Science and Technology news... :: View topic - Vaporizing electrolytic caps a health risk ?

Skybuck Flying · Guest

Hello,

I asked:

"Which components on a pc motherboard are most likely to fail first because
of overheat ?".

Somebody answered:

"
Probably electrolytic caps - they are usually the first to fail; heat
causes them to dry out.
"

Does this mean the fluid that is inside vaporizes ?!?

Could this be a health risk to humans ?

Bye,
Skybuck.

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J.A. Legris · Guest

On Jul 30, 5:12 pm, "nobody >" <usenetharves...@aol.com> wrote:
[quote]BobW wrote:
"Skybuck Flying" <BloodySh...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:18900$4890b772$541981a9$29026@cache1.tilbu1.nb.home.nl...
Hello,

I asked:

"Which components on a pc motherboard are most likely to fail first
because of overheat ?".

Somebody answered:

"
Probably electrolytic caps - they are usually the first to fail; heat
causes them to dry out.
"

Does this mean the fluid that is inside vaporizes ?!?

Could this be a health risk to humans ?

Bye,
Skybuck.

Skybuck,

Please tell us how old you are.

Thanks.

Bob

I was going to say 14, but I just helped a 12 year-old nephew build a
machine from scratch (over the phone). About the only thing I had to do
was just critique a few things he was not familiar with, such as USB
muddaboad pinouts.

As far as health hazards from blowing caps, I>d be dead from the ones
I>ve had go off. Tube amp 552 B&H 16mm projectors had a design flaw that
cause one cap to blow up, and that cap was in front of your nose as you
made some mechanical adjustments. Thank ghu the cap was sideways to
said nose, but the visuals of having a 200uF 150v cap unwind in front of
your eyes was "interesting". The fish oil smell would linger in the shop
for hours.
[/quote]
I once had an electrolytic cap explode explode in my bedroom when I
applied 120VAC to it. The smell was just awful - a little like
Bailey>s Irish Cream, of all things.

--
Joe

BobW · Guest

"Skybuck Flying" <BloodyShame@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:18900$4890b772$541981a9$29026@cache1.tilbu1.nb.home.nl...
[quote]Hello,

I asked:

"Which components on a pc motherboard are most likely to fail first
because of overheat ?".

Somebody answered:

"
Probably electrolytic caps - they are usually the first to fail; heat
causes them to dry out.
"

Does this mean the fluid that is inside vaporizes ?!?

Could this be a health risk to humans ?

Bye,
Skybuck.

[/quote]
Skybuck,

Please tell us how old you are.

Thanks.

Bob
--
== All google group posts are automatically deleted due to spam ==

Craig Sutton · Guest

"Skybuck Flying" <BloodyShame@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:18900$4890b772$541981a9$29026@cache1.tilbu1.nb.home.nl...
[quote]Hello,

I asked:

"Which components on a pc motherboard are most likely to fail first
because of overheat ?".

Somebody answered:

"
Probably electrolytic caps - they are usually the first to fail; heat
causes them to dry out.
"

Does this mean the fluid that is inside vaporizes ?!?

Could this be a health risk to humans ?

Bye,
Skybuck.

[/quote]
Please chew on some then keep us informed if you get sick.

nobody > · Guest

BobW wrote:
[quote]"Skybuck Flying" <BloodyShame@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:18900$4890b772$541981a9$29026@cache1.tilbu1.nb.home.nl...
Hello,

I asked:

"Which components on a pc motherboard are most likely to fail first
because of overheat ?".

Somebody answered:

"
Probably electrolytic caps - they are usually the first to fail; heat
causes them to dry out.
"

Does this mean the fluid that is inside vaporizes ?!?

Could this be a health risk to humans ?

Bye,
Skybuck.

Skybuck,

Please tell us how old you are.

Thanks.

Bob
[/quote]
I was going to say 14, but I just helped a 12 year-old nephew build a
machine from scratch (over the phone). About the only thing I had to do
was just critique a few things he was not familiar with, such as USB
muddaboad pinouts.

