AHHHHHHHHHHH Exploding Capaciters

[Rippey]

Im jammin to some music and a homemade crossover\center channle converter blew a capcitor, they sound like a .22 when they expplode. I shouldnt be so cheap and go out and spend 1.25 on some non-polized ones.

The first pic is my amp\crossover and reducer.
The second one is the exploded capcitor.
The third one is my the crossover-divider-reduction.
The fourth is for the front L\R and servers as a DC elminator and phase for the lower Fq. ( I think phased bass sounds the best and I listen to rock)

I pump 776W into 5 speakers, I use the lights you seen as a reduction for the back speakers. It also serves a phase for the rear creating a cheap quadphonic sound. The capcitor is part of the crossover that is attached to a system to keep the L\R channles seprated while still having a center channle. It also has to be reduced or it would be nearly imposibble to tell L\R apart. The volume for the center is adjustable by the Var. Rester seen in the cermic containor in the third pic. The fourth has AC motor starting caps witch really enhance a drum and removers the DC. The coils are hand wound for Dc choking and they really help with the phase. The AC caps also bring out the Tweeters.

[Doug1]

Wow, good thing nothing else got fried. Kewl that you are able to build something like that

[Rick O]

Looks like a fire hazard.

[Rippey]

Luckly ever one of my freinds and family know not to touch the wires. When you get hit by the capciter it only stings for a minute, unless it hits you in the eyes-when their that small- it wont hurt. i have been working with electronics since i was 4 acc. to my mother.

[Rippey]

Originally Posted by Rick O

Looks like a fire hazard.

All high amp stuff is fused (sevral times) the rest is sound and the will shut off if it detects a short or an overdraw. The Var. resistor can get hot ennof to start a fire but I have jam for a LONG LONG time to get it that hot. When the coil glows I let it cool for about 5min. Almost all of it has thermal shut down switches even the power supply

[Rippey]

I recorded 2M 26sec of the light show with kid freindly music. when its dont ripping on my computer I will either post a link to it or you can contact me Rippey574@hotmail.com Subject "Light Show". I will send it to ya. Depeinding on the size will be what im able to do.
It will probly have to be emaild. Its looking like its going to be 12 -16 Mb. it will be done in 10 min

[Rippey]

SUCCSESS!!!!
http://rippey5741.tripod.com/Light_Show.avi
IT WILL TAKE A MIN TO BUFFER, FOR HIGH SPEED INTERNET ONLY UNLESS YOU HAVE ABOUT 1.30HOURS TO KILL
You can watch it grown in intsity, if you look close you can see when the left or the right channle gets more!

[Rick O]

That's still a disaster in the making. You had a capacitor mounted to a combustable material. You're using alligator clips as wiring connectors, no electrical enclosure. I work with high voltage capacitors every day. I've seen the damage they can cause when they short out. They can cause a fire even through no fault of your own.

There's nothing wrong with making your own electronics but it doesn't cost any more to do it correctly.

[Twitterbait]

Nice setup!... used to do electronics myself before i gave up and went white collar. Nothing like the smell of frying electronics in the morning... be careful.

[Loverotties]

I use to work in a electronic store and when we were board we'd blow up caps.And man some were like M-80s,they are dangerous!

[kwjones]

Heh...we just blew one the other day on the motherboard to our voice mail server. Voice mail was down for 2 days while we waited for them to ship another MOBO.

[wharyat]

With passive crossovers you should always use non polarized mylar caps. Better sound, and no chance of explosion.

[Rippey]

To Rick O, Its still in its testing, once I find the setup I like I will buy a board and etching and make it look alot better. The highest voltage(besides for sound) is 14.4.

Twitterbait, I love the smell to just not when it comes from my computer . I almost always try to be carefull. Even if I whent to white colar I would still have my "little projects" they are fun. Some time I will post a pic of this arc I once got naild by and lived!

Loverotties, ya they can be exteamly dangrous when they blow. The worste thing I had ever seen blow was a 45W cermic resitor, when it blew it toss cermaic fraggs everywhere (and sharp) they where perty hot! I was in a steel factory when we had one go for a 96 ton steal shear.

Whyvat, I know need to go to R-shack some time and get some I have been a cheap b*st*rd, when I do testing I just rycle from old electronics. If I get board ennof I will wind some transformers to replace it.

[Pinderville]

Looks like a MAD scientist hard at work...

[Rippey]

Originally Posted by Pinderville

Looks like a MAD scientist hard at work...

Had the nick name for about 4 years after lighting up my neibors lights with a managtron.