Smallest caps - bipolar 10-33 uF 10-25V

[APMP]

Hey guys

I'm looking to have some of my music players iModded (not by me actually since I know crap about this stuff) and for this I'm looking for the smallest capable capacitors.

For one of the players, 6.3 x 11 mm are the absolute largest dimensions of the caps; for the other I'm not exactly sure but it seems caps only about half this size will fit.

I'm aware of some Nichicon, ELMA and ELUM caps (and Black Gate but that's pricey) usually around those dimensions (6 x 11 mm), and I also found some smaller Nichicon on Mouser (e.g. 6.3 x 5 mm 22uF/16V UMP1C220MDD). Also some Panasonic stuff.

Which one to pick? Is there anything better in this size? Last but not least, is there a better place to get these parts without the insane 40 eur Mouser shipping fee?

Thanks a lot in advance!

[indianajo]

I like long life caps, that is ones rated service life >3000 hours. I don't like redoing jobs over and over. I've had to re-e-cap my 1961 hifi gear 3 times in the 42 years I've owned it. Mouser makes you download the datasheet to see the service life , I'll let yo do that for their stock items. I've bought long life caps from Nichicon, Panasonic, and Rubicon recently, initial quality was okay.
I can't tell from your flag where you are, but Mouser has warehouses in Texas and Scandinavia somewhere, there might be a customs problem too with your country. Mouser only charges $8 to mail a small box to me from TX, $10 for UPS. You might try farnell.com, they have more warehouses, one might be closer. Also, the farnell website has the hours life and size right in the selector table online. I know farnell has a warehouse in Australia.
The custom charges might be fixed, but are cheaper between US and Canada via mail compared to UPS or Fed Ex, because of the paperwork/duty loan fees of the latter two. Some people in Asia like digikey, I think they have an eastern hemisphere warehouse.

[theAnonymous1]

They probably don't need to be bipolar. Just make sure they are connected with the correct polarity for the bias present.

[APMP]

I'm from Slovakia (middle EU). Farnell sells here but they don't have anything small enough. Customs aren't a problem, I handle that often but for some reason US shop insist that they have to handle them for me, for a beefy cost naturally.

Well longevity is nice but I don't really think I'll be using these players 10 years down the road. I do like the 'older' electronics, but who knows if we'll be using USB or anything wired in that matter by that time. And I suppose better stuff will be available then as well (maybe). This is just my audio playground.

The caps have to be bipolar, their function is to filter out the residual DC or something (not really necessary, but to be safe if I understand it correctly).

[theAnonymous1]

Originally Posted by APMP

The caps have to be bipolar, their function is to filter out the residual DC or something (not really necessary, but to be safe if I understand it correctly).

No they don't. The larger value AC coupling caps normally used in these portable devices are tantalums which are denifinitely NOT bipolar.

It's fine to use polarised caps for AC coupling as long as there is a DC bias present.

[jean-paul]

Hi will Wima MKS2-XL 22/16 fit ? Please check data sheet. I have a few of those.

[APMP]

Originally Posted by theAnonymous1

It's fine to use polarised caps for AC coupling as long as there is a DC bias present.

It makes sense but I can't tell. Maybe. I won't argue with the people who invented this mod

Originally Posted by jean-paul

Hi will Wima MKS2-XL 22/16 fit ? Please check data sheet. I have a few of those.

They seem too large, but thanks.

[indianajo]

UPS and Fed Ex charge a lot for customs forms, our friends in Canada find that USPostalService/Royal Mail do not. If you have to go Mouser, find the place on the shipping instructions where you can tell them to mail it. This is after you have input the credit card on the website here. I find Mouser has more bipolar electrolytic caps than anybody else.
I have used 50 V 10 uf Aerovox Gold ceramic caps as coupler caps. They are tiny and fit where film caps won't. Ceramic is non-linear but if you put 50v caps on a 1.6 vac signal it stretches out the curve some. They are about $7 each here, but with a $40 shipping charge maybe you could afford 4 from somebody similar in FRG or closer. I've used the 10 uf CPO for coupling caps in my organs and 4.7 uf X7R in my ST120 power amp; I found the sound better than tantalum caps from the retail store in Louisville. Would take a stack of 3 caps parallel to be 30 uf, but they are very small. Kemet has a similar product line but I haven't used their product. Haven't tried 10v ceramic caps on 2 v signal, John Curl would not approve. Also, Hammond organ tone generators might build up a static charge, the original caps are 250 v ones, for a 25 mv signal.

[APMP]

Well I don't understand 3/4 of that but I'll check those components. Thanks

[tinitus]

search...solid al cap radial ns series

or....nic nrsg

lytics, not bipolar