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From: dave@onfcanim.UUCP (Dave Martindale)
Newsgroups: net.analog
Subject: Effect of overvoltage on electrolytic capacitor
Message-ID: <14924@onfcanim.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 16-Sep-86 10:55:37 EDT
Article-I.D.: onfcanim.14924
Posted: Tue Sep 16 10:55:37 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 19-Sep-86 21:17:34 EDT
Distribution: net
Organization: National Film Board / Office national du film, Montreal
Lines: 23

A components question for you electrical engineers out there:

I have a stepping motor driver sitting on my desk.  The motor supply
voltage is 14V nominal, which is produced with a 28VCT transformer,
two diodes, and a capacitor.

Under full load, the power supply's output may indeed be 14V.  But with
all motors freed (no load on the supply) the voltage goes to 20.5V.
The capacitor, however, is rated at only 15VDC.

I wouldn't use such a low voltage rating on the capacitor myself, but
given that someone else has, is it safe?  Will this capacitor take a
35% overvoltage continuously due to its specifications being conservative?
Or will it explode one day?  Should I go out and replace it?

Finally, what (book) is a good source of such information?  I prefer
to look things up in my own references rather than request information
on USENET if I know where to find it.

Thanks for any info (send it via mail, I'll summarize),

	Dave Martindale
	{watmath,musocs,micomvax}!onfcanim!dave