Need Help

[custom22]

Alright, I'm working on my sustainer project, so i ordered electrolytic capacitors from Small Bear Electronics.(http://www.smallbearelec.com/Detail.bok?no=188) I know that if you put them in backwards, you can fry them, and i dont have a desire to learn by trial and error. Here is a picture of what the thing looks like.

The left end is a metal which the wire is connected to. The right end seems to be an insulator as to prevent the wire from touching metal. There are two arrows as shown, but i do not know what they mean. So...does anyone know which end is positive and which is negative?

Thanks in advance!

[Primal]

The dash symbol on the side is actually the negative symbol, and the arrows you see point to the negative side.

[spazzyone]

the arrows are direction of current flow

but please post in the sustainer thread so we dont chew

too much space and youll get better answers there

[JoeAArthur]

Primal is correct.

Current flow hasn't been from positive to negative since the time of Edison during the late 1880. It has since been shown incorrect.

Historical note: Although he couldn't understand it due to the incorrect assumption of current flow of the day - he patented his observations as the "edison effect".

[unclej]

and putting them in backwards won't just fry the cap..it can and will cause them to explode sending flaming schrapnel all over your work bench and will also burn pretty good sized holes in your favorite hawaiian shirt..at least that's what i've heard.

[Primal]

but please post in the sustainer thread so we dont chew

too much space and youll get better answers there

It's perfectly fine for him to start a new thread. This issue question isn't just for sustainerites (hey, can I trademark that? ), anyone dealing with electrolytic capacitors can benefit from this thread.

[custom22]

Alright, thanks for the replies. I sort of figured it out from an old circuit i had, but hopefully this will help others.