# Monolithic capacitors



## JustinNH (May 5, 2008)

So this may be an easy question, or this may not (and I may need to get out my scanner )

I have seen several times on here the mentioning of mono caps containign palladium (or potentially) as well as maybe other PMs and have been saving them. Takes two minutes to clean a board off, so I figure its worth saving. 

I have seen the pics Steve have put up, which are what most of mine look like. However, some (same color) are smaller, some are longer, and others are almost cube like. Are they all the same (same color as the ones in the pics up on the threads, the brown color/silver sides). On boards that were marked, they did have 'c' and then a number which i remember seeing a post refer to. 

Here is the main question:
Also, there are other ones that look the same but are different colors. Some are pink and slightly longer, some are black (same size/shape and some a bit longer), some are different shades of the brown, and a few are even whiteish. All have the same basic looks though.

I am havign a hard time finding pictures to compare them too. Does anyone know what the other color ones are? Are the mono capacitors, or somethign else? 

My scanner is not currently hooked up, but if pics will help (as im not the best at describing things) I can try to get a pic up tomorrow. 

Thank you,
I always look foward to checking this forum atleast once a day. Hell of a place, guys, hell of a place!


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## Anonymous (May 7, 2008)

c1 is the first capacitor, I have found that by observation, but could be wrong. R and black are resistors they are usually numbered also. I think this numbers help the techs tract board level repairs.


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## JustinNH (May 7, 2008)

Thanks. Yeah, I see a lot of the black ones with the r on them, but the ones i am talking about look just like the normal multi layer ceramic capacitors that steve has a picture of somewhere on the forum, except black.
I did manage to find a pic that looks liek the pink ones i was talking about and calls them the monolithic capacitors as well as the different shaped ones. I have attached it incase anyone else is interested


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## lazersteve (May 7, 2008)

Justin,

The black (or darker) ones are typically inductors or ferrite (iron) beads. The white ones may be monolithics or sometimes crystals or even fusible links. The board silkscreen is the best way to tell. Locations preceded by a "C" are capacitors.

Here's a link where I id the various SMD's (surface mounted devices):

SMD Identification

Read thru the thread, it's a good one.

Steve


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## JustinNH (May 7, 2008)

Thank you Steve

Unfortunately,not all of the boards are labeled, but i was just looking at a board, right before i got your reply, that is and some of the pink and white ones are listed as 'c##'. 

Thanks for the info on the blackish ferrite beads too. 

Of course, just because this board lists certain ones as 'c##', doesnt mean on another that they wont be crystals or fusable links like you mentioned.

Too bad we cannot just get the manufacturers to color code the different things as to their scrap value :wink: 

I would also like to say that your videos are priceless- thank you very much! I have had great sucess with the AP method, that I didnt even know existed before this forum.


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## JustinNH (May 8, 2008)

As a helpful hint to anyone that has mixed some Ferrite Beads with their monolithic capacitors on accident, like i have  (just a few haha):

While it seemed they (the mix of FB and C) were all magnetic to a strong magnet I have, i slightly charged some tweezers i use to pick out nice garnets from my cons when i go gold panning and they only picked out the ferrite beads that Steve described, making it take just a few seconds to clean them all out.

Dont know if it will help or if any one else has done that, but I just though I would share 

For less than an hours work, i managed to get 20 grams of mono capacitors. They may or may not be the palladium type, but i figure its better than not saving them. 

One I get enough to process, I will grind them up and of course share any info I get when procesing them as described on the forum elsewhere


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## lazersteve (May 8, 2008)

Justin,

Be sure you wear some type of filter mask when grinding monolithics, they contain barium compounds which are very bad to breath. I show how to process these on the Pt and Pd DVD that is nearly complete.

Steve


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## JustinNH (May 8, 2008)

Yeah, I make sure to keep safety in mind when doing these things. 
Not only does this forum go into detail on how to do everything related to refining PMs, but it also goes into great detail on the safety aspects of it all, which is another plus. 

I look foward to your DVD. The videos on your website are great, so you can pretty much count on me buying the DVD when you are done!


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## Anonymous (May 9, 2008)

Another hint but not proof for monoliths is they are directional and have the positive or negative or both marked to make sure they are mounted correctly, this is also the way tantalum capacitors are marked.


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## lazersteve (May 9, 2008)

James,

You are *not correct* about monolithics being polarized, they are nonpolar. Ceramic disc types are also *not* polarized.

Electrolytics *are* polarized, and as you suggested tantalums.


Steve


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## Scott2357 (May 9, 2008)

I thought I'd post pictures of my own but didn't have time...

And for those interested in wave shaping your HHO drive circuit:
http://www.kpsec.freeuk.com/capacit.htm


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## JustinNH (May 9, 2008)

Scott, 
Thanks for the info on the tantalum. I have seen those on boards but never knew they may contain that (well i knew some did, but the ones i knew that did i almost never see haha)


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## JustinNH (May 9, 2008)

Some weekend when i have time i will have to go through the board and gather all labeled pics of what can be found on boards along with if they are worth saving or not. 

I have seen several posts scattered through the site, so I think having them all in one document would be a good idea. I should have time starting next week unless it has already been done...


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## Anonymous (May 9, 2008)

Steve, thanks,
sorry, I was wrong,(really hate it when that happens)
I just noticed the + on the boards and they looked like
monoliths. Or maybe my mind confused the tantalums.

Steve, figured my error, I did not realize there are surface mounted
tantalum, I thought they were all dipped. Good thing I am not
a computer/electronics repair. I will have to stick with motors,
relays, switches, etd :lol: :arrow: :idea:


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## Smitty (Jun 14, 2008)

Steve, still waiting for the DVD on PT/PD. Have not been able to visit ur site lately, so not sure if you are done with it. 

I noticed that most of the surface mounts have the solder at the left and right of the device, that is likely worthless solder right? So the reason for the crushing is to get to the core which is where the valuables are, am i correct?

Please make corrections.


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## lazersteve (Jun 14, 2008)

Smitty,

I'm nearly ready to release the first of 2 DVDs on Pt/ Pd. I filmed so many reactions and experiments that it won't all fit on a single DVD unless I chop them all down to nothing. The other drawback to so many videos has been the vast amount of editing time required to produce the DVDs. 

So I've decided to release the first Pt/Pd DVD titled Fundamentals of Platinum and Palladium Refining which will include the complete chemistry of the two along with a the demonstration of harvesting cat material. The second DVD will contain all the other processes of recovering Pt/Pd from the other sources. The first DVD will cover all aspects of refining the PGMs from dissolution to melting. The second DVD will be for those interested in harvesting Pt/Pd from the various sources. 

I'm very sorry for the extreme delays in the DVDs but I am swamped with responsibilities and the shear number of videos to edit down is overburdening my free time. I am trying to complete the project and make it worthwhile to whomever buys it.

My site is up and running just fine. What sort of problems have you been experiencing? The login password is goldm1ner* . 

Let me know if I can help in any way.

Steve


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## JustinNH (Jun 14, 2008)

Steve,
Can't wait for the DVDs. We all appreciate the tyime and effort you put into it. I'm looking foward to the Pd section, especially of what this thread's topic is on. 

I have saved 60 grams of various mono capacitors so far. They are from all sorts of sources and from all sorts of years. Good part of it will show the average, bad part I won't know exactly which contained the Pd or not. Currently still collecting them...


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