"a battery of caps"

To: mail11:;-at-msd26.enet.dec-dot-com (-at-teslatech)
Subject: "a battery of caps"
From: "I am the NRA." <pierson-at-msd26.enet.dec-dot-com>
Date: Thu, 14 Sep 95 10:34:49 EDT
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>Author:  Steve Crawshaw at erith6
>     How about getting an old (or new) lead acid battery, draining out all 
>     the acid, flushing with water and leaving to dry. Fill the battery 
>     with C14 mineral oil / epoxy resin / hot wax. Heat and / or vac down 
>     and cure if epoxy. Hey presto as if by magic, HV cap in the area!
 	Having been inside som lead acid battreries, I wouldn't.  Capacitance
	is set by area and (effectively) dielectric thickness.  Thinner the
	dielectric, the higher the capcitance.  And the more the plates, the
	more the capacitance.  The batteries i have been inside of have
	relatively thick insulators between plates and relatively few plates.
	(because they must be thick to carry the 200A and greater and to
	withstand road shocks (if vehicle battery) or provide the life
	expected (if commercial/stationary battery.).

	Also the dielectric in a tesla-typoe cap is (for preference) chosen for
	low loss at operating freq and HV withstand.  The insulator for the
	lead-acid is chosen for ability to withstand mechanical stress and
	battery acid.  I dunno what theya re using these days, but i wager a
	LARGE cookie that it has poor lf/hf characteristics......

	Also, i get nervous about "sealing" things that will be
	storing/transferrring/processing large amounts of energy.  If anything
	goes wrong the can turn into bombs Real Quick.

	This is all "handwaving', (tho ACCURATE handwaving, i think...) on my
	part.  I will yield on any of it, especially the last. to reasoned
	argument, or superior experience....

	regards
	dwp