Cornell Dubilier (CDE) Capacitor Cross-Reference Guide
Cornell Dubilier is one of the largest active U.S. capacitor manufacturers — most CDE part numbers are in current production, and the few that have reached end-of-life have documented in-family successors. This guide covers the CDE 381LR / 382LX / 520C aluminum electrolytic flagship lines, the 947C polypropylene DC link series, the 715P Orange Drop, DCMC and DERA motor capacitors, and the legacy Illinois Capacitor parts now produced by CDE.
Cornell Dubilier: A Brief History
Cornell Dubilier Electric Corporation was founded in 1909 by William Dubilier as a manufacturer of mica capacitors for the early radio industry. The company merged with Federated Metals’ Cornell division in 1933 to become Cornell-Dubilier Electric Corporation, and through the mid-20th century became one of the dominant American capacitor brands alongside Sprague, Mallory, and Aerovox.
CDE’s headquarters and primary manufacturing operation are in New Bedford, Massachusetts — coincidentally the same city where Aerovox operated until its 2018 bankruptcy. The company has steadily acquired and absorbed competitors: SBE Inc. (formerly Sprague Vitamin Q), Illinois Capacitor (acquired 2019), and most recently became part of the Knowles Corporation portfolio as Knowles CDE.
CDE produces capacitors across nearly every dielectric family: aluminum electrolytic (381LR, 380LX, 500C, 520C, 550C), polypropylene DC link film (947C), high-voltage film (940C), AC film (942C), Orange Drop polyester & polypropylene (225P, 715P), motor run (DCMC, DERA), motor start (PSU, MSR), mica, ceramic, and supercapacitors (DSF, DGH). The company also produces a hermetic aluminum electrolytic — the only capacitor of its kind, marketed as an alternative to wet tantalum for harsh environments.
Because CDE is actively manufacturing across so many capacitor families, it is the most common cross-reference target for legacy Sprague, Mallory, and Aerovox part numbers. This guide also covers cross-brand replacements when a CDE series itself has been discontinued or when a Nichicon, KEMET, or Vishay equivalent is preferred.
CDE Aluminum Electrolytic Cross-Reference
The 381LR / 382LX / 520C screw-terminal computer-grade lines are the heart of CDE’s industrial-power capacitor catalog. Cross-references to Nichicon and the legacy Sprague / Mallory targets are direct.
| CDE Part # | Type | Capacitance | Voltage | Equivalent / Successor | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 381LR | Computer-grade screw terminal | 220 – 33,000 µF (typical) | 16 – 450 V | Nichicon LGU / LQR, Sprague 36D legacy match | UPS, VFD DC bus — flagship CDE series |
| 381LX | Computer-grade screw terminal (extended life) | 220 – 22,000 µF | 10 – 450 V | Nichicon LGN / LQR | Long-life industrial |
| 382LX / 382EL | Long-life computer-grade | 470 – 22,000 µF | 16 – 500 V | Nichicon LQR, KEMET ALC10 | Telecom, server power |
| 380LX | Snap-in radial electrolytic | 100 – 4,700 µF | 10 – 450 V | Nichicon LGU snap-in, Rubycon MXR | VFD, switching supplies |
| 500C | Aluminum can, axial leads | 1 – 5,000 µF | 150 – 600 V | Nichicon LGN, Sprague 39D legacy match | Tube transmitters, HV power |
| 520C | Computer-grade extended-life screw terminal | 470 – 22,000 µF | 16 – 450 V | Nichicon LQR, Sprague 36DX legacy match | High-temp critical power |
| 550C | Inverter-grade snap-in | 100 – 4,700 µF | 200 – 500 V | Nichicon LGW, KEMET ALA7 | Solar inverters, EV chargers |
| CGS / CG / CGR | Computer-grade screw terminal (legacy) | 1500 – 33,000 µF | 10 – 450 V | 381LR (current CDE successor), Nichicon LGU | Long-running CDE catalog series |
| AVE / AVS | Snap-in / radial (legacy) | 10 – 10,000 µF | 16 – 450 V | Current CDE 380LX or 381EL | End-of-life — see CDE successor list |
CDE Film Capacitor Cross-Reference
CDE’s 947C polypropylene DC link film is one of the most-specified capacitors in modern variable frequency drives, EV chargers, and solar inverters. The 715P Orange Drop is a direct successor to the Sprague 715P and remains the standard for tube audio coupling.
