small diodes and caps(they all look alike!!!)

[Guest Voltrigger]

ok,one last question before I bid you a merry xmas and

happy new year and bugger off for 2 weeks...

suppose your stack of diodes got mixed

up and you don't know which one is which...

(i'm talking about the ones used in MBHP...)

what do YOU do ?

I tried looking at the label but you need

a electronic microscope read anything on it.

is there something like a reference guide online that

we can call upon ?

same for caps actualy. is there a colour code for

small caps (red ones, white ones?)

:) :) :) :) Merry Xmas and Happy New Year!!!

with lots of MBHP- and other freaky projects  ;) ;) ;)

[Wilba]

Unfortunately, capacitors have very small labels - it should have a three digit code on it (sometimes among other numbers on both sides, to confuse matters).

Here's the basics:

471 = 47 plus 1 zero = 470pF

102 = 10 plus 2 zeros = 1000 pF = 1 nF

104 = 10 plus 4 zeros = 100,000 pF = 100 nF

334 = 33 plus 4 zeros = 330,000 pF = 330 nF

NB: capacitor colour/size/shape doesn't indicate capacitance value, although it does relate to the type of capacitor - ie. ceramics are usually terracotta colour, flat discs.

From experience, the small signal diodes 1N4148 have always been a reddy orange colour and slightly transparent, and smaller than a standard resistor. They should be marked with the code. Power diodes are black and fatter, and zener diodes are a mixed bag of colours (yellow, blue, etc.) They all have the cathode marked (the pointy end of the diode symbol).

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Wilba

[Guest Voltrigger]

the orangy red diodes can also be zener or other diode.

I just reordered them and asked to label the parts and

the 5.3Volt and the 8V Zener (for the JDM) look very much like the N4148-diodes.

Also the caps; I think it differs from county to country too. I had some problems fitting the small capps

(especially the blue rectangular nF-types)

thanks for the table anyway. I'll print it and hang

it in my 'lab'    ;D

VT