Aluminium electrolytic capacitors from Nichicon, the Kyoto-based Japanese maker founded in 1950: general-purpose, power supply, audio and bipolar series.
Nichicon is based in Kyoto and was founded on 1 August 1950 as Kansai-Nii Works, when it split off from Nii Works. In 1961 it became Nichicon Capacitor, and later Nichicon Corporation. Its Kyoto factory for aluminium electrolytic capacitors dates from 1956. Today Nichicon also makes polymer and film capacitors, small rechargeable batteries, energy storage systems and quick chargers for electric cars. What we carry is its radial electrolytics, under Electrolytic capacitors.
General purpose and power supplies
- UVR: the standard 85 °C series, which Nichicon lists for consumer electronics.
- UVZ and UVY, at 105 °C: the UVZ is the same size as the UVR, and the UVY is one case size smaller than the UVZ.
- UCS and UCY, for high ripple current and long life; ours are the 160 to 450 V ones. The UCY is rated for 10000 to 12000 hours at 105 °C, and Nichicon lists it for power supplies and ballasts.
- UPW and UPS, low-impedance series made for switching power supplies, and UHW, for high ripple, with lower impedance at high frequencies.
Audio and bipolar
UFW and UKW are the standard series for audio equipment, both rated at 85 °C, and you can tell them apart at a glance: the UFW has a gold sleeve with black print, the UKW a black sleeve with gold print. For the UKW, Nichicon mentions a new electrolyte developed for a well-balanced sound.
The UES is bipolar and belongs to MUSE, Nichicon's acoustic series; it's designed for audio signal circuits. Nichicon tests its endurance, 1000 hours at 85 °C, with the polarity reversed every 250 hours. The UEP is a general-purpose bipolar type that works from -55 to +105 °C.
Reading the part number
Take UFW1H101MPD. U means a radial-lead aluminium electrolytic, FW the series, 1H the voltage (50 V), 101 the capacitance (10 followed by one zero, so 100 µF), M the ±20% tolerance and PD the configuration, which depends on the diameter: in most series PD for 8 and 10 mm, HD from 12.5 to 18 mm. If the code ends in 1TD or 1TO, as in UVR2W010MPD1TD, the capacitors come taped, in an ammo pack.
