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Fish Caps

About a year ago I used to work for a small fire/gas detection company
in the UK. Often we would play a prank by connecting capacitors
backwards across a 30V/10A psu to make them explode. We had a box of
500 or so Philips 100uF,40V axial electrolytic capacitors. One day we
decided to try one of these buggers and were suprised by the loud
explosion and absolutely awful stench of rotten fish (yes FISH)! The
smell was so bad that it would linger in our 5mx5m production room for
the rest of the day - we were laughing histerically about this! (we
gave these caps the nickname 'fish caps')

My main reason for posting is what the hell was in those capacitors
that made them smell so bad? I am aware that most aluminium
electrolytic capacitors contain ammonium perborate and ethylene glycol
but they *never* smell anything like those Philips ones! IIRC the date
code on the box was marked 1992.

Is it possible that they contain PCB's or some other carcinogenic
substance?

Here's a pic:
http://img-europe.electrocomponents.com/largeimages/C324507-01.jpg
Thanks,
abc5377.
 
J

Jerry G.

Jan 1, 1970
0
You should contact the capacitor manufacture for that type of answer.

By-the-way, the chemicals in the caps are toxic, and are carcinogenic to
breath. Your buddies that you work with should avoid breathing the fumes
from exploded caps. This is considered dangerous.

--

Jerry G.
=====

About a year ago I used to work for a small fire/gas detection company
in the UK. Often we would play a prank by connecting capacitors
backwards across a 30V/10A psu to make them explode. We had a box of
500 or so Philips 100uF,40V axial electrolytic capacitors. One day we
decided to try one of these buggers and were suprised by the loud
explosion and absolutely awful stench of rotten fish (yes FISH)! The
smell was so bad that it would linger in our 5mx5m production room for
the rest of the day - we were laughing histerically about this! (we
gave these caps the nickname 'fish caps')

My main reason for posting is what the hell was in those capacitors
that made them smell so bad? I am aware that most aluminium
electrolytic capacitors contain ammonium perborate and ethylene glycol
but they *never* smell anything like those Philips ones! IIRC the date
code on the box was marked 1992.

Is it possible that they contain PCB's or some other carcinogenic
substance?

Here's a pic:
http://img-europe.electrocomponents.com/largeimages/C324507-01.jpg
Thanks,
abc5377.
 
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