[ARC5] Tantalum Caps

[Glenn Little WB4UIV]

Wet slug tantalum (CL-65) are, or were, banned for all military use.
The case is pure silver, the electrolyte is sulfuric acid.
When the TFE seal at the positive lead fails, it makes a big mess.
These were used in some of the submarine computer equipment designed in 
the 1960's. We had a PM that was done quarterly to pull the power supply 
and visually inspect for leakage.
If leakage was noted, replace the power supply and return the old one 
for rebuild.
I do not know what was used as a replacement and i never replaced a 
supply in my 22 years.

The R-390 or was it the R390A uses a wet slug tantalum in the audio 
circuit (i think) and this capacitor has a history of failure.

73
Glenn
WB4UIV

On 9/19/2016 7:04 PM, Robert  Eleazer wrote:
> I guess that Tantalum caps have some desirable characteristics.  I tried
> replacing one in a TS-520 with a ceramic and things did not go too well
> - too much leakage, I understand, and that led to instability.  But "Wet
> Slug" Tantalum caps are forbidden in Air Force spacecraft applications;
> I don't know if they are used elsewhere.
>
> Wayne
> WB5WSV
>
>
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-- 
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Glenn Little                ARRL Technical Specialist   QCWA  LM 28417
Amateur Callsign:  WB4UIV            wb4uiv at arrl.net    AMSAT LM 2178
QTH:  Goose Creek, SC USA (EM92xx)  USSVI LM   NRA LM   SBE ARRL TAPR
"It is not the class of license that the Amateur holds but the class
of the Amateur that holds the license"
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