Does size of capacitor matter?

Generally no, the physical size of an electrolytic capacitor is not a factor as long as the capacitance and voltage ratings are the same. A possible exception is, if it's a switching power supply that uses low ESR capacitors, then the sizes might be different.

Are bigger capacitors better?

All capacitors are not equal in their performance. Using a bigger cap is not always the best answer. Ideally, the capacitor should be sized for the amount of charge needed to supply transient current to the circuit for which the capacitor is filtering or decoupling.

Are smaller capacitors better?

Smaller-value capacitors have higher resonance points because they have lower ESL, making them better for high frequency bypassing. The construction of the cap can also reduce the ESL and thus improve high-frequency performance.

Is it OK to use a higher UF capacitor?

If the property of capacitance is used for power supply filtering, then it is generally fine to increase the value.

What happens if a capacitor is too big?

This is not to imply bigger is better, because a capacitor that is too large can cause energy consumption to rise. In both instances, be it too large or too small, the life of the motor will be shortened due to overheated motor windings.

Capacitor calculations - Basic calculations for capacitors in series and parallel

Can I use a 7.5 capacitor in place of a 5?

thanks! He is incorrect. It will not make it 'run better'. If anything, it will run less efficiently but the difference will likely be negligible.

How do I know what size capacitor I need?

Multiply the full load amps by 2,650. Divide this number by the supply voltage. The full load amps and the supply voltage can be found in the owner's manual. The resulting number is the MicroFarad of the capacitor you need.

Is it OK to use a lower UF capacitor?

There are two answers. It is possible if you have the necessary skills and tools. It is safe. If you put a higher voltage than the maximum you could see your cap explode, that's the only rating that matters for safety.

Can I replace capacitor with higher UF in power supply?

Power supply electrolytic capacitors have a tolerance of up to 100% higher, so yes you can replace another capacitor as long the replacment is equal or higher in uFs and voltage.....

Can I use 2200uF instead of 1000uf?

A single 2200uF cap can also replace two 1,000uF. This uses less real estate on a PCB, requires less solder, but more importantly it requires less time to connect one cap vs two to a PCB. Much of this may seem redundant to a hobbyist but when your company is producing 100,000 units, these all become relevant.

Can capacitor increase fan speed?

When you increase the capacitance, the fan motor's voltage goes up, but the capacitor's goes down. The fan's speed goes up. To increase the fan speed, you need to increase theCapacitor value.

What happens if you wire a capacitor wrong?

The destruction of electrolytic capacitors can have catastrophic consequences such as a fire or an explosion. If a polarized capacitor is installed incorrectly, the capacitor whistles then explodes.

Is it OK to replace a capacitor with higher voltage rating?

The voltage rating is just an upper limit, which must never be exceeded in a functional circuit. Replacing a capacitor with something that has a higher voltage rating is always safe. The only problem there is that a capacitor rated for a higher voltage is often physically larger, everything else being equal.

Do I need a capacitor for a 1000 watt amp?

Sizing Caps

The general rule is to add 1 Farad of capacitance for every 1000 watts RMS of system power. Note that it does not hurt to use more capacitance than this rule and many systems use 2 or 3 Farads per 1000 watts RMS.

What does 50 UF mean on a capacitor?

The SI unit of a capacitor is Farad. One farad is a very large value for normal household capacitors. Therefore, household capacitors are marked in μF or UF (microfarad). U is a replacement for μ. 50 UF means 50 microfarads.

Can I replace a 370v capacitor with an 440v?

The Voltage Rating is What it Can Handle, Not What it Will Produce. Many techs think they must replace a 370v capacitor with a 370v capacitor. The voltage rating displays the “not to exceed” rating, which means you can replace a 370v with a 440v but you cannot replace a 440v with a 370v.

Can capacitors last 50 years?

Lifetime is related to time and temperature mostly, and temperature goes up when in use, so the lifetime is reduced. 40 years is not uncommon for good capacitors kept cool, but it's also possible some have excessive ESR.

What does 40 uF mean on a capacitor?

There is always a tolerance level on the microfarad (µF) rating. A typical tolerance on the capacitance of a motor run capacitor for HVAC applications is +/-6%. With this being said, that means that a 40 µF capacitor can rate from 37.6 to 42.4 µF and still be considered a passing capacitor.

Is it OK to replace a capacitor with lower voltage rating?

You absolutely should not replace an electrolytic capacitor with one of lower voltage rating. That would only be okay if the system was designed with a lot of overhead, but for high-volume devices like PC power supplies that's very unlikely.

Can I replace a 16v capacitor with an 25V capacitor?

Yes. The voltage rating is the naximun that the cap can handle. 25 is higher than 16 so you are ok.

Can I use a 50v capacitor instead of an 25V?

Yes. Just don't go below 25v. The 4.7uF is an "exact" value, whereas the 25v is a maximum rating.

Can I use a larger start capacitor?

As a general rule of thumb, electric motor start capacitors can be replaced with a micro-farad or µF or mfd rating equal to or up to 20% higher µF than the original capacitor serving the motor. On the replacement capacitor the voltage rating must be equal to or greater than the original.

Can I use any capacitor for my AC unit?

No. Start capacitors and run capacitors have too many differences to be interchangeable. Using a start capacitor in place of a run capacitor would short out your AC system and would likely lead to the fan motor and/or compressor malfunctioning.