[Boatanchors] Reforming caps

[Barrie Smith]

I'd like to thank everyone that answered my question regarding reforming 
caps.

I finally got four done with my terrible old lashup.  All drew less than 40 
microamps at close to full rated voltage, so I's say they are still good.

This contraption that I built for the purpose, probably twenty years ago, 
certainly needs some re-engineering!

For starters, the voltage is read on the output side of the current-limiting 
resistor, which must be a very high value, ohms-wise, because the voltage at 
the cap rises very, very slowly.  At one point last evening I came back to 
see 450 volts on a 400 volt cap.

I'll install a switch so that I can set the voltage on the input side of the 
current-limiting resistor first.  Then I can set the switch to monitor the 
actual voltage on the cap.

Anothe real problem is that when I'm finished with a cap it's fully-charged. 
The only way it's going to discharge is back through the high-value 
current-limiting resistor, which takes 2 hours to go from 400 volts to 175 
volts.

I need yet another switch so that when I'm finished, and the tester power 
supply is shut off, I can switch a 5000 ohm resistor into the circuit to act 
as a more rapid bleeder.

Again, thanks!

73, Barrie, W7ALW