bigclive
patreon
Inside a (destroyed) power factor or motor capacitor
🕑 Added 2024-11-08 02:48:44 +0000 UTCA look inside one of the power factor correction capacitors out of a street light ballast.
This one was destroyed during shipping, but that's a good thing, since it inspired me to explore the insides. I wasn't expecting the polystyrene beads!
Note that it's MUCH easier to use a simple capacitor like this to correct the power factor of a simple inductive load. For electronic loads it's much more complex.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwxETIjyHBA
Comments
Mark Wilson
thats bonkers - like when someone unreeled a vhs tape at the top of the road, the tape got around all over the place.
Big Clive
Probably just an easy way to support the capacitor inside the larger tube.
Charles
What is the purpose of the polystyrene balls? Are they just acting as a non-conductive shock cushion between the inner cap and outer shell?
ChrisW
Wet capacitors also have layers, yes.
NN Thomas
I'll send you a message about this. I think it's a misunderstanding of terms again.
Mike Hughes
There used to be a company in our village making capacitors, and the women used to take reels of the film home for thier kiddies to play with- pretty soon the whole village was covered with this damn stuff everywhere until the local council threatened the company with prosecution. Imagine it, as these rolls were hundreds of metres long!!
Big Clive
Electrolytic capacitors are wet. These are standard metalised film capacitors.
NN Thomas
This would be a dry capacitor? Do they have layers inside wet capacitors?
