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Post by fishbelly on Jun 22, 2023 12:35:07 GMT -8
Just curious here. What is the likelihood of a capacitor failing?
Not the electronics board or the components on the board, but just the capacitor itself.
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chitownjeff
Junior Member
I'm here to chew bubblegum and kick ass and I'm all out of bubblegum
Posts: 67
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Post by chitownjeff on Jun 22, 2023 14:36:13 GMT -8
Capacitors do have polarity, so if you connect them up backwards you can damage them, how much does it take to damage them, I'm not sure. Have you checked if you wired the Power Pak backwards, just a thought.
Jeff
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Post by fishbelly on Jun 22, 2023 17:25:32 GMT -8
No, I always use teh instruction guide to make sure I wire them correct. My question mostly was pertaining to gluing them in. Many times I have to detach the board from the capacitor and relocate the board. In this case I always mark them so I know which pad to put the wires to. That part is not the problem. I was just curious if all is wired correctly. How much of a chance is it that the cap will fail.
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Post by jonklein611 on Jun 23, 2023 4:49:56 GMT -8
Caps can fail, especially as they age.
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Post by ncrc5315 on Jun 23, 2023 14:01:53 GMT -8
I use Gorilla Glue mounting pads for these type of things. It holds well, can be easily removed, and they do not conduct electricity.
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Post by edwardsutorik on Jun 23, 2023 19:44:41 GMT -8
Just curious here. What is the likelihood of a capacitor failing? I doubt this is the place to get a good answer. Opinions, of course. But informed answers, nope. I SUSPECT that the ESU capacitors will either be delivered "bad", or last a very long time. That's my opinion. As mentioned. Ed |
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Post by ncrc5315 on Jun 24, 2023 5:23:39 GMT -8
Since the ESu capacitors are new enough to not have been made during the capacitor plague era, they should last a long time.
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Post by masterscuba on Jul 6, 2023 15:21:15 GMT -8
Only thing I know: my home A/C had a capacitor fail so I guess they do fail.
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Post by sd80mac on Jul 11, 2023 6:09:51 GMT -8
I several locomotives equipped with ESU Powerpaks and TCS Keep Alives. Just about every Keep Alive has failed, but I've never had a Powerpak fail yet.
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Post by fishbelly on Jul 11, 2023 7:57:46 GMT -8
I several locomotives equipped with ESU Powerpaks and TCS Keep Alives. Just about every Keep Alive has failed, but I've never had a Powerpak fail yet. do you think that might be because the Power Pak has the circuit board attached to them? |
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Post by kentuckysouthernrwy on Jul 20, 2023 9:02:40 GMT -8
Just last night I Watched a Youtub video by Larry Puckett the DCC guy regarding using KAL vs PowerPak with Loksound decoders. Your particular question wasn't answered but there was valid information that anyone dabbling in that realm might like to file away. The straight non ESU caps can cause damage, so it was said, if you have them attached while doing "complex" programing. Suggestion was to place a small on/off switch in the circuit. Careful and accurate soldering is very important, too.
Funny, ESU/Loksound doesn't want you to use the "other guy's" capacitors but gives quite clear instructions and diagram on how to hook them up and even how to make your own.
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Post by Mark R. on Jul 20, 2023 17:23:12 GMT -8
I've always wondered if the units with multiple capacitors had higher failure rates due to them being required to work with each other inseries. If a single capacitor is of a slightly different value (tolerance) does it create a chain reaction with the others in breaking down to the lowest common denominator ? With the ESU unit, there is only the one single capacitor, so it has no others in series to work negatively against each other.
Food for thought ?
Mark.
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Post by ncrc5315 on Jul 21, 2023 14:35:32 GMT -8
As long as the voltage of the capacitor is not exceeded, it won't make a difference. Capacitors are the opposite of resistors, in that, capacitors in series divide, and capacitors in parallel add.
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