To all electronics experts out there, HELP!

[Mission1979]

I'm building a delay pedal, and the are 10x 1uF capacitors which are supposed to have polarity. I can't identify which leg is positive. There are no +ve or -ve markings. There is a side with print on it but it refers only to the manufacturers number. They are film capacitors, apparently 1uF is right on the limit for been polarized or not smaller than 1uF are not polarized larger than 1uF are but it doesn't state if they are exactly 1uF.

My delay isn't working and the one my friend is building is and this is the only difference.

Thanks in advance

[David McCarroll]

pull 'em out and replace them with identifiable Electrolytic caps (they are the ones with polarity) - get the dude in the shop to confirm which leg is which - from memory they normally use a black stripe to identify one side, just can't remember which.

[Devo]

if its a 1uF film capacitor then it would be about the same size as a cherry tomato... so they might be radials... and depending on the voltage running through your pedal and the voltage ratng of the cap it might not make anydifference whether it is polraised or not. The polarity doest affect the build up of charge.. but rather repeatedly chagerding the wrong plate can result in reduciton in capacitance through degredation of the coated plate.... for example there is a 22uF radial electrolytic cap in the sustainiac circuit 100v rated but only ever sees up to 1v from the guitar so the degredation of the cap is negligable even over 10's of years.

to cut it shot a non polar cap will work just as well in place of your polar one... so long as the capacitacne values are the same..

can you post a pic of the cap.. if there is a polarity mark as Dave says it will be represented as a stripe down one side..

[Mike239]

If your using "Greencaps" or similar then you don't have to worry about polarity.

And the Stripe David is Referring to is the Stripe that represents the negative leg, which is also shorter than the other leg.

Thats another way to find out polarity, the Negative side will have a shorter leg.

[Mission1979]

Its a beige rectangular thing with the leads coming out of the corners of the long side. Its about 9mm long and printed on one side it says A5E 105Z. hopefully this means something to someone.

Thanks

[Mission1979]

Originally Posted by Mike239

If your using "Greencaps" or similar then you don't have to worry about polarity.

And the Stripe David is Referring to is the Stripe that represents the negative leg, which is also shorter than the other leg.

Thats another way to find out polarity, the Negative side will have a shorter leg.

There is no shorter leg though, no indications of any kind!

[Mike239]

Then what you have is possibly a greencap or similar so that means you don't have to worry about polarity then and can install it in any direction you want.