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Differences Between Bipolar and Unipolar Capacitors: A Comparative Analysis

elektronikq 16389 16
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Treść została przetłumaczona polish » english Zobacz oryginalną wersję tematu
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  • #1 16051181
    elektronikq
    Level 25  
    As in the topic. Are there any differences between these capacitors or are they the same?
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  • #2 16051224
    ciuqu
    Level 38  
    If it were the same, it wouldn't be called anything else.

    A unipolar capacitor is polarized, i.e. it has + and -, while a bipolar capacitor does not, so you can "charge it in both directions"
  • #3 16051280
    marekhab
    Level 33  
    ciuqu wrote:
    A unipolar capacitor is polarized, i.e. it has + and -, while a bipolar capacitor does not, so you can "charge it in both directions"


    I guess it's supposed to be the other way around?
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  • #4 16051482
    Berend
    Level 17  
    marekhab wrote:
    ciuqu wrote:
    A unipolar capacitor is polarized, i.e. it has + and -, while a bipolar capacitor does not, so you can "charge it in both directions"


    I guess it's supposed to be the other way around?


    The other way round.
  • #5 16051544
    ciuqu
    Level 38  
    Berend wrote:
    marekhab wrote:
    ciuqu wrote:
    A unipolar capacitor is polarized, i.e. it has + and -, while a bipolar capacitor does not, so you can "charge it in both directions"


    I guess it's supposed to be the other way around?


    The other way round.


    Nothing the other way around

    Uni - one polarization
    Bi - two
  • #6 16814867
    pierotez
    Level 13  
    And why do bipolar capacitors have different leg lengths? They're not polar!
  • #7 16814913
    beatom
    Level 37  
    Because there is no point in changing anything on the assembly line. It's just easier this way. The length of the pins is certainly not an indicator of the polarity of any element.
  • #8 16815007
    Ture11
    Level 39  
    yogi009 wrote:
    pierotez wrote:
    And why do bipolar ones have one longer leg and one shorter one? They're not polar!


    As the name suggests, they are bi-polar , i.e. two-polar, they have plus and minus. What a level...

    Or maybe bipolar, because they can work with two polarizations? Is the nomenclature similar to stepper motors? To be honest, at the moment I don't know which ones are which - I'm lost. There seems to be a mess with the nomenclature, maybe someone remembers the title of a book on this subject? The information on the Internet is not very specific, and it made me think so much that I probably won't sleep.

    Added after 3 [minutes]:

    For example, TME has bipolar ones in a separate category - and these are capacitors without a distinguished "minus".
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  • #10 16815011
    zetdeel
    Level 39  
    yogi009 wrote:
    ...What a level...
    Gimbaza minus. :D
    elektronikq wrote:
    Bipolar and unipolar capacitor... Are there any differences between these capacitors or are they the same?
    Actually, the question is about electrolytic capacitors. Due to their structure, foil and ceramic capacitors are "by nature" unipolar.
    * The bipolar capacitor (with polarity marked) is intended for operation in circuits with a DC component, e.g. for filtering DC voltage or coupling amplifier stages. Operation without a DC component causes the capacitor to deform and, as a result, change or loss of capacity. The reverse connection causes current to flow through the capacitor, which causes heat to be released and the electrolyte to boil. This may result in bulging or tearing of the casing.
    * A unipolar (non-polar) capacitor is intended for operation in alternating current circuits. Probably the most popular applications of this type today are loudspeaker crossovers and large-capacity starting capacitors for AC motors.
  • #11 16815119
    jarek_lnx
    Level 43  
    Bipolar is a capacitor that can operate at any polarization.
    A fragment from the materials of one of the producers
    Vishay wrote:
    Apart from these so-called polarized electrolytic capacitors
    there are non-polarized capacitors available where the
    power supply foil is replaced by a second anode foil of the
    same type (non-polarized, bipolar style).


    yogi009 wrote:
    Personally, I use the word "unipolar", but "bipolar" is used interchangeably, as for example here:
    Read it again and you will see that there is nothing like that there. bipolar≠unipolar

    zetdeel You are also reversely unipolar - with one polarization

    yogi009 wrote:
    As the name suggests, they are bi-polar, i.e. bipolar, they have plus and minus.
    Following this line of thought, unipolar ones have one minus and zero pluses :D You can even "prove" it - manufacturers only mark the minus on the housing.

    Quote:
    What a level...
    Whatever it was, it outgrew many electrode users :D
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  • #12 16815208
    yogi009
    Level 43  
    Well, unfortunately, a moment of distraction and then five minutes of shame :-)
  • #13 16815673
    pierotez
    Level 13  
    I don't understand the pretense about the level, well, I'm not a master's engineer in the subject :)
    Listen to Jarek_Inx ;) or google 'Polarized and Non-Polarized Capacitor'.
    Cap-pol - yes, I have the amplifier kit in the BOM, as the name suggests, it is polarized, so reverse soldering will end in an explosion ;) Bi-polar or non-polarized, i.e. no matter how you solder it, it will work.
    I'm talking about the length of the legs, yes, and it's on the nichicon PDF. But they are not polarized anyway, so they do not have + and - ;)
    Of course, it's about electrolytics.
  • #14 16820708
    elektronikq
    Level 25  
    So bipolar is one for which the polarity of the voltage to which it is connected does not matter?
    And the unipolar capacitor does not exist at all? Is it only polarized or unpolarized?
  • #15 16820939
    Freddy
    Level 43  
    yogi009 wrote:
    Well, unfortunately, a moment of distraction and then five minutes of shame
    I guess it's the other way around :) :D
    Unipolar because it can work with (uni) one polarization, and bipolar because it can work with (bi) two polarizations.

    I recommend reading material explanations.
  • #16 16821813
    pierotez
    Level 13  
    Finally, gentlemen. Bipolar, i.e. no matter how we solder it - this is a fact. And why do they have different legs?
  • #17 16821858
    Freddy
    Level 43  
    pierotez wrote:
    And why do they have different legs?
    Because that's what the producer did. :D
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Topic summary

Bipolar and unipolar capacitors differ primarily in their polarization characteristics. A unipolar capacitor is polarized, meaning it has a positive and a negative terminal, while a bipolar capacitor can operate with voltage applied in either direction, thus lacking a defined polarity. This distinction is crucial for their applications: unipolar capacitors are typically used in AC circuits, such as loudspeaker crossovers, while bipolar capacitors are designed for DC circuits, like filtering and coupling in amplifiers. The discussion also touches on the physical characteristics of bipolar capacitors, such as differing leg lengths, which do not indicate polarity but are a result of manufacturing practices. Confusion around terminology is noted, with some participants suggesting that the nomenclature may not be consistent across different sources.
Summary generated by the language model.
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