[ARC5] Aging Electrolytics

[Robert Eleazer]

Roy:

I have a few old caps that are 600V or 1000V.  Actually, I'm not sure if the 
600V caps are electrolytics but I think they are polarized.  I have 1 or 2 
can-type electrolytics rated at 1000V.

I was just wondering if the higher voltage rating translated into longer 
life at lower voltages.

Wayne
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Roy Morgan" <k1lky68 at gmail.com>
To: "Robert Eleazer" <releazer at earthlink.net>
Cc: "ARC-5 List" <arc5 at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2015 7:17 PM
Subject: Re: [ARC5] Aging Electrolytics



On Jan 30, 2015, at 5:51 PM, Robert Eleazer <releazer at earthlink.net> wrote:

> I have been wondering.  We all know that electrolytic caps tend to 
> deteriorate with age.  But how about the 600V and 1000V varieties?  Are 
> they less prone to deteriorate?

Bob and other hopefuls-about-electrolytics,

There are available single section electrolytics rated at 500 volts working. 
I suspect that any rated above this are actually two caps in series, though 
I don’t have any real evidence at hand.
rGiven that, it seems to me that electrolytics rated at 600 or 1000 volts 
may pose some troubles if you try to reform them.  I can guess as to what 
might happen if one of the two caps reforms badly and will not come up to 
voltage, and the second one actually does reform to above rating.  You will 
have an unbalanced situation that could lead to disaster:  SPLAT!