Help with Capacitor readings

[Smack2k]

I am just learning about reading schematics and the symbols. Looked up capacitor symbols and cant find anything referring to the left or right bracket with the thick line inside.

For capacitors in my AKAI 1820D Service Manual, it shows the following capacitor symbols







Which sides of these are positive and which are negative? Its not marked on the board

Thanks, I appreciate any assistance

 

[kwayde]

I am just learning about reading schematics and the symbols. Looked up capacitor symbols and cant find anything referring to the left or right bracket with the thick line inside.

For capacitors in my AKAI 1820D Service Manual, it shows the following capacitor symbols

View attachment 3251150

View attachment 3251151

View attachment 3251152

Which sides of these are positive and which are negative? Its not marked on the board

Thanks, I appreciate any assistance

Follow the traces to ground on the schematic. This pic is of the power supply showing they are placed different ways in regards to ground. Look yours up on the schematic to see which end goes where. Things printed on circuit boards aren't always correct so put the new cap in the same direction the old one was.

That's unless someone has been messing around in there first. I just worked on a unit where someone pulled a cap then put it back the wrong way.

 

[dhnash]

This website provides some useful information on the different types of capacitors and the symbols used to show them in schematics. Regarding the ones shown in your post, for the first two the U-shaped electrode is the negative terminal. The last capacitor is bipolar or non-polar type which does not have a dedicated positive or negative terminal and it can be installed in either of its two possible orientations.

Capacitor Symbols - Condenser Symbols - Electrical Technology

Capacitor and Condenser Symbols. Polarized Electrolytic Capacitor, Variable Capacitor, Trimmer Capacitor, Bipolar Capacitor. Differential Capacitor Symbols

www.electricaltechnology.org

 

[kwayde]

This may help understanding caps:

https://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/capacitor/cap_1.html

The U side is negative.

In your 1st post the negative is on the left in the first image. The second image the negative is on the right.

 

[dhnash]

When you say the U Shaped is the negative, you mean the side the bottom of the U is pointing at right?

If you look at the information on the site you will see a more detailed explanation of what I described. For the first capacitor in your post, the U-shaped (negative) electrode is the one on the left. For the second capacitor, the U-shaped (negative) electrode is the one on the right.

 

[dankik]

Take note that in @kwayde's example case shows two different situations as he explains, one for a + voltage WRT ground and one for a - voltage WRT ground. So, the - side of the capacitor doesn't always connect to the ground. It will connect to the side with the lower voltage potential.