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Old 13th Jan 2012, 7:18 am   #39
dinkydi
Retired Dormant Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Sydney, Australia
Posts: 277
Default Re: capacitors in series - pitfalls?

Hi GMB, I completely agree with your comment about voltage ratings, and my post also accords.

However, you highlight a problem with voltage ratings: voltage ratings are general ratings for a particular type of cap - the actual voltage that a particular cap will work to is higher (due to headroom) and we don't know what it is. This is why the behaviour of the leakage current is important - it reveals the true voltage capacity of the cap - it tells us the headroom.

I don't think that the leakage current of a new electrolytic can be described as "seriously small", especially in the region of interest: near maximum voltage.

I have addressed Kalee20's comments, above.

Peter
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