Lead Spacing/Bending

When the lead spacing of a capacitor does not match the hole spacing on your PCB, the capacitor should have its leads formed to avoid exposing the capacitor to excessive mechanical stress.

As Figure 1, if the angle of the leads is greater than 30°, lead forming will be required.

Figure 1:
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If you need to reform the leads, please refer to the shape as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2:
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The maximum amount of lead stress should be limited to 1.0 Kg in the vertical direction and 0.5Kg in the horizontal direction.

You should also avoid bending the leads of your capacitor right next to the capacitor body itself - the internal connections from a capacitor’s leads to its actual capacitive material are delicate and can easily be damaged. Leave at least a millimeter or two between the capacitor body and the first bend in your leads to avoid breaking those delicate connections.

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