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Re: gEDA-user: bypass caps




On Aug 21, 2006, at 1:26 PM, Stuart Brorson wrote:

Also remember that NASA recommendations tend to be super conservative.

I would normally agree, except that NASA's 60% rating suggests using a
10V cap to hold off 6V, which seems too low to me. A 2X derating would suggest at least 12V to stand off 6V, whereas my 3X derating
guideline says at least 18V rated caps. I don't know why NASA
suggests only 60% derating.

Remember that chips are easier to kill with overvoltage than caps, and standard operating voltages for chips are usually >60% of maximum ratings. A lot depends on what you're doing with it though. Capacitor voltage ratings for AC and high current pulse ratings are often much lower than DC. But a bypass cap tends to lead a rather sheltered life.



Also don't derate *too* much: I've gotten my wrist slapped by a NASA R&QA guy for using 50V ceramic bypasses in 5V circuits.

10X derating is waaaay over the top, don't you think? But if the caps come in the same footprint as 15V caps, say, then why not?

Well, that was my reasoning. But the NASA R&QA guy didn't like it because of this self-healing theory...


John Doty              Noqsi Aerospace, Ltd.
jpd@xxxxxxxxxxxxx




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