Nichicon Capacitors, series differences

[volvo_nut_v70]

In doing some repairs involving electrolytic recapping there is a large number of Nichicon electrolytic caps of different series available on Digikey. While there is much info and wisdom on tantalums, I didn't find much on electrolytics.

The conventional wisdom is that a higher voltage rating is fine, a high temp rating ie 105C or better is desired along with the longest operating life at rated temp. This is what I have dug out of the web for what it is worth.

I am not the author of these summaries, the links are at the bottom.

Start:

After much confusion perusing many data sheets, I listed the major points by type in one place. However, there are those that claim it really doesn't make a lot of difference for audio quality. Not all values are available in all types, so you may need a mixture.

Here is the summary:

NICHICON ELECTROLYTIC CAPACITORS

TVX Axial General Purpose

USA General Purpose (USR smaller, UST high temperature)
USR General Purpose

UMA Standard, Low Profile (UMT high temperature, UMV long life, UMF low impedance)
UHE Miniature, Low Impedance, High Reliability (UHD lower life)
UKL Low Leakage
URS Low Profile (URZ high temperature)
URZ Low Profile, Wide Temperature
UPM Low Impedance, High Reliability (UPW smaller)
UCS Miniature, High Reliability, High Ripple (UCA larger, UCY smaller)
UVR Miniature (UKL lower leakage, UVK smaller, UVZ high temperature)
UVZ General Audio, Miniature, Wide Temperature (UKT higher audio quality, UVY smaller)

UKT General Audio, Wide Temperature (UKA higher audio quality)
UMW Standard Audio, Low Profile
UKA High Grade Audio, Wide Temperature

UFW Standard Audio (UFG higher grade, UKW higher audio quality)
UKW Standard Audio
UFG High Grade Audio MUSE (UKZ higher grade)
UKZ Premium Audio MUSE

UPJ SMPS Low Impedance (UPS smaller, UPV long life)
UPS SMPS Low Impedance, Miniature
UPV SMPS Low Impedance, Miniature, High Reliability
UPW SMPS Low Impedance, Miniature, High Reliability (UTT long life, UPA low impedance)
UTT SMPS Miniature, High Reliability

UDB Bipolar, Speaker Network
UES Bipolar MUSE
UVP Bipolar

The VX caps I just got are blue but axial.

Here is the Nichicon color scheme

Audio
KA Pearl Blue/Black
KZ Black/Gold
FG Gold/Black
KT Pearl Blue/Black
KW Black/Gold
FW Gold/Black
SW Gold/Black
MW Gold/Black
UQ Black on top of case
ES Green/Black
DB/GD Black/White

Special Equipment
AS Dark Brown/White
AQ Dark Brown/White
JB Black/White
TM Black/White
KL Black/White

High Reliability
PM Dark Brown/White
PW Dark Brown/White
TT Dark Brown/White
PA Dark Brown/White
HV Black/White
HD Black/White
HE Black/White
PJ Dark Brown/White
PS Dark Brown/White
TS Dark Brown/White
PV Dark Brown/White
PT Dark Brown/White
PZ Dark Brown/White
PH Dark Brown/White
PB Dark Brown/White
CA Dark Brown/White
CS Dark Brown/White
CY Dark Brown/White
PX Dark Brown/White
BT Blue/White
BW Blue/White
BX Black on top of case
BE Blue/White Axial

Standard
VK Black/White
VR Black/White
VC Black/White
VX PurpleBlue/White
VY Black/White
VZ Black/White
RS Black/White
RZ Black/White
RU Black/White
RY Black/White
VP Black/White
EP Black/White

Ultra-Miniature
MA Black/White
MP Black/White
MT Black/White
MF Dark Brown/White
MV Dark Brown/White
SA Black/White
SR Black/White
SP Black/White
ST Black/White
SV Dark Brown/Silver
SF Dark Brown/White

Large Can
LS Black/White
LG Black/White
GU Black/White
GN Black/White
GG Black/White
GL Black/White
GJ Black/White
GJ(15) Black/White
GY Black/White
GR Black/White
GX Black/White
GW Black/White
AK Black/White
AQ Black/White
AR Black/White
QS Black/White

Large Can Screw Terminals
NR Light Blue/Black
NX Black/White
NK Black/White
NC Black/White
QR Dark Brown/White
NY Black/White
NT Black/White
NU Black/White

Large Can for Audio
KG Black/Gold
KS Black/Silver
KX Black/Gold

https://www.nichicon.co.jp/english/products/pdf/aluminum.pdf
https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/best-nichicon-series-to-use.732762/​
https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/nichicon-audio-grade-caps-which-to-use.832021/