Confusing capacitor markings

[ThermalRunaway]

Hi all,

I've been asked to identify a rather large (relatively) cream coloured rectangular SMD capacitor and give an idea of it's value. The capacitor is blank on the top and bottom, but along the side of the device is the code "61AG"

I have suggested that this does not relate to capacitor value, but the popular opinion here at work is that it does. I've done some googling but I cannot find any capacitor coding system which would make sense of the code 61AG.

Is anyone here familiar with this kind of coding?

Brian

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Hi all,

I've been asked to identify a rather large (relatively) cream coloured rectangular SMD capacitor and give an idea of it's value. The capacitor is blank on the top and bottom, but along the side of the device is the code "61AG"

I have suggested that this does not relate to capacitor value, but the popular opinion here at work is that it does. I've done some googling but I cannot find any capacitor coding system which would make sense of the code 61AG.

Is anyone here familiar with this kind of coding?

No, I'm not familiar with it either, and (like you) I suspect it probably has nothing to do with the value.

 

[Hero999]

Measure it with a multimeter!

I think it's odd that the only components with useful markings are resistors and some ICs.

If I had it my way all SMT components would be marked, even if you need a microscope to read them.

 

[Optikon]

Measure it with a multimeter!

I think it's odd that the only components with useful markings are resistors and some ICs.

If I had it my way all SMT components would be marked, even if you need a microscope to read them.

Yeah but would you be willing to pay extra for it. The cost of accurately marking a size 201 resistor for example would be many orders of magnitude higher than the part cost itself. From a cost standpoint, it doesnt make any sense to go through the pains and added manufacturing step to mark some of these small devices. Now, for large parts, there is no excuse - they should be marked. I'm not even sure screenprinting is possible on some of the very small devices. And if it is possible, again $$$.

 

[ThermalRunaway]

Measure it with a multimeter!

I think you know me well enough to realise that I'd already have tried that had it been an option. The capacitor I've been presented with has visible damage to it's end caps. It doesn't read as an open circuit but I wouldn't like to suggest that a meter reading would be accurate given that it's physically damaged.

I wonder what those markings do mean though...

Brian

 

[Peter_wadley]

You can measure capacitance with a mulimeter???!!!!

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

You can measure capacitance with a mulimeter???!!!!

Many digital multimeters have capacitance ranges, and some even inductance ranges.

 

[Hero999]

You can also measure capacitors with a 555 timer astable oscillator and a frequency counter (which some multimeters also have).