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Using Capacitators


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Posted

Hi, I am on my way to build a firing box, for the beginning just one cue, (yes I know it is just 1 but for now it is enough). Anyway during my short stay in Puerto Rico, I stopped by Radio Shack and baught swiches, cues and a capacitor it is a 2200µf 50V. Anyway, could someone please tell me how to install this in my circuit?there are arrows, so I would just attach the + the way the arrows go?

 

Thanks

Posted
Unless my mind is playing tricks on me again, yes, the arrow points toward the + side of the cap.
Posted

Your mind is up to no good Sidewinder :P

The norm is to mark the minus side of the cap (with arrows and minus signs and stripes and other things).

Make certain that you place it correctly, if it's the wrong way around it will probably be destroyed, and may even explode.

Posted

the idea is to indicate the direction in which the current "flows" from the + post to the - post. you want the capacitor to have the arrow pointed the direction you want to dump the power.

 

someone correct me if i'm wrong, as i'm not %100, more like %95.

Posted
Ok thanks, so I should place the - cable going through the arrows then.
Posted

ST1DinOH, that's one way to put it, I've never thought of it like that for some reason, though I've been dabbling in electronics for 15+ years.

Oskarchem: correct.

Posted

The mark on electrolytic caps is always the negative side. (Unless they're really big and have + and - stamped onto the terminal themselves.)

 

Are you just going to hook up the cap in parallel with the battery and use the switch on the positive side between this and your ignitor?

 

2200uf isn't much of a charge. Even at 50 volts it's only 2.75 joules of energy. The battery alone will supply much more.

 

Digi-Key has 100,000 uf caps (25V) for a decent price.

Posted

Yeah but I'm planning on putting it just after the last swith so after the cues. To put it this way: it will be the last component of my box.

 

I will install this one, and then see if it does not suit me, I will just take it out and buy a new one.

Posted

50v will not vork ... use 200-400v capilators , ant about 250-600uF... i use 3x 330uf (200v) capilators... jus swiching a batterry wont work ... my system: baterys --> generator --> transformator -->diod brige (dont know how it's coled in english) --> capilators . http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x105/vice1991/0001.jpg

here is scheme .

Posted

O, thanks will order some bigger capacitators. Anyone know hav much V and µf there is in disposibal camera flash?

Thanks

Posted
O, thanks will order some bigger capacitators. Anyone know hav much V and µf there is in disposibal camera flash?

Thanks

I've seen 350-400V, and most are 330uF.

You can get a couple of nice 200V (or sometimes 400V, iirc) caps out of obsolete or broken PC power supplies.

Posted (edited)
Your mind is up to no good Sidewinder :P

The norm is to mark the minus side of the cap (with arrows and minus signs and stripes and other things).

Make certain that you place it correctly, if it's the wrong way around it will probably be destroyed, and may even explode.

*sigh*

Getting old sux.

 

Ok, so the arrow points to negative then, as though showing electron flow from positive to negative??

 

Which is the direction that most people think electricity "flows", though they have it backwards.

 

STD, electrical "flow" is actually the electrons moving from negative to positive, though it's easier to mentally imagine electricity being a positive entity of sorts, therefore flowing from Positive to Negative.

 

I thought the arrow pointed in the direction of actual flow. - to +

 

In any case, I *am* certain about electron flow. I remember a teacher pounding that into our heads.

 

Owell. :D

Edited by TheSidewinder
Posted
Your mind is up to no good Sidewinder :P

The norm is to mark the minus side of the cap (with arrows and minus signs and stripes and other things).

Make certain that you place it correctly, if it's the wrong way around it will probably be destroyed, and may even explode.

*sigh*

Getting old sux.

 

Ok, so the arrow points to negative then, as though showing electron flow from positive to negative??

 

Which is the direction that most people think electricity "flows", though they have it backwards.

 

STD, electrical "flow" is actually the electrons moving from negative to positive, though it's easier to mentally imagine electricity being a positive entity of sorts, therefore flowing from Positive to Negative.

 

I thought the arrow pointed in the direction of actual flow. - to +

 

In any case, I *am* certain about electron flow. I remember a teacher pounding that into our heads.

 

Owell. :D

well i'm a complete noob thats slowly learning from a few very smart pyro buddies. one runs a business making electronics, the other retired from the vcr repair business. both of these guys know more about electrical stuff than i can ever hope to, and my mind needs simple analogies in order to figure stuff out. i just learn and understand better that way. so they have both addopted the method of refuring to the whole thing in terms of water flowing fromthe positive post to the negative post in a big loop...like a radiator.

 

the analogy starts to suffer when you start trying to figure out how to equate capacitors and resistors as water towers and dams...

 

but i struggle through it.

 

it's starting to make much more sense and this is all without knowing who this ohm guy is and where he gets off making all these laws...

 

lol

 

but it does have it's uses.

 

i built me a wired 48 cue firing system using this methodology and everything worked out just fine, but i don't think i'd trust myself to wire a house or anything. might catch me running 1/4 inch copper pipes to the breaker box.

Posted

So just to get this clear in my mind: I attach the - side to the arrows, ok thats clear, then I continue on the other side continuing my - cable, going to the cue, so I can leave the + side free, just directly going to the cue?

 

Thanks

Posted

sorry , but i can't understand u ... u whant to atach batery directly to capilator and that's all ?

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x105/vice1991/DSC01631.jpg

this is my box few months ago.

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x105/vice1991/DSC00114.jpg

and this is now.

 

so in the first photo u can see that round whitething - it's generator based on LA7 mikroschem (russian) that big black thig is batteries (~14-13v) ,in the left top there is transformator , and the rele (dont cnow how it's coled in english)

Posted
Nah, don't know how to explain it but I've figiguered evry thing out, anyway thanks for the help
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