roman@sigma.UUCP (Bill Roman) (03/28/86)
In article <2051@gondor.UUCP> okunewck@gondor.UUCP (Philip E. OKunewick) writes: > ... In the seven years I've been servicing computers, I've >never seen a fire started by burning components, nor have I ever seen >something blow up in a dangerous manner. (I've heard about cap's >going, but you need to put a cap across AC Power to make it pop.) Tantalum capacitors commonly used for filtering on digital PCBs will sometimes explode with the force of a medium-size firecracker if they are installed backwards. All it takes is 5 volts. It's more likely to occur in manufacturing than service environments, though. -- Bill Roman {ihnp4,decvax,allegra,...}!uw-beaver!tikal!sigma!roman Summation, Inc. 18702 142nd Ave NE Woodinville, WA 98072 (206) 486-0991
bart@reed.UUCP (Bart Massey) (03/29/86)
In article <680@sigma.UUCP> roman@sigma.UUCP (Bill Roman) writes: > In article <2051@gondor.UUCP> okunewck@gondor.UUCP (Philip E. OKunewick) > writes: > > > ... In the seven years I've been servicing computers, I've > >never seen a fire started by burning components, nor have I ever seen > >something blow up in a dangerous manner. (I've heard about cap's > >going, but you need to put a cap across AC Power to make it pop.) > > Tantalum capacitors commonly used for filtering on digital PCBs will > sometimes explode with the force of a medium-size firecracker if > they are installed backwards. All it takes is 5 volts. It's more > likely to occur in manufacturing than service environments, though. A medium-size firecracker, maybe. Which means you shouldn't apply power to one in reverse while holding it in your hand. The only plausible way I can see to actually get hurt (as opposed to scared silly) by capacitors is to get hit in the eye by the flying can on an electrolytic. Those things fly around real good -- I was hit once, but only on the third bounce. Bart Massey ..tektronix!reed!bart
patch@nsc-pdc.UUCP (Pat Chewning) (03/29/86)
At Tektronix, we used to install both LED's (light emmiting diodes) and SEC's (smoke emmiting capacitors) onto circuit boards. The SEC is just a normal electrolytic cap installed backwards.