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I am using rf-tools.com's bandpass filter calculator online and, for some reason, it is calculating capacitor values that are usually a polarized electrolytic capacitor, for example, 330 μF.

Can I use an electrolytic capacitor, or can I put multiple non-polarized capacitors in parallel to get the value that is needed?

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  • \$\begingroup\$ I've tried that tool and found it to provide wrong answers. I don't know why/when, but it's prudent to check it in spice or to derive the transfer function and evaluate it at a few key frequencies. I found this site more accurate: changpuak.ch/electronics \$\endgroup\$
    – P2000
    Commented Sep 19, 2020 at 22:39
  • \$\begingroup\$ @P2000 What do you mean it provides wrong answers? is it calculating values that are totally wrong? What have you tested with this filter calculator? \$\endgroup\$ Commented Sep 19, 2020 at 23:19
  • \$\begingroup\$ What value of frequency were you using? \$\endgroup\$
    – Andy aka
    Commented Sep 20, 2020 at 8:16
  • \$\begingroup\$ Wrt its calculations of L&C, you might be ok, as the issue we had was about frequency scaling if t0 group delay was provided instead of f0: electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/519992/… As for the capacitor, if you use elcos then yes the polarity must be correct. So only for biased circuits. Otherwise it's a hazard or at least you won't get the capacitance you thought. Remember you can always use multiple caps to get the value you want \$\endgroup\$
    – P2000
    Commented Sep 20, 2020 at 14:40
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Andyaka I am calculating frequency values for a project , in which I need a pretty steep drop off slope narrow bandpass filters. I was on that website calculating values for a 20th order bandpass filters. This website calculates capacitor values that are usually electrolytic for some values , if you select standard component values instead of actual value. The values for the filter do change as it also allows you to set tolerance percentage for the components if you select standard components, If the tolerance is set at 10% or 20% , this is when it usually gives some electrolytic cap values. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Sep 20, 2020 at 14:40

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You can use an electrolytic capacitor, but there are gotchas.

  1. Electrolytics have to be biased in order to work properly. If a voltage is used that will only be positive, then you can put the positive terminal in that direction and the cap will be biased. If not then you put two electrolytic capacitors in series.

  2. Electrolytics have not so great tolerances and parasitics. This means that a designed filter will vary by 5-20%, which is probably not something that is desired. They also have a higher impedance at high frequencies many times higher than ceramics or other caps, which you can think of as a resistor in series. This hurts their abilty to filter high frequencies.

They are bigger and good for filtering high power applications, a ceramic and electrolytic in parallel to get the best of both worlds.

For a low power filter application, because the capacitor is used in combination with a resistor or inductor (think RC for filter pole) use a higher resistor value and a lower valued cap (or inductor). Example: The same time constant can be achieved with a 10kΩ and 100uf as a 100kΩ and 10uF

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