The arrow always points to the negative lead.
Normally all electrolytic capacitors negative lead is marked on the side and if the plastic cover came off and it is new the long lead is the positive.
Difrence is between lead positions. Axial one is -[]- and Radial =[] Axial ones are mutch pricier, but they are good choice for poin to point construction and low profile pcb's.
The positive leg is usually indicated with a red dot. Sometimes there is an white arrow that looks like a minus sign - that is the negative terminal. If it is a can type, the can is the minus terminal and the tab(s) is(are) the plus terminal(s).
The distance between the leads (lead spacing) on a radial capacitor
Capacitors can fail for a few reasons, and sometimes the do "blow". Capacitors have voltage limitations which, if they are exceeded may cause internal arcing or flashover. Once initiated, arcing can cause sudden heating and if the circuit supports high enough energy the capacitor can be damaged and may actually come apart. For polarized capacitors, reversing the polarity may even result in catastrophic failure at normal voltage levels. Another reason capacitors fail is as a result of high current. If a capacitor is subjected to high frequency currents of sufficient magnitude internal heating can result and once again damage will result. With enough energy it may come apart. One last way capacitors may be damaged is through sudden discharge. Generally high voltage ceramic capacitors may be charged to high energy levels. With a sudden discharge ceramic capacitors can respond with a piezoelectric effect and the ceramic may actually shatter.
Normally all electrolytic capacitors negative lead is marked on the side and if the plastic cover came off and it is new the long lead is the positive.
Difrence is between lead positions. Axial one is -[]- and Radial =[] Axial ones are mutch pricier, but they are good choice for poin to point construction and low profile pcb's.
The positive leg is usually indicated with a red dot. Sometimes there is an white arrow that looks like a minus sign - that is the negative terminal. If it is a can type, the can is the minus terminal and the tab(s) is(are) the plus terminal(s).
See web site http://www.stsi.biz/eeu-fc0j272l.html The short lead is the negative side.
Capacitive reactance is -1 / (2 pi f C), so the reactance of a 330 µf capacitor at 60 hz is -8 ohms. (The negative sign simply means that the current will lead the voltage.) However, an electrolytic capacitor is not designed for operation on AC, as it can only have voltage applied to it in one direction only. The equation still holds, however.
If the capacitor is and electrolytic then YES, you must keep the +ve to the side with no marking or a + and -ve to the side with a stripe or a - on it. If the capacitor has one leg shorter than the other the shorter leg is also the -ve side. Connecting an electrolytic the wrong way round can cause it to boil or even explode. If it is not electrolytic then it can go either way round, these are usually smaller.
A bloated capacitor is an electrolytic capacitor that has expanded or deformed due to internal pressure buildup, often caused by overheating or electrolyte leakage. This condition can lead to reduced performance, electrical failure, or even rupture, posing a risk of damage to surrounding components. A bloated capacitor typically needs to be replaced to restore the proper functioning of the electronic device.
A common choice is an electrolytic capacitor with a high enough voltage and capacitance rating to stabilize the voltage. To wire it, connect the positive lead of the capacitor to the positive terminal of the car battery, and the negative lead to a good ground point on the vehicle's chassis. Be sure to add an appropriate fuse in line with the positive lead for safety.
To determine polarity in CAPACITORS:Electrolytic capacitors are often marked with a stripe. That stripe indicates the NEGATIVE lead.If it's an axial leaded capacitor (leads come out of opposite ends of the capacitor), the stripe may be accompanied by an arrow that points to the negative lead.Sometimes, you can look to the length of the leads as an indication of polarity. The positive lead is usually longer but be careful if you're reusing old or 2nd hand capacitors - the leads may have been trimmed.Tantalum capacitors are often marked with a '+'sign.http://www.westfloridacomponents.com/polarity.html
The distance between the leads (lead spacing) on a radial capacitor
A polarized ("polar") capacitor is a type of capacitor that have implicit polarity-it can only be connected one way in a circuit. The positive lead is shown on the schematic (and often on the capacitor) with a little "+" symbol. The negative lead is generally not shown on the schematic, but may be marked on the capacitor with a bar or "-" symbol. Polarized capacitors are generally electrolytics.
The Lead Capacitor