Quote from Pedja on 7 October 2026, 4:41 PM

Generally, PPS defects caused by soldering show up as a decrease in capacitance. If in doubt, it is good practice to check the capacitance at different frequencies. The tricky part is that the damage may have a delayed or latent effect. But if the cap still shows its rated capacitance after one month, it is generally safe to conclude that all is fine.

With acrylic capacitors, apart from a decrease in capacitance, soldering damage can sometimes be detected even visually, under magnification, or even with the naked eye.

All this may sound a bit paranoid, and things are really not that critical. For instance, polystyrene is way trickier. 🙂 And following the manufacturer's guidelines should ensure a safe soldering process.