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Re: Caps in series
Capacitors in series add like resistors in parallel, so that if the capacitor
values are C1, C2, and C3, their equivalent capacitance when in series will be:
Ceq = 1 / ( 1/C1 + 1/C2 + 1/C3)
and since they're in series, the voltage rating will be the sum of their
individual voltage ratings, but it is wise to only put caps with the same
voltage rating and capacitance in series so the voltages divide evenly.
Adding caps in parallel means that the equivalent capacitance is the sum of the
inidividual capacitances, and the overall voltage rating is the least of the
individual voltage ratings.
cheers,
Tina
(first time list responder)
On Jun 30, 10:20pm, Tesla List wrote:
> Subject: Caps in series
> Original Poster: Erthwin-at-aol-dot-com
>
> I know that if I wire two 5Kv .01uF capacitors in series I'll end up with a
> 10Kv .005uF cap but what happens when I put in a third capacitor that has the
> same ratings? does the uF rating drop by half again (15Kv .0025) or is it 1/3
> of the original rating now (15Kv .00333~)...or is there a completely
> different set of equations for finding this out? I ask this because I'm
> planning on looking for some smaller voltage caps to wire in series and from
> the other visits I've made to my local surplus I doubt I'll find anything
> close to what I actually need so I might end up wiring a LOT of caps in
> parallel and in series to get the values I'm looking for.
>
> Left, left I hadda good brain but it left...
> ---Daniel
>
>
>-- End of excerpt from Tesla List
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_____________________________________________________________________________
Christina Hammock
NCSU Astrophysics Department
http://wonka.physics.ncsu.edu/~cmhammoc