22 Sep
2014
22 Sep
'14
3:06 p.m.
Little know fact, a small tantalum capacitor can be used as a model rocket
igniter in a pinch :-) In early 2000 when I was at NetApp, NetApp was
selling filers to IBM to re-badge as their own. IBM got on a 'no tantalum'
war path (apparently they had been the source of a number of bad events in
the field) and so we worked with them to remove every single tantalum
capacitor from the equipment. It was quite the project.
On Mon, Sep 22, 2014 at 2:06 PM, Tony Duell <ard at p850ug1.demon.co.uk> wrote:
Thanks. I had no idea that tantalum capacitors had polarity though, I
thought that was only electrolytics. The board has "+" markings for
'Tantalums' are a subset of electrolyticss (the full name is 'tantalum
electrolytic capacitor'). The more common electrolytiucs are 'aluminium
electrolytic capacitors'.
Conntecting a tantalume capacitor backwards is not something you'll
forget in a hurry. It will explode and probbly catch fire. It smells
terrible.
electrolytics, but none for the tantalum ones.
Are you sure they have
polarity?
Yes I am darn sure...
-tony