Constructing A Capacitor Discharge Tool - IFixit Repair Guide

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Constructing a Capacitor Discharge Tool

Introduction

Capacitors are electronic components found in almost every device containing a circuit board. Large capacitors can store enough charge to cause injuries, so they must be discharged properly.

This guide will show you how to make a simple resistor-based capacitor discharge tool.

What you need

1. Step 1 Constructing a Capacitor Discharge Tool

   

   • To construct a capacitor discharge tool, first gather the necessary materials. These include:

   • Two lengths of wire. Minimum wire requirements is 12AWG, 600 volt rating for large electrolytic capacitors used in power supplies, electric motor start circuits and camera flash circuitry

   • A resistor rated to dissipate the amount of thermal energy created when discharging the capacitor. Minimum requirements for resistor is 2k OHM 5w for small capacitors, 20k OHM 5w for large electrolytic capacitors used in power supplies, electric motor start circuits and camera flash circuitry.

   • Shrink tubing

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