Exploding capacitor

What happens if you misuse a capacitor

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• electronics
• capacitor
• exploding
• explosion

[emaguire512]

Bigger ones don't need that much more power. We were playing with one in physics today that had a capacitance of 31500e6F, and a surge capacity of only 40V.

[ubuntututorials]

@thevectorfilms Tantalums have electrolyte in them too but in powdered/solid form. They are called tantalum electrolytic capacitors.

[thevectorfilms]

@ubuntututorials that looked more like a tantalum to me.

[ubuntututorials]

@hellstudios It's electolyte, it's awful stuff because it corrodes everything!

[hellstudios]

now imagine what would happen to a capacitor that is meant to take a maximum of 140v and overvolt it to say, 600v... this is what happened to my brothers computer when there was a power surge... ... entire PSU is covered in lead acid or whatever chemicals are found in capacitors....

[klausstok]

This thing just exploded in my fingers, 22uF 16V connected to 10.8V NiMH battery, in correct polarity. NB: keep V-rating 2-3 times higher for Ta caps.

:( hurts

[yuandrew]

Grabbed myself a 100uf 16v electrolytic that I had on my "work table" and hooked it up backwards to the two deep cycle batteries I'm using in my "12 volt room project". It made a hissing noise then "POP"

Only thing is you may want to do it near a window or outside; the smoke is very irritating if you breath it in.

"COUGH! COUGH! BLEACH! COUGH!"

[bfeely]

I once hooked up a SMT tantalum capacitor up backwords, turned on the power, and had an instant fireball.

[picfux]

Try an old tantal capacitor!

[InternalVoice]

Explode an electrolytic cap, some of them smell like fish when they explode. Also put one in an old microwave. (not a good microwave a crappy one that isnt used anymore) and watch it go boom.