Maxwell Capacitors

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: Charles Pike <ctpike-at-rcn-dot-com> 

I designed a CO2 laser power supply for the military using Maxwell series 
376XX "Mini Double Ended" capacitors.   The capacitors  saw a large voltage 
reversal as is also true for Tesla coils.  We experienced numerous failures 
even though the capacitors were conservatively rated.
A Maxwell representative told me that they had found that the capacitors 
failed in these conditions and would not even withstand the rated 20% 
reversal!   The  capacitors now sold by Sorrento Electonics were redesigned 
by adding a layer of paper in the dielectric which solved the problem.  The 
paper acts as a wick to draw oil between the plastic layers which 
eliminates voids.

Charlie