Exploding Capacitors

Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008
23,415
Sounds good, but most times people don't do it on purpose. Have I mentioned the temporary tattoos on my fingertips showing the hot transistor P/N in mirror image. Stuff happens.

I suspect that video will take a lot of people and have them try the "fireworks" effect out.

BTW, you forgot to mention they also make good stink bombs.
 

#12

Joined Nov 30, 2010
18,224
We used to do that on the day before major Holidays at the power supply factory. There was a switched 120 VAC outlet in the transformer room, so we would decorate the place with capacitor confetti as a cheap fireworks celebration. :D
 

tom_s

Joined Jun 27, 2014
288
conduit cannon (not that i'd suggest anyone doing this)

20 odd years ago, worked in a small school PA factory, manufacturing amps and speakers. there was a lot of wires in conduit (was like that when i got there) so it was reasonably easy to 'hide' the cannon's
hooked up electrolytic cap to one end of a 4 metre length of 20mm conduit, that end covered and the other end pointing to the required target. 30v at 20amps and they take a second or 3 to fire

effects similiar to a blunderbuss, small aluminium can out of the end and a substantial amount of smoke

we aimed low and the guys that did the installations, were very cautious when they came in to pick up hardware after being the recipient of the small cans hitting the legs

some of the places we hid the conduit was creative :)

did a 10000uf cap once stand alone (not in conduit) - bit of advice there - DON'T, lets just say it was impressive and we had to open the roller doors to let the smoke out
 

Kermit2

Joined Feb 5, 2010
4,162
Never blew up any electrolytic caps, but we would charge up large picofarad caps with a 200 volt supply and yell "hey catch" and toss it to an unsuspecting sucker. The fun ended when the instructor got hold of one left on a bench. :(
 

JoeJester

Joined Apr 26, 2005
4,390
Never blew up any electrolytic caps, but we would charge up large picofarad caps with a 200 volt supply and yell "hey catch" and toss it to an unsuspecting sucker.
We use to charge the 10 uF, 25 kV capacitors from the tank circuit to 25 kW using a hi-pot to check for leakage. Discharge was with a deadman's stick. Sounded like an explosion.
 

ErnieM

Joined Apr 24, 2011
8,377
I think it must be mandatory to purposely explode things in a power supply house. Back in the day we would use these blue electrolytics as they had the best burst and confetti.

The standard method of disposal was a pair of stiff wires slid under the workbenches to your victum's chair,followed by reverse voltage from as large a DC source available.
 
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