Estimated Life Calculator for Capacitors

Electrolytic Capacitor Life Calculation

Capacitor lifetime calculation is a critical aspect of electronic design, as it provides an estimate of how long a capacitor will perform within its specified electrical parameters under given operating conditions. The calculation primarily relies on models that predict the rate of component degradation based on stress factors such as temperature, ripple current, and operating voltage. The foundational principle for these models is the Arrhenius equation, which suggests that a component's life is halved for every 10°C increase in temperature, although some polymer capacitors follow a more aggressive.    

The total lifespan is often limited by a wear-out mechanism, such as the gradual evaporation of a liquid electrolyte in traditional aluminum electrolytic capacitors or the thermal degradation of the conductive polymer in solid polymer capacitors.

The goal of these calculations is to prevent failures due to parametric drift, like a decrease in capacitance or an increase in equivalent series resistance (ESR), which can lead to system malfunction.

Select a series from the type below