Re: [TCML] Condenser Products capacitor and Sprague Doorknob capacitors relisted

[sheelite@xxxxxxx]

 I bought two of these units on the original group purchase.  I've used them for years, but as two in series with a 14.4KV distribution transformer at about 15KVA.  Within a few days of receipt, one member's the unit blew up.  Condenser Products offered to take all units back for repair/replacement, which I took advantage of.  I believe that I recall that CP admitted an internal issue, but I also recall that there was strong suspicion that the unit that blew may have been used marginally over specs (perhaps resonant rise).  One last thing to any owners. These caps should be rotated occasionally, according to CP, to distribute the oil.  That always seemed odd to me, that they were not completely full. The end of the story is that CP stopped selling caps to amateurs as a result of this affair.  This is all in the archives, I assume.

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Ed Phillips <evp@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Tesla Coil Mailing List <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Fri, Jan 18, 2013 8:56 pm
Subject: Re: [TCML] Condenser Products capacitor and Sprague Doorknob	capacitors relisted


OK - reason for question was the difference in stud size.  I hadn't 
gotten around to trying mine before reading of other guys' problems and 
wonder about firing them up after all these years.  I thought the 
problem was internal and independent of whether they were lying on 
something conducting.  Will encase one in something more or less 
explosion proof and give ti a try on a12 or at most 15 kV NST.

dfroula@xxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

>Hi, Ed,
>
>No, the Condenser Products cap I have is NOT from the ones from the group buy 
that some had issues with.
>
>Although the part number is the same as the ones in the group buy, this cap was 
manufactured after. The physical difference is the diameter of the threaded stud 
connections, which is smaller on this cap than those on the group buy.
>
>The original issue was that the dielectric strength of the PVC housing is only 
10KVAC (as clearly stamped on the housing), although the voltage rating on the 
cap itself is 20KVAC.
>
>When the cap is run over 10 KVAC without proper insulation between the cap 
housing and the floor or other object, the breakdown in the cap housing would 
cause destruction of the cap.
>
>It is recommended that the cap be run inserted into another piece of PVC tubing 
for additional insulation if it is lying against the floor, plywood, or near 
another conductive surface.
>
>Don
>
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