Can capacitors replace resistors

In AC applications, capacitors can indeed replace resistors as current limiting/voltage dropping elements. They add a phase shift, but often this is OK.

Industry
Jun 05, 2026

Capacitor Resistance: What It Is and Why It Matters

Capacitors are not resistors; they don''t inherently resist the flow of current. So, what''s the deal with “capacitor resistance”? While capacitors don''t exhibit a static resistance like resistors, they do influence the behavior of circuits in ways that can be interpreted as resistance-like behavior. This is particularly evident at high

Industry
Mar 30, 2026

Is it wise or worth it to replace all the capacitors in still

Sometimes replacing all capacitors can hurt more than do good, in this case if you have patience you could use an ESR meter and measure them (having to desolder them first, measurements can be affected by other things in the circuit), so you

Industry
Jan 15, 2026

Replacing capacitors in speaker crossovers for better sound?

Putting an audio signal through an electrolytic capacitor, particularly, can can distort the waveshape and introduce significant distortion. Many high-end speaker manufacturers put hundreds of dollars for each speaker system crossover network into the kinds of high-quality capacitors that have been proven to produce the least waveform distortion.

Industry
May 27, 2026

Revive Your Vintage Sound: Capacitor Testing and Replacement

Key Points: Capacitor Testing and Replacement. Electrolytic capacitors often need replacement in vintage electronics; Use a multimeter to test capacitance and voltage ratings; Choose replacement capacitors with equal or higher voltage ratings; Consider ESR (Equivalent Series Resistance) when selecting new capacitors

Industry
Dec 30, 2025

Are these the only caps and resistors I have to replace

The resistors can be had for $7 total at PE if you do some resistor math. 1 + 1 = 2 in series. As others have mentioned, you don''t need to replace the resistors. The caps you can use Dayton and save $10. There is also zero reason to not use non-polar audio grade electrolytic for sound quality. So you can cut the total cost down to a few dollars.

Industry
Feb 16, 2026

A broke off a GPU capacitor, what should I do?

If the card turns on and can run some 3D stuff, albeit possibly underclocked, it''s a capacitor, if it doesn''t, one of them could possibly be a resistor (I don''t have a ton of first hand experience fixing 1080 Tis since they are a bit challenging, so I can''t say for sure if they''re all caps or a few resistors in there, though I''d expect all caps)

Industry
Jan 07, 2026

How to know when a CRT needs replacement capacitors? : r/crtgaming

As a general rule any kind of issue that creeps in after being powered up for a while is caused by capacitors,,,although such issues can be caused by resistors as they warm up too. The only reliable way to tell if a cap is bad is to remove it from circuit

Industry
Feb 11, 2026

Why is a resistor needed when using a capacitor?

Real capacitors, wires, PCBs, and power sources have at least some resistance so you''ll never encounter such a divide-by-zero in a practical application. You could

Industry
Mar 15, 2026

resistors

I''m studying Fourier transformations, and their relationship with electrical circuits. In the example below the capacitor is replaced by a

Industry
Aug 08, 2025

How to Restore Vintage Electronics: A Step-By-Step Guide

Replace tubes not measuring in spec with modern equivalents; Always discharge capacitors before handling bare tubes! Recapping and Restoring Audio Amps. Vintage audio amplifiers benefit greatly from restoration: Replace all electrolytic filter capacitors; Test and replace out of spec resistors; Clean potentiometers and switches

Industry
Aug 11, 2025

Graphics card capacitor/resistor damaged. Help identifying replacement

I have a Zotac GTX 970 4gb graphics card that has a damaged capacitor/resistor on the PCB that I am hoping to fix by replacing it. I have attached pictures. Can anyone help me identify what the resistor/capacitor model or type is so I can buy a replacement. Any links to replacements as wel would be great. Thanks in advanced!

Industry
Dec 19, 2025

Differentiating between SMD Resistors & Capacitors

Capacitors can be white, off-white, tan, brown, or occasionally darker near-black colors (although a component that looks like a capacitor but is black in color might be something else, like an inductor, ferrite bead, thermistor, MOV, etc.). I''m looking to replace caps nad resistors with same values bit better quality components, I''m

Industry
Jul 27, 2025

Differentiating between SMD Resistors & Capacitors

I''m assuming (based on limited experience) that all 2-lead non-black SMD components are capacitors: all beige, tan, and blue components. Is this a reasonable assumption, or is it likely that they''re other passives? Is it also a

Industry
Apr 25, 2026

resistors

How do I replace a capacitor with a resistance? Ask Question Asked 9 years, 5 months ago. as the author leaves no reasonable explanation as to how the capacitor was turned into a resistance. Can someone provide an explanation as to how it was replaced by the resistance $frac{1}{jomega100cdot 10^{-9}}$? Capacitor and resistors at t

Industry
Dec 25, 2025

How do capacitors and batteries affect Equivalent Resistance?