As far as health hazards from blowing caps, I>d be dead from the ones
I>ve had go off. Tube amp 552 B&H 16mm projectors had a design flaw that
cause one cap to blow up, and that cap was in front of your nose as you
made some mechanical adjustments. Thank ghu the cap was sideways to
said nose, but the visuals of having a 200uF 150v cap unwind in front of
your eyes was "interesting". The fish oil smell would linger in the shop
for hours.

Rich Grise · Guest

On Wed, 30 Jul 2008 20:48:26 +0200, Skybuck Flying wrote:

[quote]Could this be a health risk to humans ?
[/quote]
If so, then for the last 100 years or so it>s been negligible.

If you go blowing up capacitors, you>ll probably lose an eye before
you poison yourself.

Don>t Try This At Home!

Rich

Rich Grise · Guest

On Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:12:03 -0700, nobody > wrote:
[quote]
As far as health hazards from blowing caps, I>d be dead from the ones I>ve
had go off...
[/quote]
When I was in the USAF, we had a pressurized power supply that had blown
a bank or two of selenium rectifiers. When we popped the enclosure and let
the air out, it _SMELLED_ like it could have killed people. We had to let
the room air out for about two hours before anyone could go back in.

Cheers!
Rich

Guest

On Jul 31, 4:48 am, "Skybuck Flying" <BloodySh...@hotmail.com> wrote:
[quote]Hello,

I asked:

"Which components on a pc motherboard are most likely to fail first because
of overheat ?".

Somebody answered:

"
Probably electrolytic caps - they are usually the first to fail; heat
causes them to dry out.
"

Does this mean the fluid that is inside vaporizes ?!?

Could this be a health risk to humans ?
[/quote]
Most of fluid inside electrolytic capacitors is water, and almost all
of the fluid that evaporates is water. Enough water can damage human
health, but I don>t think that you need to worry - the main additives
(boric acid, sodium borate, and ethylene glycol) aren>t noticeably
toxic, and the rest don>t seem to kill electronic development
engineers, who blow up electrolytic capacitors pretty regularly -
mostly by under-estimating ripple currents (which can be high if your
circuit goes into oscillation).

--
Bill Sloman, Nijmegen

John Larkin · Guest

On Wed, 30 Jul 2008 20:48:26 +0200, "Skybuck Flying"
<BloodyShame@hotmail.com> wrote:

[quote]Hello,

I asked:

"Which components on a pc motherboard are most likely to fail first because
of overheat ?".

Somebody answered:

"
Probably electrolytic caps - they are usually the first to fail; heat
causes them to dry out.
"

Does this mean the fluid that is inside vaporizes ?!?

Could this be a health risk to humans ?

Bye,
Skybuck.

[/quote]
Yes. They fail often, especially if you>re running compute-intensive
things like simulation or gaming. If they do fail, everyone in the
room will receive a toxic dose of heavy metal vapors and die a slow,
agonizing, embarassing death.

I wouldn>t get near a PC if I were you.

John

Jeff Liebermann · Guest

On Wed, 30 Jul 2008 20:48:26 +0200, "Skybuck Flying"
<BloodyShame@hotmail.com> wrote:

[quote]Probably electrolytic caps - they are usually the first to fail; heat
causes them to dry out.
"

Does this mean the fluid that is inside vaporizes ?!?
[/quote]
Yep. Too much ripple current can make it boil and vent. Keep your
head out of the PC box and you>ll be fine.

[quote]Could this be a health risk to humans ?
[/quote]
Not in the small quantities used inside the electrolytic cazapitors.
The electrolyte is a cocktail of boric acid, sodium borate, ethylene
glycol, and a mess of proprietary elixers, mostly acting as
stabilizers to keep the electrolyte from breaking down, floculating,
precipitating, corroding, or otherwise wrecking the cazapitor.

