Author Topic: [SOLVED]Do capacitors dry out faster when they are not used?  (Read 2585 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline StoriTopic starter

  • Contributor
  • Posts: 10
  • Country: de
Hello good people,

I've been searching for an answer but didn't find anything useful :-\
Do electrolytic capacitors dry out faster when they are just laying around unused? (in comparison with an electrolytic capacitor that is built into a curcuit and is being used at least once every 1/2 weeks within it's specs)
What about other type of capacitors?
Background: Some "wiseguys" in a car forum always claim that if you store your car for a long time you will get problems with dry capacitors. IF you never move/use it that is. Those guys are no electronic experts...
I know that a capacitor is always going to break down at some point no matter what, but do they really dry out faster when not used? It sounds like BS imho, urban myth?

Thx
« Last Edit: July 29, 2018, 11:05:24 pm by Stori »
(-:
 

Offline james_s

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 21611
  • Country: us
Re: Do capacitors dry out faster when they are not used?
« Reply #1 on: July 29, 2018, 10:41:13 pm »
I don't think they dry out if not used, but very old electrolytics may need to be re-formed if they have sat for a long time. Personally I just replace electrolytics with modern parts, they are what I consider to be consumables.

Surely with cars there are lots of other things that deteriorate when sitting. Seals dry up, fuel turns to varnish, rubber parts rot, but capacitors? Maybe if you let the car sit for 50 years but by then you'll have other problems.
 
The following users thanked this post: Stori

Offline StoriTopic starter

  • Contributor
  • Posts: 10
  • Country: de
Re: [SOLVED]Do capacitors dry out faster when they are not used?
« Reply #2 on: July 29, 2018, 11:19:15 pm »
Thanks for your confirmation that it's not true :-+
(-:
 

Offline Lee Leduc

  • Regular Contributor
  • *
  • Posts: 84
  • Country: us
Re: [SOLVED]Do capacitors dry out faster when they are not used?
« Reply #3 on: July 30, 2018, 12:48:25 am »
Here's a presentation titled "Long-Term Storage of Aluminum Electrolytic Capacitors".
https://www.dfrsolutions.com/hubfs/Resources/services/Long-Term-Storage-of-Al-E-Capacitors.pdf?t=1528744207492
 
The following users thanked this post: amirm, Cliff Matthews, Stori


Share me

Digg  Facebook  SlashDot  Delicious  Technorati  Twitter  Google  Yahoo
Smf