RE: Use of Tantalums - DRSSTCs

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: Terry Fritz <teslalist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Hi,

Tantalum capacitors are known for not being terribly reliable.  They are 
very finely made and if there is any contamination they will fail in the 
future. Now a days, they are getting pretty good at making them 
however.  In high current applications, they can catch fire and burn up 
which is a real problem.

In the case of Dan's controller board, the tantalums failing are the very 
least of "my" concerns though ;-)))  I will blow everything else up long 
before the tans decide to fail for whatever reason ;-)

Cheers,

        Terry



At 12:27 PM 12/7/2004, you wrote:
> > > Tantalum capacitors are used almost everywhere.  In my line
> >of work,  > which includes lately  > power system (avionics)
> >work on the new F/A-22 Raptor as well as naval /  > ground
> >based military radar  > systems, tantalum capacitors are used
> >quite frequently.
> >
> >If I remember correctly from my military avionic experience
> >tantalum caps were initially not used because of the life
> >issues.  Eventually some versions did got approved. A mil spec
> >tantalum cap may have a very different internal construction
> >than a bead one.
> >
> >Bob
>
> I believe the problem with past tantalum caps were the "wet" tantalums.
> Also, most of the tantalums we use now for designs are COTS (commercial
> off the shelf) tantalums.