[ARC5] Use of a Variac

[David Stinson]

With the ZM-11, you set the internal DC supply to the operating voltage 
for the cap, i.e. 450VDC.  The DC supply is developed by a low-current 
RF flyback system which can deliver several mA without any trouble and 
will "live" if your cap is shorted. You don't usually have to "baby-sit" 
the process. Connect the cap.  The ZM will current-limit down to a lower 
voltage and start reforming. Once the voltmeter makes it to operating 
Voltage (minus "normal" leakage, usually less than 1 mA) you're good to go.
I've had a few that went ahead and shorted and many which can't "make 
the cut," but most are recoverable.  Don't remember ever having trouble 
with a cap after being acceptably reformed.
That said, when more desirable and available, I will install new caps.
73 Dave S.

On 4/23/2020 6:25 PM, Mike Feher wrote:
>
> Most of the reforming I did, I used my time. I would start at a low 
> voltage at a comfortable current like about 5 ma and then wait and do 
> something else. Come back to it and if the current went down I would 
> increase the voltage for the same current, and so on. I kept it up 
> till I reached rated voltage
>
>


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