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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.
 
K

Kim Sleep

Jan 1, 1970
0
Well you better hope that they don't have PCB's or some other carcinogenic
substances if you spent the entire day in your 5x5 little room, breathing
in the smell!
....so long, its been nice knowing ya![/QUOTE]
 
I happened to blow up a red sanyo os-con at home by accident this time.
I had put it in backwards. There was a muffled 'pop' and green smoke
was coming out of the case through the ventilation holes :) Oh my god
you can't describe how bad the acrid smell is.
 
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