Very Large Capacitors

[Event_Horizon]

Hey guys. As a general electronics geek I, like most electronics geeks, like to occasionally play with very high voltage or high current electrical devices, often for no other reason than to do something dangerously stupid for entertainment.

Having grown bored with my 9000 volt neon sign transformer, I went onto ebay and purchased myself (for an excellent deal, mind you) a pair of 160,000 uf electrolytic capacitors. I keep them shorted out at all times in the interest of safety.




And while they aren't high voltage caps, they can dump a hundred amps into something in no time flat. And dump those amps I did.



I realize that shorting capacitors with screwdrivers is a bad idea as it is, nevermind almost a fifth of a farad while wearing a T-shirt. But it sure does make a satisfying snap and blow white-hot bits in such a pretty way. Like fireworks!

...come to think of it ... does eBay sell fireworks?

 

[jamilm9]

very nice how many volts are they and how do you charge them.

 

[k1kb0t]

Wow nice pics, you might want to wear some thick rubber gloves when doing that.

Jon

 

[MarioMaster]

heheh, capacitors are fun

Mine don't quite have as much capacity as yours though. These were salvaged out of a DC welder that was being thrown away.

Click Image to Enlarge


Click Image to Enlarge

 

[jamilm9]

I'm guessing these would be the caps.

 

[k1kb0t]

I'm guessing these would be the caps.

Yes those are caps.

Jon

 

[Event_Horizon]

I'm guessing these would be the caps.

No those aren't the same ones. Those are 10v caps and mine are 30v. The ebay listing is here:
Sprague Electroclytic Capacitors 160,000 uF 30 VDC on eBay.ca (item 320379716589 end time 13-Jun-09 21:22:54 EDT)

I charge them with a simple variable DC power supply. I limit the current to 500mA and it takes about 10 seconds to charge to 95%

 

[Hemlock_Mike]

Photoflash caps have lower internal impedance and are designed to DUMP !

Mike

 

[Event_Horizon]

Yeah, don't they have an internal inductor to compensate for the capacitance of the discharge so they cancel each other out? I remember hearing something like that.

But I don't think photoflash caps come in this size.

Also, I just got the super incredibly stupid idea of shorting it with a strip of magnesium. Will it catch on fire? Will I be burned? Will I be blinded? We will find out tomorrow!

 

[Eku]

I have a 330V camera cap not very big it is still strong

 

[john_lawson]

I have several 600vdc ones i gotr out of an elevator control box lol i use one in my car for my stereo

 

[iskor12]

Wow...umm I used to have larger caps than that on my sound system in my car!!! LOL
Still pretty cool.

 

[nikokapo]

Charge to 240kV
Put tongue in both terminals
Post pics (if still alive)

 

[Benm]

Be a bit careful doing this - shorting out caps like that can cause them to start squirting electrolyte all over the place (nasty stuff!), or perhaps even explode if the pressure release is faulty.

Its not likely to happen from one snap, but if you keep doing it over and over for a while things can get risky.

 

[iskor12]

This is what I used to have in my car. 1 farad capacitor. For my sound system. I sold all of it though.
http://www.woofersetc.com/p2923/CPCD1003--Rockford-Fosgate-Power-Digital-1-Farad-Capacitor.htm

 

[LarryDFW]

You need banks of capacitors ...

for spot welding sheet metal.

LarryDFW