[Amps] How to know when filter caps begin to fail

[Glen Zook]

When I was in high school, the physics teacher decided to have a one-semester "electronics" class.  There were parts from all sorts of discarded television sets around.  A couple of the less bright students discovered that if you plugged the electrolytic capacitors into an AC outlet that in several seconds the capacitor would explode.  For several days thereafter, one of those students would go into a classroom (when it was empty) or to a secluded part of the hallway and plug a capacitor into an outlet.  The results were obvious.

After that, the teacher started checking the capacitors "in and out".  The "explosions" stopped.
 
Glen, K9STH


Website:  http://k9sth.com


________________________________
 From: Jim Barber <audioguy at q.com>
To: Gene May <gene-may at hotmail.com> 
Cc: Amplifier Mailing List <amps at contesting.com> 
Sent: Wednesday, March 28, 2012 7:37 PM
Subject: Re: [Amps] How to know when filter caps begin to fail
 

Many moons ago my boss at the time was probing about in a live chassis 
when an aluminum cap blew. His glasses kept the stuff out of his eyes, 
but when he lifted his head I saw he had a chunk of the aluminum can 
sticking out of his forehead. When I told him, he calmly reached up and 
pulled it loose, then put me to work cleaning up all the paper and gunk 
that had showered the shop.

Since then, I've been a bit shy about working directly above a string of 
electrolytics...