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From: roman@sigma.UUCP (Bill Roman)
Newsgroups: net.rumor
Subject: Exploding Capacitors (was Re: Safety - Third wire in A.C.)
Message-ID: <680@sigma.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 28-Mar-86 13:28:51 EST
Article-I.D.: sigma.680
Posted: Fri Mar 28 13:28:51 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 2-Apr-86 00:48:40 EST
References: <14700001@hplabsb.UUCP> <476@mmm.UUCP> <637@mmm.UUCP> <260@uthub.UUCP> <2051@gondor.UUCP>
Reply-To: roman@sigma.UUCP (Bill Roman)
Distribution: net
Organization: Summation, Inc., Woodinville, WA, USA, Earth...
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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.
-- 
Bill Roman	{ihnp4,decvax,allegra,...}!uw-beaver!tikal!sigma!roman

Summation, Inc.
18702 142nd Ave NE
Woodinville, WA 98072
(206) 486-0991