(01-03-2017, 09:34 PM)Geaney Wrote: Yes there are 27 tantalum caps according to the parts list - that's the bad news. However, slightly better news is 24 of them are the same value so a wholesale replacement will be that bit easier. Caps on order.
Cheers, John
I agree with Refugee's comment above (see below)
Tant beads tend to fail (usually shorted) only in two circumstances
1. When used as a local decoupling capacitor on a power supply rail.
2. If the voltage rating is close to the rail; so 16V on a 15V rail or 6V on a 5V rail.
When used as signal level capacitors, they really don't tend to fail at all.
Unfortunately 2. above was very common because the apps notes for those capacitors suggested those voltage ratings, I recall. I too designed using those voltages back in the day.
I tend to now replace the ones on power rails with aluminium electrolytic. Back in the 70's and 80's tantalum had a lower ESR that aluminium electrolytic. But that is no longer the case, because very high performance parts are available driven by requirements of switched mode supplies.
But since you have ordered replacement Ta ones, I hope you have chosen a higher voltage headroom - so for example 25V on 15V rail and 10V on 5V rail.
