Re: Capacitor life?

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-twfpowerelectronics-dot-com>

Hi Phil,

The biggest "boo boo" I made with MMCs was to ever bring up the issue of 
"life".  I was concerned at the time, and got the best equations 
around.  But they were all bogus...

I don't think anyone has or is close to ever "wearing out" an MMC 
cap.  They seem to last just fine if you go by the charts:

http://hot-streamer-dot-com/temp/MMCcapSales.gif

It has been about three years since MMCs went big time and no "wear outs" I 
know of ;-)))  In all the caps I have looked at, ionization damage is 
nil.  Just be sure to follow the tips at:

http://hot-streamer-dot-com/TeslaCoils/MMCInfo/mmcinfo.htm

The "only" real life concern with MMCs is plate ionization since we run 
them at high AC voltages.  I was going to do a test last summer to study 
that but it was number 92374169056384275986 on my list of things to do, and 
I did not get to it :-p  But ionization damage is pretty slow.   They will 
last far far longer than 30 minutes, probably 30 years....

I just tore the "life stuff" out of the document at:

http://hot-streamer-dot-com/TeslaCoils/MMCInfo/MMCPower4.html

I would ask anyone who has a program or other document based of the "old" 
MMCPower4 document, to also get rid of the life calculations!!  They are 
now officially declared as "bogus"....  The horse got out of the barn here, 
but might as well try an run after it ;-)))

MMCs are pretty well proven at this point and the initial problems are all 
well solved.  Unless you need to go to the cheap bottle cap to save cash, 
MMC are just about the only game in town now.  There are always a few that 
like to roll caps and the pros that like to spend the big bucks....  But 
MMCs will not fail you!!!  They are easy to get:

http://www.thegeekgroup-dot-org/mmc/

If you hate Paypal, write them, and I am sure they can work it out ;-))


I will move that ionization test up a few slots too :o)))

Cheers,

         Terry



At 05:08 AM 1/14/2004, you wrote:
>Has this question been answered? How long do the MMC capacitors last? Is it
>30 minutes?
>I was going to buy some from Geekgroup, but not if they only last that long!
>Thanks, Phil Brinkman
>
>
> > [Original Message]
> > From: Tesla list <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> > To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> > Date: 1/13/2004 3:19:11 PM
> > Subject: Re: Capacitor life?
> >
> > Original poster: "Peter Terren" <pterren1-at-iinet-dot-net.au>
> >
> > Both Robin Copini and myself have used 330nF CD caps
> > http://members.iinet-dot-net.au/~pterren/tesla_coil_latest1.htm#Capacitor
> >
> > http://www.geocities-dot-com/rcopini/
> >
> > Cheers
> > Peter (Tesla Downunder)
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> > To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> > Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2004 10:59 PM
> > Subject: Re: Capacitor life?
> >
> >
> >  > Original poster: Kreso Bukvic <kreso.bukvic-at-kc.htnet.hr>
> >  > Some guy on the list used 330 nf CD caps? Could he give me any data?
> >