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From: wjm@whuxk.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.audio
Subject: Re: Re: Warmup Period
Message-ID: <294@whuxk.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 19-Oct-83 09:00:29 EDT
Article-I.D.: whuxk.294
Posted: Wed Oct 19 09:00:29 1983
Date-Received: Thu, 20-Oct-83 06:06:49 EDT
Lines: 11

Yes, electrolytic capacitors do require a "forming" period -when an electrolytic
capacitor is first powered up, the dielectric material must be appropriately
polarized -  neutral material is converted into positive and negative
plate material.  This causes a high inrush current at first until the forming
process is completed (usually in several seconds).  If an electroylitic is
not used for a while, this reaction reverses itself and then the capacitor will
have to be re-formed the next time the system is turned on
Bill Mitchell
Bell Laboratories
Whippany NJ
(whuxk!wjm)