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: "Bert Hickman" <bert.hickman-at-aquila-dot-com> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)
• Date: Mon, 28 Feb 2000 06:38:48 -0700
• Approved: twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net
• Delivered-To: fixup-tesla-at-pupman-dot-com-at-fixme

Tesla List wrote:
> 
> Original Poster: "Mike Nolley" <mnolley-at-mail.slc.edu>
> 
> >
> > Original Poster: "Mark Broker" <broker-at-uwplatt.edu>Actually, I've been told
> > that Aluminum Electrolytic will work for a 120VACPFC 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 wastold 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
> 
>     Just a thought:  would it be possible to simply use 2 electrolytics and
> rectify them using two 300V, 30A diodes?  One would charge during one
> phase, the
> other during the other phase.  Or would this lead to a doubler effect?
>             --Mike

Mike,

NO - the capacitors must be able to deliver current back INTO the rest
of the circuit. It's this "reverse" current which helps counteract the
NST inductive reactance, reducing the overall current drawn from the
mains. Reverse current will be blocked by the diodes, and the capacitors
would merely charge up to Vpeak and -Vpeak respectively. 

-- Bert --

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