Topic
Safety information Reference chapter
"Mounting guidelines"
Soldering Do not exceed the specified time or temperature
limits during soldering.
1 "Soldering"
Cleaning Use only suitable solvents for cleaning capacitors. 2 "Cleaning"
Embedding of
capacitors in
finished assemblies
When embedding finished circuit assemblies in
plastic resins, chemical and thermal influences
must be taken into account.
Caution: Consult us first, if you also wish to
embed other uncoated component types!
3 "Embedding of
capacitors in finished
assemblies"
Design of EMI Capacitors
EPCOS EMI capacitors use polypropylene (PP) film metalized with a thin layer of Zinc (Zn).
The following key points have made this design suitable to IEC/UL testing, holding a minimum
size.
Overvoltage AC capability with very high temperature Endurance test of IEC60384-14
(3
rd
edition, 2005-07) / UL60384-14 (1st edition, 2009-04) must be performed at 1.25 × V
R
at
maximum temperature, during 1000 hours, with a capacitance drift less than 10%.
Higher breakdown voltage withstanding if compared to other film metallizations, like Aluminum.
IEC60384-14 (3
rd
edition, 2005-07) / UL60384-14 (1st edition, 2009-04) establishes high volt-
age tests performed at 4.3 × V
R
1 minute, impulse testing at 2500 V for C= 1 µF and active
flammability tests.
Damp heat steady state: 40 °C/ 93% RH / 56 days. (without voltage or current load)
Effect of humidity on capacitance stability
Long contact of a film capacitor with humidity can produce irreversible effects. Direct contact with
liquid water or excess exposure to high ambient humidity or dew will eventually remove the film
metallization and thus destroy the capacitor. Plastic boxed capacitors must be properly tested in
the final application at the worst expected conditions of temperature and humidity in order to
check if any parameter drift may provoke a circuit malfunction.
In case of penetration of humidity through the film, the layer of Zinc can be degraded, specially
under AC operation (change of polarity), accelerated by the temperature, provoking an increment
of the serial resistance of the electrode and eventually a reduction of the capacitance value.
For DC operation, the parameter drift is much less.
Plastic boxes and resins can not protect 100% against humidity. Metal enclosures, resin potting or
coatings or similar measures by customers in their applications will offer additional protection
against humidity penetration.
B81123
Y1 / 500 V AC
Page 13 of 19Please read Cautions and warnings and
Important notes at the end of this document.
