[Amps] Ameritron Amps

[Steve Thompson]

Tom W8JI wrote:

> where Nichicon says:
> 
> -9-4 Applied Voltage and Life
> 
> The degree that applied voltage effects the life of the
> 
> capacitor when used below the rated voltage is small,
> 
> compared to the degree that ambient temperature and
> 
> ripple current effects life. .....

The major effect of ripple current is internal heating, so it's pretty 
much all about temperature in the end.

It's interesting to work out the max. allowed internal temp from 85 (or 
105C) + Iripple^2*ESR. Then work out the average internal temp in an 
amplifier with your average current and tx duty cycle. In the absence of 
specific data, a typical figure is that lifetime doubles for every 10C 
drop. Last time I worked out the numbers the lifetime covered many 
future generations.

Steve