Electrolytic Capacitor Question

[Jacob32123]

I did some googleing, and couldn't figure this out. :thinking:

If a electrolytic capacitor rated for 40 volts was hooked to up to 12 volts backwards for a few minutes, would it explode?

 

[Things]

Possibly, yes, provided there was enough current.

 

[AnthoT]

As was stated above yes it likely would explode or rupture or something like that you should just add a diode like a schottky with the positive end of the diode on the positive end of the capacitor and the negative end on the negative end and that would eliminate that problem. :beer:

-Anthony

 

[Hiemal]

Yeah, Electrolytic caps don't like to be abused polarity wise... However, they do make non-polar lytics that are a bit more expensive than standard ones.

 

[vk2fro]

if its a BIG 40V capacitor, you may end up with a very loud bang, or a one time use only foul smelling fog machine

Mind you they were using 24V at 100Amps. But backward connecting a 40V cap to 12V such as a car batt may produce a similar disposable fogger

(for those who have seen photonic inductions video of the whistling big cap, I think this one is a little better. Its an energizer bunny cap - keeps going and going....)

 

[T_Warne]

What is the substance inside one of these things? Is it very toxic?

 

[vk2fro]

I wouldn't breathe the fumes if thats what your asking. It smells horrible anyway so you wont hang around long. IF your keen to pop one, I suggest you do it outside