They can''t be characterized as either one. There are resistors between them, so they aren''t in series. Both ends are not connected together, so they are not in parallel. Do capacitors affect

Industry
Nov 22, 2025

Can Capacitors Replace Resistors in Digital Circuits Logic Gates

One of the key benefits of using capacitors in place of resistors in ICs is their compact size. Physical resistors can take up a significant amount of space on the circuit board, which is a critical consideration in densely packed circuits. By using capacitors, manufacturers can save space and potentially reduce production costs.

Industry
Apr 23, 2026

Strategies to Repair or Replace Old Electrolytic

In the equipment''s chassis, often capacitors of different voltage ratings are connected by voltage-dropping resistors, and the equipment uses the current demands of the circuit to keep voltages in operating range. usually you can

Industry
Feb 25, 2026

Ceiling Fan Capacitor Replacement

Can I replace a ceiling fan capacitor having resistors with one having no resistors? 1. Which specs matter when replacing a fan capacitor? 1. Can I substitute a 4 wire fan capacitor for a 3 wire one and not use the third capacitor section? Hot Network Questions story read in 1960/70s ?anthology. Man wakes up in future, all the people living on

Industry
Jun 16, 2026

Replacing Capacitors in Vintage Amplifiers: A Comprehensive Guide

Aging: Electrolytic capacitors have a limited lifespan (typically 20-30 years), after which they dry out or leak.; Leakage: Over time, electrolytic capacitors can leak electrolyte fluid, leading to corrosive damage inside the amplifier.; Capacity Loss: Capacitors lose their ability to hold a charge, leading to weak or distorted sound output.; Power Issues: Failing capacitors can lead

Industry
Mar 26, 2026

can capacitors replace resistors? : r/AskElectronics

In AC applications, capacitors can indeed replace resistors as current limiting/voltage dropping elements. They add a phase shift, but often this is OK. Certain cheap wall-powered devices use this, as well as some ceiling fan speed controls.

Industry
May 19, 2026

Resistors and capacitors

I know that resistors can be used as pull-ups or pull-down, but sometimes I come across old PCBs that have capacitors linked between an input or output and ground or +5 volts. Are these caps being used to pull-up or pull-down the input or

Industry
Dec 15, 2025

Should I replace these resistors on my vintage radio?

EDIT, the big red one is a capacitor, the resistors are above and to the right of it. Thanks so much for the input. A lot of good info. I did your test and it seems I have a lot of resistors to replace. No big deal. Thanks for confirming though. : ) $endgroup$ – Capn Jack. Commented Oct 9, 2017 at 19:18. Add a comment |

Industry
Aug 04, 2025

"Common Positive" vintage multi-section can capacitors

If you find a replacement multi-section cap capacitor - it will need to be a "positive can" design. If you choose to install individual capacitors - they need to be wired in in the same orientation as the original can - their positive leads need to connected to the same point(s) as the original can - You need to look carefully at the circuit board layout - typically there will be

Industry
Dec 05, 2025

dynaco st-70 can capacitor replacement questions

Be sure to connect the 15.6Ohm current sensing resistors to the main capacitor ground. Dynaco was using the tube sockets frame mounted on the chassis as its ground. I had one like this, and I chased around an unstable bias current in one channel for hours, until I measured a few ohms from the 15.6 Ohm ground lead to the main cap.

Industry
Nov 04, 2025

How do resistors affect capacitors?

The resistor slows the rate of charge (or discharge) by limiting the current that can flow into or out of the capacitor. Explanation: When capacitors and resistors are connected

Industry
Apr 03, 2026

Switched Capacitor: What It Is and How It Works

Discover the fascinating world of switched capacitors. Learn how these electronic circuits can mimic capacitors and resistors, enabling a wide range of applications in signal processing, power conversion, and more. Understand the basic principles and practical applications of switched capacitor circuits.

Industry
Jun 25, 2026

Why the start capacitor has a resistor?

Most replacement start capacitors will not include a resistor. You can check the condition of the old one by checking the resistance value, or just replace it with a new one. This should read somewhere around 10-20k Ohms and around 2 watts. The resistors are usually either soldered or crimped to the terminals.

Industry
Dec 20, 2025

How to Choose Replacement Capacitors and Resistors when

How to Choose Replacement Resistors when repairing and restoring high-quality stereo equipment In the old days, the only resistors available were carbon-type. By now, many of these in the power section are way out-of-spec, and need to be replaced. Also, carbon resistors are generally very noisy, so although the original carbon resistors in the

Industry
Mar 09, 2026

Should I worry about old carbon-comp resistors?

When replacing composition resistors, especially in older equipment, don''t just automatically replace with a carbon film. Composition resistors have a much higher surge rating and this can be a very important factor to consider when replacing them - and older equipment with it''s higher voltages and surge currents often require them. And if you do use film resistors

Industry
Oct 07, 2025

Can you combine capacitors and resistors?

