Re: Equalizing resistors for electrolytic capacitors

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: "Steve Ward" <steve.ward@xxxxxxxxx>

He means that the electrolytics will be used as a filter for his DC
power supply (which in turn can charge a tank capacitor at any given
BPS).

As far as i know for balancing, you generally go with the lowest
acceptable resistance vs. power dissipation.  Otherwise, i would not
be surprised to see a cap or 2 fail over time.  It would be a good
idea to build this cap bank inside a container just in case you have a
blow out.

Good luck,

Steve


On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 18:10:48 -0700, Tesla list <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Original poster: "Black Moon" <black_moons@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>
> DC tesla coil? I hope you mean that its a solid state or tube tesla coil,
> as even if the chargeing system is DC with a spark gap coil, the ringdown
> is AC and requires AC caps
>
> >From: "Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> >To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
> >Subject: Equalizing resistors for electrolytic capacitors
> >Date: Sun, 28 Nov 2004 16:09:48 -0700
>
>
> >
> >Original poster: "Hydrogen18" <hydrogen18@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >
> >List,
> >
> >     I have a large number of small electrolytic capacitors I am trying to
> > connect in series. Since they have the nominal -10% to +85% value control
> > on them the potential exists for a unequal division of voltages. I
> > understand than resistors across each capacitor can help solve this
> > problem, but have found no formulas or examples on what values should be
> > used. Is it an arbitrary thing? Any help you could provide would be
> > greatly appreciated.
> >
> >So far I have come up with:
> >
> >  I understand the time constant of Tau(R*C) correctly it would be:
> >
> >47000 * (330*(10^-6) = 15.51 seconds.
> >
> >so in about a 78(5 Time constants = 98% charge gone) seconds provided my
> >caps are at full voltage they will only be at 2 volts each with a 47k
> >resistor across each one.This is still a high voltage when you factor them
> >being in series. Although at that low of voltage I should be able to short
> >them and they wont have energy to internally damage themselves I think.
> >This is for a DC tesla coil filter cap
> >---Eric
> >
> >
>
>