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Re: Capacitor Idea






> Original Poster: Chris Tominkson <internetinbox-at-yahoo-dot-com>
>
>
> So what I need is a container that will not fail under high voltages,
> and that is insulative enough so that the power from the transformer
> can't go to ground, but not so much insulation that it is impossible
> for higher voltages to go through it. Does such a material exist?
>
> Chris.

Chris,

Virtually any method you use to create a connection to ground at
overvoltage only triggers when the state of the material changes.
Let me repeat that; a state change occurs in all overvoltage switching.
air-->plasma = spark gap, dielectric-->liquification = breakdown,
etc. I do not know of any way around this. If you want a material
that is self repairing, you must have a liquid or a gas. You might
consider using  a thin non-conducting non-dielectric spacing
material sandwiched between two conducting sheets with the
assembly immersed in oil. The breakdown potential is just that
of the oil with the distance between the plates. The whole thing
is immersed into the casing of the cap with the inner plate
connected to the cap and the outer plate connected to ground.
This should spare your dielectric without leaving the any air
exposure. There are down sides, unless you put some kind of
indicator in the ground lead you won't know when you're
vaporizing oil and constant overvoltage could cause a rupture
of the containment if the pressure of the vaporized oil rises too
high.

Bryan Kaufman