[sdiy] tantalum

[Andre Majorel]

On 2002-01-31 23:22 -0000, Paul Maddox wrote:

> > I'm building the Electronotes EG version 1 and it calls for 2uF
> > electrolytic
> > caps.  I have some Tantalum ones around from an LFO project, are these
> > okay
> > to swap in?
> 
> They'll work, though if you want to keep it for a long time ( > 5 years) I
> would put in electrolytics..
> Tantalums are ok , but they have a habbit of going BANG after a few years of
> use..

I've also been told that, unlike aluminium caps that go open
circuit when they fail, tantalum caps go closed circuit. The worst
possible failure mode for a decoupling capacitor.

The more I hear about tantalum caps, the less I like them.

-- 
André Majorel <amajorel at teaser.fr>
http://www.teaser.fr/~amajorel/