Capacitors are electrical components that store potential energy. Capacitors hold positive and negative energies on two separate plates separated by an insulator. Capacitors are called caps for short.
Capacitors are used in PSUs (power supply units to power PC components) and can smooth the voltage through a process also called filter ripple. Capacitors can also store electrical energy and cut off direct current, leading to a reliable flow of power to your PC.
Capacitors consist of two metal plates separated by an insulator. One of the most important functions of a capacitor is its ability to resist voltage changes. This means that if the voltage applied to a capacitor changes suddenly, the voltage on the capacitor will change more slowly than the applied voltage.
In a PSU that powers components, including the CPU, GPU, With a hard drive SSD (Solid State Drive)The best electrolytic capacitors have a longer life than 85 degrees Celsius (185 degrees Fahrenheit) and are therefore rated at 105 degrees Celsius (221 degrees Fahrenheit). However, the capacitor manufacturer also plays a role. Japanese capacitors are the preferred choice.
Below are the most important specifications of capacitors
- Operating voltage (If it exceeds for a long time, the capacitor may fail)
- Working temperature
- Capacitance (ability to store electric charge)
- Tolerance (Percentage of how close the capacitance of a capacitor is to its nominal level)
- Polarity (for electrolytic capacitors)
- ESR (equivalent series resistance)
- Ripple current
- Leakage current (current flowing through an electrical insulator “leaks” due to the low insulation resistance of the capacitor).
- Size (The larger the capacitor, the easier it is to dissipate heat and the more dielectric it has)
This article is part of Tom’s Hardware Glossary..
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