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From: bart@reed.UUCP (Bart Massey)
Newsgroups: net.rumor
Subject: Re: Exploding Capacitors (was Re: Safety - Third wire in A.C.)
Message-ID: <2927@reed.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 29-Mar-86 03:06:29 EST
Article-I.D.: reed.2927
Posted: Sat Mar 29 03:06:29 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 30-Mar-86 03:28:51 EST
References: <14700001@hplabsb.UUCP> <476@mmm.UUCP> <637@mmm.UUCP> <260@uthub.UUCP> <2051@gondor.UUCP> <680@sigma.UUCP>
Reply-To: bart@reed.UUCP (Bart Massey)
Distribution: net
Organization: Reed College, Portland, Oregon
Lines: 23

In article <680@sigma.UUCP> roman@sigma.UUCP (Bill Roman) writes:
> In article <2051@gondor.UUCP> okunewck@gondor.UUCP (Philip E. OKunewick)
> writes:
> 
> > ...  In the seven years I've been servicing computers, I've
> >never seen a fire started by burning components, nor have I ever seen
> >something blow up in a dangerous manner.  (I've heard about cap's
> >going, but you need to put a cap across AC Power to make it pop.)
> 
> Tantalum capacitors commonly used for filtering on digital PCBs will
> sometimes explode with the force of a medium-size firecracker if
> they are installed backwards.  All it takes is 5 volts.  It's more
> likely to occur in manufacturing than service environments, though.

A medium-size firecracker, maybe.  Which means you shouldn't apply
power to one in reverse while holding it in your hand.  The only
plausible way I can see to actually get hurt (as opposed to scared silly)
by capacitors is to get hit in the eye by the flying can on an electrolytic.
Those things fly around real good -- I was hit once, but only on the third
bounce.

					Bart Massey
					..tektronix!reed!bart