"Computer Grade"?

[Axtman]

Next term. What does "Computer Grade" mean?

[Steve Conner]

Computer grade is used in reference to electrolytic capacitors.

It means a premium quality capacitor that was good enough to be used in the power supply of a computer, back when computers had linear power supplies and were expensive enough that manufacturers could afford to worry about build quality.

Of course now computers are made out of junk. Remember the epidemic of exploding capacitors on motherboards a few years back? "Inverter grade" is the new computer grade.

[Prairie Dawg]

Computer grade is used in reference to electrolytic capacitors.

It means a premium quality capacitor that was good enough to be used in the power supply of a computer, back when computers had linear power supplies and were expensive enough that manufacturers could afford to worry about build quality.

Of course now computers are made out of junk. Remember the epidemic of exploding capacitors on motherboards a few years back? "Inverter grade" is the new computer grade.

Use your creativity fellas, otherwise you'll fail marketing 101.

Built like a fine Swiss watch grade?
Truth in engineering grade?
Relentless pursuit of perfection grade?

These are merely suggestions.

[jrfrond]

To me, computer grade caps are rated at 105°C, with low ESR and able to work at high frequencies for use in SMPS. However, you can find caps like that which are pure garbage nonetheless, so the Madison Avenue moniker means squat.

Rather than listing to the hyperbole, the best defense against premature failure is to stick with known brands. It's not that THOSE are so wonderful either, but it makes it a bit less of a crapshoot.

[teemuk]

Third one: "Audio Grade"

[fyl]

Next term. What does "Computer Grade" mean?

Inverter or computer grade designate high reliability elcos in large bottles, designed for continuous usage and able to withstand large currents as well as significant voltage surges.

[fyl]

Remember the epidemic of exploding capacitors on motherboards a few years back?

Many were fakes, others came from startups which tried to reproduce quality models but forgot that reliability was part of the equation. Anyway, all of them were small decoupling caps soldered to mobos, not big bottles in power supplies. They weren't CG's.

[Wombaticus]

Next term. What does "Computer Grade" mean?

It had a very different meaning back in the valve computer days. Several old tubes suitable for audio will have this notation if you dig around a bit. I believe it referred to a tube that was specially designed to operate in cutoff for long periods of time without the cathode coming to harm, although I could be mistaken.

[Alex/Tubewonder]

Third one: "Audio Grade"

You must believe to appreciate them; electrical specs are a secret not be revealed. Often a branded MKT or MKP capacitor from a factory (to be honest a very good one) in former East Germany. "Audio grade" requires at least a 500% mark up or nobody will buy the stuff.

[tedmich]

to me it means one thing: BIG capacitance in BIG cans at BIG prices

Like the Evox Rifa PEH169 series!

example
PEH169MU547VM
47000uf 63VDC
78,000h lifespan at 85C
Ripple current: 29.6A at 85C/100Hz, 73.0A at 50C/10kHz
ESR: 0.005 Ohms at 100Hz 0.004 Ohms at 100kHz
inductance: 17nH