I’m using Nichicon UDB series at the moment for crossover networks. They have excellent ripple current capability compared to other types of electrolytic.
Luckily, this is not one of the series being dropped by Nichicon in their recent end of life announcement.
Are there any other current production capacitors specifically for speaker networks? I’m not sure what I would use if they stopped making this.
Luckily, this is not one of the series being dropped by Nichicon in their recent end of life announcement.
Are there any other current production capacitors specifically for speaker networks? I’m not sure what I would use if they stopped making this.
Maybe the question was not clear.
I don’t want to buy some random capacitor from a re-seller, I want a proper well tested product with a data sheet, from a known manufacture.
I’ve checked other manufactures and could not find anything specifically designed for speaker networks, low ESR at low frequency, high ripple, reasonable voltage ~50V at least.
So thought I’d see what others are doing.
I don’t want to buy some random capacitor from a re-seller, I want a proper well tested product with a data sheet, from a known manufacture.
I’ve checked other manufactures and could not find anything specifically designed for speaker networks, low ESR at low frequency, high ripple, reasonable voltage ~50V at least.
So thought I’d see what others are doing.
Newark allows no search for non-polar electrolytic capacitors. AC ratings are not in the allowed voltage selector table.
Digikey allows search for non-polar electrolytic capacitors, but when I clicked the apply button, they showed me a lot of dc rated electrolytic capacitors. They used to sell some no-name brand like lenco or lemuel or something.
Mouser has panasonic ece and nichicon UEP.
Life ratings are 1000 hours and 2000 hours.
I view 1000 hour life ratings as garbage if you leave your radio on all day as I do.
Digikey allows search for non-polar electrolytic capacitors, but when I clicked the apply button, they showed me a lot of dc rated electrolytic capacitors. They used to sell some no-name brand like lenco or lemuel or something.
Mouser has panasonic ece and nichicon UEP.
Life ratings are 1000 hours and 2000 hours.
I view 1000 hour life ratings as garbage if you leave your radio on all day as I do.
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Jantzen Audio have +/- 5% NP electrolytics. I think they have been used by Troels when large capacitances are needed.
http://www.jantzen-audio.com/wp-content/uploads/eleCap-5-Data.pdf
Solen also have NP electrolytics as well.
https://solen.ca/en/products/solen-non-polarized-electrolytic-capacitors-b05a100k107-100uf-100v
Certainly I have never had a problem with their film caps.
http://www.jantzen-audio.com/wp-content/uploads/eleCap-5-Data.pdf
Solen also have NP electrolytics as well.
https://solen.ca/en/products/solen-non-polarized-electrolytic-capacitors-b05a100k107-100uf-100v
Certainly I have never had a problem with their film caps.
1000 hour life ratings means at full temperature :
https://www.xppower.com/resources/blog/electrolytic-capacitor-lifetime-in-power-supplies
Capacitors for speaker networks are not getting that hot.
These nichicon caps are nice indeed,
But there are other options, Bennic capacitors
Parts express caps etc
Digikey allows for sorting of Bi-Polar (non-polar) caps for audio both 1000 and 2000hr ratings at 85°C. Attached is a table of the results. A similar result for Mouser is also attached.
The parts are made by Cornell Dubilier/Illinois Capacitor, Nichicon, Panasonic and Elna. All very trustworthy manufacturers although I have never used Elna but they have a good reputation (I think).
These are zip files of the downloads of the sorted tables form the distributors. Opens in Excel when unzipped.
I would certainly expect a non-polarized audio cap to have a DC rating. As was mentioned before, crossovers don't get very warm.
I think that the next rating is 105°C. While theoretically better, I don't know if audio caps come in that rating.
Good luck!
Edit: I think the Mouser download contains some polarized caps. I might have hosed up the filters when applying them, sorry.
The parts are made by Cornell Dubilier/Illinois Capacitor, Nichicon, Panasonic and Elna. All very trustworthy manufacturers although I have never used Elna but they have a good reputation (I think).
These are zip files of the downloads of the sorted tables form the distributors. Opens in Excel when unzipped.
I would certainly expect a non-polarized audio cap to have a DC rating. As was mentioned before, crossovers don't get very warm.
I think that the next rating is 105°C. While theoretically better, I don't know if audio caps come in that rating.
Good luck!
Edit: I think the Mouser download contains some polarized caps. I might have hosed up the filters when applying them, sorry.
Thanks for the great effort. I always see outliers in these searches too. I’ve been using the same tools and Octopart is also quite good. So it really does seem Nichicon UDB is the only one specifically targeted at speaker networks from the major manufacturers.
What’s the sensible ripple current in a cross over capacitor? I measured the ESR of a 22uF at 100Hz is was approx. 1.5 Ohms.
Well a 22uf cap has an reactance of 72.3 ohms at 100 Hz. It would take 72V AC across it to cause a current of 1A to flow.
That would be a very high powered speaker indeed as this is just one component in the crossover.
I have never considered ripple current an issue in crossover designs however some professional sound reinforcement applications might require a second look.
If there is a cap that must pass high current you could improve the situation by paralleling smaller caps so that current is shared.
That would be a very high powered speaker indeed as this is just one component in the crossover.
I have never considered ripple current an issue in crossover designs however some professional sound reinforcement applications might require a second look.
If there is a cap that must pass high current you could improve the situation by paralleling smaller caps so that current is shared.
That's the lifetime quoted at a specific temperature, usually 85C or 105C - its to do with evaporation of electrolyte at high temperatures.
Actually its often relevant for large electrolytics in audio due to the high currents and the I-squared dependency, lower ESR/higher ripple means less self-heating or loss and longer life or higher power handling. For 2 way speakers the electrolytic only carries tweeter current though, not so bad, but 3-way crossovers may be more demanding.
I do understand that but unless your are crossing a mid woof or woofer to a sub pretty low I’d have not considered it critical. There are always corner cases though.
For the low pass section the caps are in shunt and likely after a series coil so that case would not have significant LF current.
This can all be sorted in LTSPICE though.
For the low pass section the caps are in shunt and likely after a series coil so that case would not have significant LF current.
This can all be sorted in LTSPICE though.
Mundorf bipolars - definitely intended for crossovers
Audio Note Kaisei non-polars - never heard intended for crossovers but PSUs. However a diy-er used in crossover with great results - according to him.
Alcap bipolars - for crossovers - worth trying, expensive loudspeakers have been using these
Audio Note Kaisei non-polars - never heard intended for crossovers but PSUs. However a diy-er used in crossover with great results - according to him.
Alcap bipolars - for crossovers - worth trying, expensive loudspeakers have been using these