A resistor-capacitor circuit (RC CIrcuit) is an electrical circuit consisting of passive components like resistors and capacitors, driven by the current source or the voltage source. The capacitor stores energy and the

Industry
Sep 06, 2025

Replacement capacitors in a speaker crossover

I have some nice 40 year old McIntosh xr19 speakers that I want to replace the capacitors. They originally have Sprague 439p film 8uf 120vac caps in them but I can''t find any, I know you can take two or more caps and put them in parallel to get the proper value needed but is it a good option or should I keep looking Cement resistors have

Industry
Dec 04, 2025

Replacing Passive Components to Improve Sound Quality

These fancy resistors ($3.00-9.00 a piece!) are available from Parts Connection and Welborne Labs; they have excellent reputations, but I''ve never used them, so can''t offer advice. In summary, I replace all small 1/8 – ½W) resistors with ½W metal films of equal value (or the closest obtainable.

Industry
Apr 17, 2026

Replacement capacitors in a speaker crossover

I have some nice 40 year old McIntosh xr19 speakers that I want to replace the capacitors. They originally have Sprague 439p film 8uf 120vac caps in them but I can''t find any, I know you can take two or more caps and

Industry
Oct 18, 2025

Dynaco PAS 3 Can Capacitor

While I am in there, I''d like to replace the 4-section can capacitor which is 30/20/20/10 mfd @ 450V. The only recommended replacement I can find is 20/20/20/20 @ 475V from dynakitparts . The HV readings shouldn''t change as long as the resistors are the same values. You may need to burn in the capacitor in circuit for a few hours, to

Industry
Nov 17, 2025

Replacing Capcitors that looks like resistors : r/AskElectronics

I need to know what to replace these capacitors that look like resistors. Unfortunately every where else I''ve asked they always say: - those aren''t capacitors they are resistors. These are capacitors, they are common in 1980s tech. But what can I use to replace them with Here is my picture: Imgur

Industry
Apr 26, 2026

Paper Capacitors Replacement

While you replace the caps test the resistors and replace the ones that are 10-20% over. Most of your resistors are half watt but you can check the parts list for the correct size. Those squarish molded parts are mica capacitors and rarely go bad.

Industry
May 06, 2026

6.1.2: Capacitance and Capacitors

Multiple capacitors placed in series and/or parallel do not behave in the same manner as resistors. Placing capacitors in parallel increases overall plate area, and thus increases capacitance, as indicated by Equation ref{8.4}. Therefore capacitors in parallel add in value, behaving like resistors in series.

Industry
Jan 18, 2026

Can you replace a resistor with higher power rating?

So, as a rule, always try to replace resistors with the same wattage, unless you really understand how the circuit works, and know that it will be safe otherwise. In which case going larger in a pinch may be ok for a short while, but you really should replace them with the properly-rated power values later.

Industry
Aug 18, 2025

What are suggestions for resistor and capacitor substitutions?

When thinking about substituting components, I know that resistors are easily substituted within their 10%/5%/1% tolerances. But what about wattage on a resistor? Is it safe to do

Industry
Sep 27, 2025

Crossover capacitor replacement/upgrade (long)

There is no need to change these. The resistors are probably ceramic, one upgrade is to replace these with non-inductive resistors (such as Mills). If you do this, go with the same voltage rating or higher. 4) You can change any of the components with higher rated, but there is little benefit. 5) I use Metalized Polypropylene caps wherever

Industry
Nov 17, 2025

Can transistors replace capacitors and resistors

Can transistors replace capacitors and resistors? It is done on IC very currently. The resistance is easy with the fets and the capacitor really cannot be totally replaced, it can be multiplied thus making the small capacity bigger and useful.

6 Frequently Asked Questions about “Can capacitors replace resistors ”

Do start capacitors have a resistor?

Most replacement start capacitors will not include a resistor. You can check the condition of the old one by checking the resistance value, or just replace it with a new one. This should read somewhere around 10-20k Ohms and around 2 watts. The resistors are usually either soldered or crimped to the terminals.

Can you combine capacitors and resistors?

When resistors and capacitors are mixed together in parallel circuits (just as in series circuits), the total impedance will have a phase angle somewhere between 0° and -90°. The circuit current will have a phase angle somewhere between 0° and +90°. What is the relationship between capacitor and resistor?

Does it matter where you put a resistor on a capacitor?

If the cross-over has other components, e. g. an inductor going from behind the capacitor to ground, it does matter, where you put the resistor. Although there is no general rule, which is best. How do you find the voltage across a capacitor in series with a resistor?

Why is a switched capacitor equiv-Alent to a resistor?

the rate of switching.■ A switched-capacitor circuit is equiv-alent to a resistor only in the sense that their average currents are the same, but not thei

Can a capacitor be charged without a resistor?

Without a load, current will not flow through a circuit, and will thus not charge a capacitor in the circuit. Instead of using a resistor as a load in order to charge a capacitor, any other load can be implemented. If a resistor is not available, a light bulb of appropriate voltage may be used.

What happens if a voltage is applied to a capacitor?

If a voltage is applied to a capacitor through a series resistor, the charging current will be highest when the cap has 0 Volts across it. (i.e. when it is first connected the full voltage will be across the resistor). where V is the applied voltage and R is the series resistance. The voltage on the capacitor changes as it charges or discharges.

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