capacitors and I've realised they're specified as none-polar.

Can I use them where an electrolytic is required?  Is there anything special about none-polar electros?

Thanks

davebungo

Provided the voltage rating is high enough and the value is close enough, then there should not be a problem in using non-polarised capacitors.  The N.P. type are usually physically larger that's probably the main problem.  You can't necessarily do the reverse, as NP caps are quite often, but not always, specified because the DC voltage across the terminals in a paticular circuit might swing positive or negative - a polarised capacitor would not like this.


tubes

so we should be able to use them in pedals that we may want to try npn or pnp trany swaps?  just switch the battery pols?

That should work.

kris