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Aluminum electrolytic capacitors

lucas88

Electrical
Oct 17, 2024
5
I have stored here electronic devices with aluminum electrolytic capacitors used and manufactured in the early 90s. Here the temperature varies between 33-36C RH: 57-67% without rain in my home. These electronic devices need to be energized what maximum interval time for energize all electronics in 220v to prevent failures in these aluminum electrolytic capacitors caused by disuse?
 
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Please stop; changing your username is not going to change the answers you've gotten in the past. As discussed before, the electrolytics dry out; energizing them does not stop that.
 
Here My home city Brazil IS 220 AC 60hz I have stored here electronic devices with aluminum electrolytic capacitors used and manufactured in the early 90s. Here the temperature varies between 33-36C RH: 57-67% without rain in my hom I know that these aluminum electrolytic capacitors and electronic devices are old and I can't do anything to make them look like new again with factory specifications and open all the electronic devices, desolder all the aluminum electrolytic capacitors, reform them, resolder these capacitors, close the devices is complex and careful work I would just like to keep them in their current state for as long as possible because electronic devices work normally today but I read that if they remain unused for many years when turned on they can have serious problems so I would like to find the maximum interval to energize these devices for 30 minutes to 1 hour
 
The capacitors dry out over time, regardless of how many times you energize them, or how many times you keep asking the same silly question.
 
There are two issues, here, IR.
Yes, poorly constructed and sealed capacitors may dry out.
Well sealed capacitors, not so much.
However it is a known issue that unenergized capacitors will experience degradation of the insulating properties of the electrolyte interface.
Degradation of the insulating interface may be mitigated by periodic energization or degradation may be rectified by a"Reforming" process.
(Search this site, it capacitor reforming has been discussed here.)
Dried out capacitors are beyond recovery.
Periodic energization will mitigate degradation.
 
Yes, I know about reforming, I was an EE at some point in time. Nevertheless, commercial PC boards are not known to use the absolute highest quality components, since manufacturing economy is a big consideration. I've had boards in stupidly expensive commercial systems that have had failed capacitors, even when ALWAYS energized.
 
Drying out is an issue, but is not the issue under discussion.
But that is not to say that your observations concerning quality are not without merit.
If the capacitors are drying out, there may be no solution.
If the electrolyte film is degrading, then once a year may be adequate.
On new construction of a major project, there may be a three year lag before new VFDs are energized.
It is common to experience some capacitor failures when new VFDs sit for three or more years before being energized.
When in doubt, reform.
 

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