NetNews Usenet Archive 1993 #1/NN_1993_1.iso/spool/sci/electron/22085

Internet Message Format | 1993-01-06 | 1.2 KB

Path: sparky!uunet!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!ohstpy!garland
From: [e-mail]
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: What good are mylar capacitors?
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Date: 6 Jan 93 07:24:17 EST
Organization: The Ohio State University, Department of Physics
Lines: 16

Here's an elementary question about capacitors that I'm almost too embarrassed
to ask. Many audio circuits I've seen specify mylar, polystyrene, or paper
capacitors in the .01uF-.1uF range.  Is there some advantage these types of
capacitors have (e.g., lower noise, more stability) over disk ceramics or
silver micas? For instance, I got a bag of .01uF 400V mylar capacitors on
close-out from a local parts distributor, but am not sure what I should use
them for. Presumably, their self-inductance is too high for rf circuits, where
I would normally use ceramics or micas, but are they suitable for general
purpose bypassing, etc. of power supplies, op amp, and TTL circuits? Are they
OVERKILL for such uses (i.e., is their temperature coefficient, tolerance, etc.
so good that I'm wasting them for such applications?)  I'd appreciate any
guidance. Thanks.

jim Garland