Re: Equalizing resistors for electrolytic capacitors

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: "Ed Phillips" <evp@xxxxxxxxxxx>

"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"

	I haven't seen any mention in these discussions of the leakage current
of the capacitors.  I would think a good rule of thumb would be to make
the current through the "equalizing resistors" at least five times the
leakage current; more current through the equalizer would just be a
waste of power.

ed

By the way, if I were going to use a bank of electrolytic capacitors in
series I'd first hold them at rated voltage for several hours in order
to "form" them, then measure leakage current and try to series
capacitors with similar currents.