Precautions for Using Super Capacitors

Supercapacitors are one of the common capacitors. With the rapid development of technology, supercapacitors are used more and more frequently in recent years. What do we need to pay attention to when using supercapacitors? Hopefully the following tips can help you avoid and reduce unnecessary problems.

The precautions for using super capacitors are as follows:

1) The super capacitor has a fixed polarity. Confirm the polarity before use.

2) It should be used under the nominal voltage. When the capacitor voltage exceeds the nominal voltage, it will cause the electrolyte to decompose. At the same time, the capacitor will heat up, the capacity will decrease, and the internal resistance will increase. As a result, the service life will be shortened. In some cases, the performance of the capacitor may collapse.

3) Cannot be used in high-frequency charging and discharging circuits. High-frequency rapid charging and discharging will cause internal heat of the capacitor, decrease of the capacity and increase of internal resistance, and in some cases, the capacitor performance will collapse.

4) The external environment temperature has an important influence on the service life. The capacitor should be as far away from the heat source as possible.

5) Voltage drop when used as a backup power source. Due to the large internal resistance of supercapacitors, there is a voltage drop ΔV=IR at the moment of discharge.

6) Do not place in places where the relative humidity is greater than 85% or contain toxic gases. These environments will cause corrosion of the leads and the capacitor case, resulting in an open circuit.

7) Cannot be placed in a high temperature and high humidity environment. It should be stored in an environment with a temperature of -30°C ~ +50°C and a relative humidity of less than 60% to avoid sudden rises and drops in temperature, otherwise it will cause damage.

8) When used on a double-sided circuit board, the connection should not pass through the place where the capacitor can be reached. Otherwise, it will cause a short circuit due to the way the super capacitor is installed.

9) When welding the capacitor on the circuit board, do not touch the capacitor shell to the circuit board. Otherwise, the solder will penetrate into the capacitor threading hole and affect the performance of the capacitor.

10) After installing the super capacitor, do not forcibly tilt or twist the capacitor. Otherwise, the lead wires of the capacitor will become loose, resulting in performance degradation.

11) Avoid overheating the capacitor during welding. If the capacitor is overheated during soldering, the service life of the capacitor will be reduced. For example, if a printed circuit board with a thickness of 1.6mm is used, the soldering process should be 260°C and the time should not exceed 5s.

12) After the capacitor is soldered, the circuit board and capacitor need to be cleaned. Because some impurities may cause the capacitor to short-circuit. 

The above are the precautions for using super capacitors. If you have further questions, you may consult a reliable manufacturer for help. Dongguan Zhixu Electronic Co., Ltd. (also JYH HSU(JEC))  has a full range of varistor and capacitor models. JEC has passed ISO9001:2015 quality management system certification; JEC safety capacitors (X capacitors and Y capacitors) and varistors have passed national certifications of the main industrial powers across the world; JEC ceramic capacitors, film capacitors and super capacitors are in compliance with environmental protection indicators. Welcome to contact us for free samples and any questions.