3pin capacitors

Tenson · 24th October 2006, 10:53 PM

Hi,

A quick question, what is the point of 3-pin capacitors? Is it essentially two caps in one package to save space?

Cheers!

pinkmouse · 24th October 2006, 11:19 PM

Some three pin caps just have an extra NC pin for more secure fixing and to make sure they are not inserted on the PCB the wrong way round.

Tenson · 25th October 2006, 12:27 AM

You say 'some', what are the others?

The ones I have have the pins labelled '1', '2' and '-' which is ground.

Nordic · 25th October 2006, 07:25 AM

just take a 9V battery and see which of the pins will hold voltage between them after you remove it...

dswiston · 26th October 2006, 03:42 AM

Could they be X2Y caps? X2Ys have "four" terminals but two of them are/should always be grounded (connected together), so its like they really only have three.

BTW, X2Y caps are a new type of cap designed to have ultra low inductance so they work well for very high frequency duty caps.

Google for x2y if you're interested, there is plenty of info on them.

dswiston · 28th October 2006, 01:11 AM

It just crosed my mind, unless you are talking surface mount, they are probably NOT X2Y. . .

24th October 2006, 10:53 PM	#1
Tenson diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Kent	3pin capacitors Hi, A quick question, what is the point of 3-pin capacitors? Is it essentially two caps in one package to save space? Cheers!

24th October 2006, 11:19 PM	#2
pinkmouse diyAudio Moderator Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Chatham, England	Some three pin caps just have an extra NC pin for more secure fixing and to make sure they are not inserted on the PCB the wrong way round. __________________ Al I conceive of nothing, in religion, science or philosophy, that is more than the proper thing to wear, for a while. Charles Fort

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25th October 2006, 12:27 AM	#3
Tenson diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Kent	You say 'some', what are the others? The ones I have have the pins labelled '1', '2' and '-' which is ground.

25th October 2006, 07:25 AM	#4
Nordic diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2005	just take a 9V battery and see which of the pins will hold voltage between them after you remove it...

26th October 2006, 03:42 AM	#5
dswiston diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Illinois	Could they be X2Y caps? X2Ys have "four" terminals but two of them are/should always be grounded (connected together), so its like they really only have three. BTW, X2Y caps are a new type of cap designed to have ultra low inductance so they work well for very high frequency duty caps. Google for x2y if you're interested, there is plenty of info on them.

28th October 2006, 01:11 AM	#6
dswiston diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Illinois	It just crosed my mind, unless you are talking surface mount, they are probably NOT X2Y. . .

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