Bulging capacitors haunt Dell

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Bulging Capacitors

If these are aluminum electrolytics, it is important to know if they are constructed to handle the AC current demanded by the application. Low ESR (equivalent series resistance) capacitors have their electrode foils clinched so that the AC current doesn't have to follow a spiral path through the many turns of the electrode foils. Cheap capacitors have so little foil offset that they cannot be clinched. While they might have more capacitance than clinched capacitors, their ESR increases over time as the heat from the foil drives the electrolyte spirally outward.

Sometimes, the ESR is a desired quantity, as it can sometimes stabilize a poorly designed control circuit, but relying on what is in reality an imperfection is unwise. If a resistor in series with the cap is really desired, it should be explicitly put there by the designer.

Posted by: asc0t   Posted on: 10/31/05 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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