Ceramic Capacitor

[Newguy123]

I ordered the suggested Capacitors from Digikey (Cap .1uF 50v 20% Cer Axial), but the ones pictured in the $50 robot tutorial and the ones I got are totally different. Mine resemble small resistors. Has anyone else had this happen?

[KambeiX]

do you have pictures?

inductors can resemble resistors but I haven't seen capacitors that look like them (but that doesn't mean they don't exist).

try to use it as a resitor in series with a led and another resistor, it shouldn't work because it will act as an open circuit.

(but of course the best would be measuring the capacitance/resistance with a good multi tester)

[Admin]

Check the invoice and make sure the part numbers are the same.

There is the chance you ordered wrong, or they sent you the wrong parts.

[Ro-Bot-X]

(Cap .1uF 50v 20% Cer Axial),?

The wrong word is Axial. That's why they look like resistors, they are built alike.

You should have ordered Radial. They are built upright.

[dunk]

(Cap .1uF 50v 20% Cer Axial),?

The wrong word is Axial. That's why they look like resistors, they are built alike.

You should have ordered Radial. They are built upright.

in which case the difference is entirely cosmetic.
capacitors come in all shapes and sizes but it doesn't really affect how they work.
as long as the component you are looking at is a 1uF capacitor it should work fine.

dunk.

[HDL_CinC_Dragon]

I got the same thing, the axial one.

How important is it actually that this capacitor actually be in the circuit at all?

[Newguy123]

Have a picture but not sure how to put it on here. To big to put it in a reply, limit is 600KB.

[Ro-Bot-X]

Dunk is perfectly right, I forgot to mention that the functionality is the same no matter the aspect. 0.1uF capacitors are important to filter out the electrical noise induced by the motors or fast switching sensors. Mount them as closely as possible to all integrated circuits, especially the microcontroller.

[HDL_CinC_Dragon]

ohhh ok so when the square wave is at its low point from the motors, it doesnt throw off the steady high point of power in the square wave that is required by the MCU?... Is that correct at all? lol

[jaabot]

I had the same issue as the original poster, I ordered the suggested capacitor from Digi-Key and they sent the axial. I went to Radio Shack and found some 0.1 uF Ceramic-Disc Capacitors but they have 104m printed on them where the tutorial's pictures show 101. Does this matter? Which should I use, the ones from Digi-Key or Radio Shack. I have attached pictures. Thank you.

[SmAsH]

you can trust either...
as long as radioshack have it right your fine...

[TrickyNekro]

No... It should be 104 and it is 104....
This means 10 and 4 zeros aka 100000
And that is 100000pF or 100nF or 0.1uF....
Simple!!!

[jaabot]

Thank you. That makes sense.

So does that mean that the picture on this page:

http://www.societyofrobots.com/step_by_step_robot_step3A.shtml

(Near the bottom where it shows the capacitor labeled 101) is wrong?

Thanks.

[Razor Concepts]

Capacitors can come in a variety of shapes and sizes. That picture is just one of many different shapes they can come in.

[jaabot]

OK. Thanks very much.