[Test-Equipment] Exploding capacitors ? (wavetek 114s)

[Cmos]

Hi all,

Was just looking at a Wavetek 114s sweep
genorator. I had taken the cover off and was testing
the different outputs to see if I could get any output
on anything, was not getting anything.
Then,  with out worning(smoke or otherwise), BANG...
and a cloud of smoke.

A sealed plastic electrolitic cap.(2,000mf) about
1" round and 3" long, literly exploded. Shards
of plastic flow all over the room, lukely I was not
wonded, as my face was only a foot from it. 
Lukely it was between to boards, or I would have 
gotten it. But, it did surprize the bajebers(sp) out
of me.
 
I have seen electrolitics in the can pop the top
open, or pop the rubber out the bottem, but this
time I have seen one explode... under normal
conditions, with out purpously applying far more
then the rated voltage.
Has any one else experenced this?

Ok, now to the point of this email.
Why did it explode ?
This was a filter cap. in the power 
supply. It don't look like to voltage was more
then it should of been. And it don't look
like the supply was under more then a
normal load.
Could the series voltage regulator of went into
some kind of oscillation and coused this ?
If the cap. had a high leekage, could this of caused
it to get hot enough to explode ?
Anyone have any thoughts or experience on why
this cap. exploded like a firecracker ?

Thanks for any info.
Jim Martz

-------------------------------------------
Jim Martz,
Home: cmos@shol.com
work: jmartz@maplemountain.com
web: http://www.shol.com/cmos
Wifes page: http://www.shol.com/cmos/amparo