What kind of capacitor is this?

Thread Starter

RogueRose

Joined Oct 10, 2014
375
I've been trying to find similar pictures of this type of capacitor for a while and haven't yet found one so I thought maybe someone here could help ID the cap. I tried searching the numbers on it and came up with nothing. I'm wondering if they might be a tantalum based cap or mylar?


Yellow_Cap_Top.jpg
Yellow_Cap_Side2.jpg
 

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
27,953
The devices pictured do look a lot like capacitors, but the markings do not look like any capacitor markings that I am familiar with. And what makes the picture more confusing is the "F22" and "F23" designations next to them. So it may be that they are not what they appear to be.
What would be quite useful is another picture giving a bit more background, and also a description of what sort of device is in the picture. And a picture of the underside of the board would help us understand a bit more about the connections, possibly helping to understand better.

Are you seeking replacements for these devices? If so, what appears to be the problem with them? If they are fuses, such as the PTC thermistor kind, they should show a fairly low resistance. And those devices do tend to look a lot like capacitors, but certainly they are totally different. The PTC devices are intended to serve a purpose similar to fuses, limiting fault currents by increasing their resistance a lot as they heat up when the current rises above some value. I don't recall the makers name, but it may be that is what the W/M logo will help with.
Now I see that others, also, are calling them PolySwitches. That indeed is the name.
 

Thread Starter

RogueRose

Joined Oct 10, 2014
375
The devices pictured do look a lot like capacitors, but the markings do not look like any capacitor markings that I am familiar with. And what makes the picture more confusing is the "F22" and "F23" designations next to them. So it may be that they are not what they appear to be.
What would be quite useful is another picture giving a bit more background, and also a description of what sort of device is in the picture. And a picture of the underside of the board would help us understand a bit more about the connections, possibly helping to understand better.

Are you seeking replacements for these devices? If so, what appears to be the problem with them? If they are fuses, such as the PTC thermistor kind, they should show a fairly low resistance. And those devices do tend to look a lot like capacitors, but certainly they are totally different. The PTC devices are intended to serve a purpose similar to fuses, limiting fault currents by increasing their resistance a lot as they heat up when the current rises above some value. I don't recall the makers name, but it may be that is what the W/M logo will help with.
Now I see that others, also, are calling them PolySwitches. That indeed is the name.

These were from an older (~14 year old) piece of Cisco networking equipment and 4 of the "caps" or whatever for each CAT5 connection. The equipment works fine but there seems little current demand and less as the time goes on, so I was thinking of scrapping them. So there are anywhere from 32 - 192 of these units per module. I was really hoping they were some high quality caps, especially like a tantalum or some silver bearing cap, but I fear that may not be the case. I'm trying to collect components form scrap electronics for precious metal's, rare metals and general metals like copper, Al, lead, lithium, cadmium, brass/bronze, etc. The place I'm working with gets a few tons of equipment a day to week, so there is a lot to sort through and I'm still learning what is valuable and the best way to separating them.
 

Ya’akov

Joined Jan 27, 2019
10,275
I was running on the treadmill when I first replied. I revise my opinion and concur with @MaxHeadRoom and @dl324 that they are fuses. I wouldn't simply remove them, they are there to protect the ports from overcorrect for a reason.
Now I see that you intend to simply strip the boards for parts, so never mind.
 
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