SMD Electrolytic Capacitor Hack

[Cybercow]

Saving this. This is crazy good info! Thanks!
Did you have any with the aluminum leads taking solder easily?
Did you have to crank up the temp on the iron?

Was it relatively easy to pry the plastic shroud off?

The flat aluminum leads on the SMD e-Caps take solder just fine. No need to crank up the heat on the iron. I apply just the slightest bit of flux to the pads to assist in the solder flow.

And yes, removing the plastic shroud is easy. The only real concern is that the leads, being aluminum, are quite susceptible to metal fatigue. If bent too many times and they can break off from to much re-shaping.

 

[Feral Feline]

Based on my experience in the bike industry:

Aluminum/Aluminium generally only likes to bend once.

 

[Cybercow]

Based on my experience in the bike industry:

Aluminum/Aluminium generally only likes to bend once.

TBH, and not being a metallurgist, I'm not sure the leads on the SMD caps are pure aluminum. They just seem to "feel" that way and how easily they break when bent more than a couple times. The more acute the angle of the bend with those type of legs/leads, the more quickly they succumb to fatigue. For all I actually know, those legs could be an alloy of some sort.

 

[Synchrony Pedalworks]

What "kit" did you get?

Bumping this question. Great idea and thanks!

 

[Cybercow]

Bumping this question. Great idea and thanks!

From Amazon - THIS ELECTROLYTIC CAPACITOR KIT

 

[DAJE]

That seems to be the exact same kit I ordered from AliExpress. I haven't received it yet but Australia Post says it'll probably be delivered tomorrow (which in this time zone is Monday). Which is blazingly fast, since I only ordered it on the 14th of April.

 

[ThePanda]

From Amazon - THIS ELECTROLYTIC CAPACITOR KIT

This is legit!

 

[KR Sound]

From Amazon - THIS ELECTROLYTIC CAPACITOR KIT

Even the 10 and 16V ones?

 

[Cybercow]

Even the 10 and 16V ones?

Yes. But there are only a few values at 10V, and about 7 different values at 16V. The rest are 25V, 35V & 50V
It's a "kit", so it's not going cover all the values with those 5 different voltage ratings.

 

[Feral Feline]

I'm usually not keen on kits that have stuff I'll never use, but I have to admit this is a pretty good assortment from Cybercow's Amazon-source.

Out of 400 pieces, only 15% unusable. Maybe even less a percentage if I use the 1000µF in series: 2 to get 500µF, or 3 to get 333.33µF, 4 for 250µF etc... AND, they're so small that on a regular build you'll have plenty of room to put a few in series, seriously!

 

[jimilee]

View attachment 47021


I'm usually not keen on kits that have stuff I'll never use, but I have to admit this is a pretty good assortment from Cybercow's Amazon-source.

Out of 400 pieces, only 15% unusable. Maybe even less a percentage if I use the 1000µF in series: 2 to get 500µF, or 3 to get 333.33µF, 4 for 250µF etc... AND, they're so small that on a regular build you'll have plenty of room to put a few in series, seriously!

I’ve used a 1000uf in a flanger, I believe, to tame the noise.