| CDE Part # | Type | Capacitance | Voltage | Equivalent / Successor | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 947C | Polypropylene DC link film | 5 – 5,000 µF (typical) | 450 – 1300 VDC | KEMET C44P-R, TDK EPCOS B25620 / B25655 | Inverter / VFD DC bus, EV chargers |
| 940C | Polypropylene high-voltage | 0.001 – 100 µF | 500 – 6000 VDC | WIMA FKP, TDK EPCOS MKP, Vishay MKP | Snubber, HV coupling, audio |
| 942C | AC oil-filled / paper-film | 1 – 200 µF | 240 – 660 VAC | Vishay MKP385, TDK EPCOS MKK | Industrial AC filter, lighting |
| 715P (Orange Drop) | Polypropylene film axial | 0.001 – 1.0 µF | 200 – 1500 V | Direct successor to Sprague 715P | Tube audio, guitar amplifiers |
| 225P (Orange Drop) | Polyester film axial | 0.001 – 1.0 µF | 100 – 600 V | Direct successor to Sprague 225P; WIMA MKS | Audio coupling, signal |
| DCMC | Metallized PP motor run / AC | 1 – 100 µF | 370 – 660 VAC | KEMET C44P, generic AC film | Industrial motor run, AC filter |
CDE Motor & Energy-Storage Cross-Reference
DERA motor run and PSU motor start cover the residential and industrial single-phase motor market — these are the direct cross-reference targets for Aerovox Z-series and Mallory STD/RUN. CDE’s DSF/DGH supercapacitors are a modern energy-storage offering for battery-supplement applications.
| CDE Part # | Type | Capacitance | Voltage | Equivalent / Successor | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DERA | Motor run, oil-filled metal can | 1 – 80 µF | 370 / 440 VAC | Generic motor run, NTE MRC, Mars 12000-series | HVAC, pumps, fans — direct Aerovox Z-series cross-ref |
| PSU | Motor start, plastic case | 53 – 1080 µF | 110 – 250 VAC | NTE motor-start, generic motor start | Single-phase induction motor start |
| MSR / MSU | Motor start (modern) | 53 – 1080 µF | 110 – 250 VAC | Generic motor start, KEMET ESF | Modern CDE motor-start successor |
| DSF / DGH (supercap) | EDLC / supercapacitor | 1 – 3000 F | 2.5 – 3.0 V cell | Maxwell / Eaton XL60, Vishay 196 HVC | Backup power, fast-charge buffering |
How to Identify a CDE Capacitor
CDE part numbers are descriptive and decode directly into series, capacitance, voltage, and case code. The full schema is documented in CDE’s ordering catalogs.
- Aluminum electrolytic (381LR, 380LX, 500C, 520C) — Format is
[series][cap code][V code][case code]. Example:381LR272M450K072decodes as 381LR series, 2,700 µF (272 = 27 × 10²), 450 V, case K072. The series prefix is the most important field for cross-referencing. - Film capacitors (947C, 940C, 942C) — Format is
[series][cap code][tol][voltage code][construction]. Example:947C471K102DAHSdecodes as 947C / 470 µF / ±10% / 1000 V / construction code DAHS. - Orange Drop (225P, 715P) — Distinctive orange epoxy-dipped flat axial body. Three-digit cap codes follow the standard convention:
224 = 0.22 µF,105 = 1.0 µF. Voltage prints separately. - Motor run / start (DERA, DCMC, PSU) — Round or oval metal can with two quick-disconnect tabs. Markings include µF, VAC rating, UL listing, and life hours (typically 60,000 hr at 70 °C).
- Mica (CD / CDV) — Small molded silver mica capacitors, typically under 0.01 µF. The CDV variant is the military-spec hermetic version.
Date codes on CDE products are typically a 4-character YYWW format printed near the part number. Older Illinois Capacitor parts (now CDE) retain their original prefix — ICW, RTSP, SVR — but are produced and supported by CDE.
Cross-Brand Replacements for CDE
Most CDE parts are still in production, so the typical cross-reference question is not “what replaced CDE?” — it’s “what other brand can I substitute?” These cross-brand mappings are the most common:
- 381LR / 382LX → Nichicon LGU / LQR — Same case dimensions, screw-terminal layout, and electrical specs. Direct stock-shelf substitution in UPS and VFD applications.
- 380LX → Nichicon LGU snap-in / Rubycon MXR — Snap-in radials with matching height / diameter / lead spacing.
- 947C → KEMET C44P-R / TDK EPCOS B25655 — Polypropylene DC link film for inverter DC bus applications. Verify ripple current rating against the original CDE spec.
- 940C → WIMA FKP / TDK EPCOS MKP / Vishay MKP — High-voltage polypropylene film for snubbers and HV coupling.
- 715P / 225P Orange Drop — These are unique to CDE; closest non-CDE alternative is WIMA MKP / MKS for value match (different physical body).
- DCMC / DERA → KEMET C44P / NTE / Mars 12000-series — Motor run capacitors are interchangeable across brands by µF / VAC / case envelope.
- End-of-life CDE part numbers — Check CDE’s End of Life notices for the official in-family successor (e.g., older 381LR codes → newer 381LR).