E
Eric Bauld
Guest
I have been getting myself into electronics for some time as a hobby.
And often run into questions I am unable to answer with just search
engines. This is one of them.
I am getting my head wrapped around the storage capacity of capacitors
in relation to volts and amps. But one thing I cannot figure out is
capacity VS size.
I have a few large capacitors, one from a microwave, a bunch I believe
from stereo amplifiers, another is a motor start capacitor... all
currently completely discharged.... of course.
The have the following capacitance and approx dimensions. uFarads,
Voltes, (Inches)
Microwave: 0.8 uF 1200v 5'x2'x3' Oval-ish shape
Stereo: 12000 uF 71V 2.5'x1.5' Cylinder
Motor Start: 40 uF 340V 7'x5'x4' (approx) Box shape (its huge)
And there are super caps which are fairly small about 1v to 5.5v and
can store a full Farad
What interests me the most that I have had trouble organizing is the
differences in these caps any why.
Ex: The Stereo Amp capacitor is tiny compared to the motor start
capacitor but is 300 times the rated farads and the large one is only
about 4.8 times more voltage ability.
The microwave I can see being large basing its construction so that It
does not break down at high voltage. But the difference between the
motor start being VERY large, but only having very tiny capacity in
comparison.
What is the reason for this ? Can it output its energy faster? Does it
actually store more ? in some round about kind of way and my
understanding that the Farad capacity of a capacitor is not really how
"MUCH" energy a cap can actually store ? Or is it so the capacitor can
handle a large amount of amps passing THROUGH its structure ? Where
the stereo cap would be relatively low amps ?
And then there are car audio capacitors which advertise anything from
one F to 12F and higher, I don't have any of these but I have learned
their advertised capacities are often quite wrong. And these are also
quite large. How do these compare to the very large motor start
capacitor ? Both are large, one has 40uF other has 1F.
- E
Any reading material that would help with this or explanations would
be great.
And often run into questions I am unable to answer with just search
engines. This is one of them.
I am getting my head wrapped around the storage capacity of capacitors
in relation to volts and amps. But one thing I cannot figure out is
capacity VS size.
I have a few large capacitors, one from a microwave, a bunch I believe
from stereo amplifiers, another is a motor start capacitor... all
currently completely discharged.... of course.
The have the following capacitance and approx dimensions. uFarads,
Voltes, (Inches)
Microwave: 0.8 uF 1200v 5'x2'x3' Oval-ish shape
Stereo: 12000 uF 71V 2.5'x1.5' Cylinder
Motor Start: 40 uF 340V 7'x5'x4' (approx) Box shape (its huge)
And there are super caps which are fairly small about 1v to 5.5v and
can store a full Farad
What interests me the most that I have had trouble organizing is the
differences in these caps any why.
Ex: The Stereo Amp capacitor is tiny compared to the motor start
capacitor but is 300 times the rated farads and the large one is only
about 4.8 times more voltage ability.
The microwave I can see being large basing its construction so that It
does not break down at high voltage. But the difference between the
motor start being VERY large, but only having very tiny capacity in
comparison.
What is the reason for this ? Can it output its energy faster? Does it
actually store more ? in some round about kind of way and my
understanding that the Farad capacity of a capacitor is not really how
"MUCH" energy a cap can actually store ? Or is it so the capacitor can
handle a large amount of amps passing THROUGH its structure ? Where
the stereo cap would be relatively low amps ?
And then there are car audio capacitors which advertise anything from
one F to 12F and higher, I don't have any of these but I have learned
their advertised capacities are often quite wrong. And these are also
quite large. How do these compare to the very large motor start
capacitor ? Both are large, one has 40uF other has 1F.
- E
Any reading material that would help with this or explanations would
be great.