I read that aluminum electrolytic capacitors stored without being energized for a long time present many types of fails
Does the energization time of the aluminum electrolytic capacitor influence the time it can be stored without being energized safely? For example, I energize the aluminum electrolytic capacitor for 30 minutes vs. another aluminum electrolytic capacitor I energize for 60 minutes, can both be stored for the same amount of months or years? For the same temperature and same humidity, for example, 35C 58-67%
In practice, charged capacitors have losses over time that are influenced by a lot of things like temperature and voltage as well as manufacturing and design considerations. These leakages can be modeled as a resistor in parallel with your capacitor. For your particular 30 vs 60 minutes question, unless there’s some extremely oddly configured circuit, both capacitors could be thought of as fully charged and there’s be no difference in rates of self discharge. It’s not really different from a battery or fluid pressurized vessel (or International Space Station, lol) or thermal insulation/a Thermos: They each have a capacity that isn’t influenced by the time they’re held at saturation.
A large value discharge resistor is ordinarily built into caps where long charge holding isn’t desired and can present a genuinely dangerous condition (like DIY microwave oven repair).
I can’t open all my electronic devices and test each aluminum electrolytic capacitor individually. I just plug them into a 220V outlet. Here in my house the temperature varies between 32-35C, humidity is 57-67% without rain, and my oldest devices were manufactured in the early 90s.
difference 30 x 60 minutes for storage time device?
Thanks, on reread, I think I understand some of what you’re asking.
Electrolytic capacitors are known to exhibit age related problems faster than a lot of other commonly encountered components. In other words, they are often the first to fail, without apparent reason and even during storage in ideal conditions. After a few decades out of service, we can anticipate these potential faults and assess & take precautions. I think OP is at that stage of device assessment.
If you’ve already plugged them into 220 vac and they operate, then the caps seem OK for now. I’m uncertain what you’re asking from there.
Yes, the devices were manufactured in the early 90s and their aluminum electrolytic capacitors are original. The devices work normally, but I read that aluminum electrolytic capacitors stored for long periods without use present failures and I would like to prevent these failures due to disuse by energizing the devices here at 220v for a safe period of time to prevent failures due to disuse.
My conditions are temperature varies 32-35C in 24h, humidity 57-66% without rain.
I would’ve thought cycling them would also present issues but the general consensus in this thread is that power cycling for an hour once or twice a year is a good idea to re-form the dielectric layer and slow their insides from drying out a bit
It depends on the specs for the components on your device. Humidity isn’t as much a concern for caps, but the entire PCB apparatus (power connections moreso)
You can always add a conformal coating to the whole thing to be extra safe against humidity
All electrolytic capacitors will eventually die, it doesn’t matter if they are powered on or not. Harsh conditions will just cause them to fail faster.
30 years is a pretty good long time for capacitors, if you care about the gear these are in, it might be worthwhile to just replace them now proactively.
If you replace, order quality, brand name parts, not junk from alibaba, amazon or aliexpress.
I don’t intend to replace them at the moment because they work well
but I would like a safe time interval to energize all these devices at 220v to prevent failures in the aluminum electrolytic capacitors caused by disuse. My temperature and humidity conditions and the age of the devices were mentioned before.