However, be advised that the typcial PC is fairly toxic. See:
<http://www.engadget.com/2007/03/21/a-pc-is-like-an-ogre-its-full-of-toxic-layers/>
"...did you know that your motherboard>s Beryllium base
could give you cancer, and your LCD>s mercury infused
fluorescent bulb, brain damage.?"

Also, watch out for the toxic flame retardant dust:
<http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2004-06-03-toxic-computer-dust_x.htm>
<http://www.theinquirer.net/en/inquirer/news/2004/06/07/computers-have-traces-of-deadly-toxic-dust>

Bringing FUD to S.E.D....

--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

nobody > · Guest

Rich Grise wrote:
[quote]On Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:12:03 -0700, nobody > wrote:
As far as health hazards from blowing caps, I>d be dead from the ones I>ve
had go off...

When I was in the USAF, we had a pressurized power supply that had blown
a bank or two of selenium rectifiers. When we popped the enclosure and let
the air out, it _SMELLED_ like it could have killed people. We had to let
the room air out for about two hours before anyone could go back in.

Cheers!
Rich

[/quote]
That takes me back to even older Bell & Howell projectors with selenium
stacks. I had one blow on the bench on the first floor, and almost
everybody on the second floor had to leave the building for a couple of
hours.

Marty · Guest

On Thu, 31 Jul 2008 08:11:51 +1200, Craig Sutton wrote:

[quote]Please chew on some then keep us informed if you get sick.
[/quote]
An electrolytic suppository would be more effective and the twit would
probably enjoy the experiment more.

Eeyore · Guest

Skybuck Flying wrote:

[quote]Hello,

I asked:

"Which components on a pc motherboard are most likely to fail first because
of overheat ?".

Somebody answered:

"
Probably electrolytic caps - they are usually the first to fail; heat
causes them to dry out.
"

Does this mean the fluid that is inside vaporizes ?!?
[/quote]
The solvent gradually evaporates.

[quote]Could this be a health risk to humans ?
[/quote]
Only if you open it up and eat the contents.

Graham

Wim Lewis · Guest

In article <18900$4890b772$541981a9$29026@cache1.tilbu1.nb.home.nl>,
Skybuck Flying <BloodyShame@hotmail.com> wrote:
[quote]Probably electrolytic caps - they are usually the first to fail; heat
causes them to dry out.

Does this mean the fluid that is inside vaporizes ?!?
Could this be a health risk to humans ?
[/quote]
Your post got a number of responses, but almost all of them were
completely useless... okay, I>m not *surprised*, just a bit
disappointed in Usenet here. Sheesh.

This website talks a bit about how aluminum electrolytics are made
and lists some of the chemicals in the electrolyte:
http://www.elna.co.jp/en/capacitor/alumi/principle.html

You can look up MSDSs or other hazard data on the chemicals to see how
toxic they are. They>re mostly not, and many of the ones that are
toxic aren>t very toxic --- gamma-butyrolactone, for example, was
sold as a health-food supplement for a while before the FDA pulled it
from the market... the most toxic on the list seems to be tetramethylammonium
hydroxide, which can be harmful if you get it on your skin. Even so, I
suspect you>d have a hard time getting a toxic dose from capacitors ...
maybe if you unrolled a bunch of them and ate the paper layer? Keep in
mind that it>s just one component of the electrolyte solution. Wash your
hands after dealing with an exploded capacitor and you>ll be fine. Actually
you>ll probably be fine anyway. As for normal operation, the amount of
stuff evaporating from a capacitor that *isn>t* exploding is so tiny I>m
not even sure how to calculate it.

The answer to "Could X be a health risk?" is almost always "yes". Life
is an exercise in balancing and judging risks, though, and many risks
are far too tiny to be worth worrying about. Walking past a barbecue grill
probably puts more toxic chemicals into you than a lifetime of being
near electrolytics ... not to mention actually eating the grilled food! But
the toxicity is, IMHO, well worth it for the pleasure of eating a good
burger or steak.

--
Wim Lewis <wiml@hhhh.org>, Seattle, WA, USA. PGP keyID 27F772C1


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