Gentleman, check your caps!

[Findm-Keepm]

Some additional marking standards, not used by the Chinese or Taiwanese:

Each capacitor will be marked with Manufacturer's logo, rated capacitance (coded), capacitance tolerance (code letter), rated DC voltage, and if additional space allows, style, type, and date of manufacture (coded)

With real Orange Drops(R) available, why settle for cheap Chinese knock-offs? SBE and Vishay-Sprague make the only true Orange Drop(R) capacitors. The split-up of Sprague in the 90's yielded the Sprague name to Vishay, and the Orange Drop(R) manufacturing facilities to SBE. Both are widely available from Mouser, Allied and possibly Newark.

Sadly, many of the competitors to the Orange Drop(R) are no longer around. Arco-Elmenco made a fine competitive capacitor- Arco is still around, but their website is MIA - "Our new website is currently being developed and will be available shortly."

Mallory made the PVC series (yes they were orange, or in some values, brown), but CDE now makes them, and yes they are the same quality, and are available from Allied and others.

If you don't need/care - at least go with a name brand capacitor. Epcos, Evox-Rifa, Panasonic, Nichicon, and even Mouser's Xicon are all great caps for recapping, and available from Mouser, Digi-Key, Allied, Newark, and even the "auction site"

By the way, the use of the Orange Drop(R) name to describe any other brand of capacitor is not only misleading, it is copyright infringement. Both SBE and Vishay guard the name vigorously. I recall an EDN magazine article a few years ago where they sued and won several injunctions over the misuse of the name.


Cheers,