Re: Capacitor dielectric voltage rating

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: "Barton B. Anderson" <bartb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

PE can rate from 450V/mil to 1200V/mil. How pure (absence of 
contaminants) PE is will determine it's puncture voltage. It's hard 
to know just buying PE roll stock. It's best to test it. If you have 
a means of varying the voltage on a hv supply (such as a variac), you 
can then do the test yourself. Take several samples along the roll 
and get a decent average of "that rolls" puncture voltage. Also, the 
dielectric constant of PE is 2.2 to 2.3.

This is really the only way to be sure. Anything else is a guess and 
may not apply to the PE you purchase.

Take care,
Bart

Tesla list wrote:

> Original poster: jhowson4@xxxxxxxxxxx
> Hey guys how many volts can 4 mil of polyethylene withstand.   I am 
> making a cap and am trying to figure out how thick I need the 
> dielectric to be.  I have 4 mil sheets.
>
> Many Thanks