Re: Power Factor Capacitor -- Was -- RE: schematics...AdamSmith's

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: Power Factor Capacitor -- Was -- RE: schematics...AdamSmith's
From: "Mark Broker" <broker-at-uwplatt.edu> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)
Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2000 11:51:54 -0700
Approved: twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net
Delivered-To: fixup-tesla-at-pupman-dot-com-at-fixme

> > Actually, I've been told that Aluminum Electrolytic will work for a 120VAC
> > PFC cap.  These are inexpensive and very common.  And to head off criticism
> > that Aluminum electrolytic caps shouldn't be used in an AC circuit, I was
> > told by an Electrical Engineer (Technician?) who runs all the electrical
> > labs here at school.  He said that electrolytics can take the AC, just
not a
> > constant negative DC bias.
> >
> > Mark
>
> hi Mark...
>
> weird ...   several years ago i took a 220 WVDC -at- 3500 uF electrolytic
> cap and placed 120V AC across it      guess what happened ....   I'll
> never do that again ...   it was smelly  smokey and LOUD ...
>
> Scot D

I can only imagine....

I was (and am) sceptical about using it.  I guess I'll let ya know in a few
weeks.  The guy gave me a 350 WVDC Electrolytic cap (330uF!!) to use after I
explained to him what I was doing with it.... Maybe he just wanted to get
me out
of his office, as I nearly  forced him to clean it up so he could find his
catalogs with doorknob caps. :-)

Mark