[ARC5] Back to basics: Capacitor breakdown voltages

[AKLDGUY .]

When capacitors are connected in series across a power supply, the
voltage divides according to the leakage in the caps. If there are
say, three capacitors and one is more leaky than the other two, the
voltages across those two may exceed their breakdown voltages.

The usual solution is to force a voltage division that doesn't exceed
any cap's voltage rating, even should the caps age and become more
leaky. For example, in the case of three similar caps of the same
voltage rating, you would place equal value resistors across each one.
Those resistors should be very much lower in value than any expected
leakage as the caps age. The resistors may form part of a safety
bleeder, to reduce the voltage promptly at turn off.

73 de Neil ZL1ANM