uh-oh, here comes another argument....
Maybe you can find some useful info in this thread:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/parts/152329-breaking-teflon-caps.html
Maybe you can find some useful info in this thread:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/parts/152329-breaking-teflon-caps.html
Is there an easy way to break in coupling caps before I install them?
I'll be getting a box of 25 Teflon .22 600V and would like to get some current and voltage running thru them 24 hours a day.
Thanks
Bob
Hook them across the AC line, preferably through an isolation transformer. That'll be as effective as any other treatment.
Don't use a CFL!
Why do you want a load? Aren't the caps themselves the load?
well, kinda except you will not be dissipating anything but store energy..
probably the dissiption would be in the transformer itself....
use whatever you have.....
i know of some guy, that used his reciever as a means to burn-in, first he tuned to a blank spot on his fm radio, so that only noise is heard, then he connected his caps where the speakers are instead....
2 to 3 days did it....
set the volume lever a tad bit low before replaceing your speakers with those caps...
i know of some guy, that used his reciever as a means to burn-in, first he tuned to a blank spot on his fm radio, so that only noise is heard, then he connected his caps where the speakers are instead....
2 to 3 days did it....
set the volume lever a tad bit low before replaceing your speakers with those caps...
I ask about a load cause I are "A rank novice with electronics".
Will there be a sonic different if I use a 40 watt or 100 watt light bulb?
Best
Bob
It's been some years since I was a ham, but don't they still have theory tests?
If there is a break-in effect (which I seriously doubt and for which zero evidence exists), the application of voltage should be sufficient. Use your bulbs to illuminate the world instead.
Dunno OT' been a few decades since I took a test.
I'm figurin that if there a break in, no sense having caps I will probably use sometime just sitting in their box gathering dust. Usin a light bulb seemed light a bright idea to me.
The idea of just caps across an AC cord gives me the creeps.
Guess I could just wire them up and put them in a power supply?
73
Bob
I'm figurin that if there a break in, no sense having caps I will probably use sometime just sitting in their box gathering dust. Usin a light bulb seemed light a bright idea to me.
The idea of just caps across an AC cord gives me the creeps.
Guess I could just wire them up and put them in a power supply?
73
Bob
Let's look at the numbers and see if you should feel creeped out.
0.22uF at 60Hz has an impedance of about 12k. With a 120V line, that's 10mA. Power is then 1.2W, which doesn't seem like much for your mains to handle. The power dissipated in the cap will be the ESR (that's in the milliohms) times the square of the current. I'll let you do the math- it's really, really minuscule.
(ex-WA3KHZ)
0.22uF at 60Hz has an impedance of about 12k. With a 120V line, that's 10mA. Power is then 1.2W, which doesn't seem like much for your mains to handle. The power dissipated in the cap will be the ESR (that's in the milliohms) times the square of the current. I'll let you do the math- it's really, really minuscule.
(ex-WA3KHZ)
Clarification just to be anal:
The cap will 'provide' reactive volt-amps in the amount of 1.2 VAr. There is no dissipation with this quantity, no power, no watts; it's purely reactive. Essentially it is non-lossy current flowing to and from the capacitor every cycle.
The power dissipated, in units of watts, will be essentially immeasurable with a quality teflon capacitor (as SY stated, ESR is small). Your residential utility meter will have no idea what is going on, even after years of burn-in.
There is still some concern about a failed capacitor shorting the line, so a tiny little fuse doesn't hurt, maybe 1A or less. If one is silly enough to go touching things, SY has previously suggested using an isolation transformer as belt and suspenders.
The cap will 'provide' reactive volt-amps in the amount of 1.2 VAr. There is no dissipation with this quantity, no power, no watts; it's purely reactive. Essentially it is non-lossy current flowing to and from the capacitor every cycle.
The power dissipated, in units of watts, will be essentially immeasurable with a quality teflon capacitor (as SY stated, ESR is small). Your residential utility meter will have no idea what is going on, even after years of burn-in.
There is still some concern about a failed capacitor shorting the line, so a tiny little fuse doesn't hurt, maybe 1A or less. If one is silly enough to go touching things, SY has previously suggested using an isolation transformer as belt and suspenders.
Connecting the capacitors directly to the mains sounds seriously risky to me.
The steady-state is fine, but unless you're really lucky the mains voltage won't be zero at the instant you connect the capacitor.
Attempting to charge a capacitor instantaneously to e.g. 150V is going to cause a huge current spike.
Also, mains isn't a nice clean sine wave - there's a lot of junk in there that could have fast rise times, not to mention the occasional kilovolt spike.
I reckon adding a series resistor to protect the caps would be smart.
The steady-state is fine, but unless you're really lucky the mains voltage won't be zero at the instant you connect the capacitor.
Attempting to charge a capacitor instantaneously to e.g. 150V is going to cause a huge current spike.
Also, mains isn't a nice clean sine wave - there's a lot of junk in there that could have fast rise times, not to mention the occasional kilovolt spike.
I reckon adding a series resistor to protect the caps would be smart.
SY,
Did you manage to complete your proposed "test" mentioned in the close thread?
Which test?
This was about a 0,22µF cap, which stores about the same amount of energy at 320V as a 220µF cap at 10V. Doesn't sound very risky to me. Not any riskier than handling lethal voltages in general that is.Attempting to charge a capacitor instantaneously to e.g. 150V is going to cause a huge current spike.
I mean this: post 142
Ahh, thanks! No, we didn't do this at ETF, but I'm bringing the demo box along with me to the Houston get-together in a couple of weeks. Expect hilarity to ensue.
- Status
- This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.
- Home
- Design & Build
- Parts
- How to break in coupling caps?