Scientist please confirm!?!

**degrom** · 13th June 2007, 20:12

[youtube]bqfiAXIs3Xc[/youtube]

Is it true that when you charge up a Capacitor and release the charge you get more current than what the charging source is giving when it is charging the capacitor?

I get the idea it can be true... A capacitor is like a battery that releases all it's power at once right?

**degrom** · 13th June 2007, 20:23

Found another interesting thing about the same idea...
[YOUTUBE]h6vSxR6UKFM[/YOUTUBE]

**Filterer** · 13th June 2007, 21:03

Well I haven't watch your videos (they are like 10min long!)

but

Your terminology is slightly off, however essentially you are right a capacitor can release its stored ENERGY a lot faster then a battery, or even for instance mains power

Depending on the resistance of the circuit that you connect it to it can release this ENERGY a lot faster thus has higher POWER (ie Energy per unit time) then a battery

When connected to a low resistance circuit such as a short circuit KAPOW

However you only get half the energy back out that you put into charging the capacitor because there are losses when charging.

**degrom** · 13th June 2007, 21:09

Originally Posted by Filterer

Well I haven't watch your videos (they are like 10min long!)

but

Your terminology is slightly off, however essentially you are right a capacitor can release its stored ENERGY a lot faster then a battery, or even for instance mains power

Depending on the resistance of the circuit that you connect it to it can release this ENERGY a lot faster thus has higher POWER (ie Energy per unit time) then a battery

When connected to a low resistance circuit such as a short circuit KAPOW

However you only get half the energy back out that you put into charging the capacitor because there are losses when charging.

They are a bit long...

Say I have a transformer that is 500ma. I charge a Capacitor up... What will the amps be when you short the capacitor?

More or less than the 500ma?

I am sure it will be more than 500ma...

**limbimtimwim** · 13th June 2007, 21:12

Originally Posted by degrom

I am sure it will be more than 500ma...

Put your tongue on it and report back to us.

**Filterer** · 13th June 2007, 21:15

Yes the AMPS will be fuck loads more - The exact amount of fuck loads more depends on the properties of the capacitor. Out of interest how many farads is the capacitor?

Edit: And the voltage of the transformer?

**Steam** · 13th June 2007, 21:19

It will be bloody a lot more than 500ma!!!
My tutor at uni got a wacking great capacitor from somewhere, one as big as a bucket, more that a foot high. He charged it up, put a big screwdriver with a shaft about 1cm thick across the points (rigged up a string-operated thing so he could do it from 20m or so away) and it VAPOURISED the screwdriver. There was a massive flash and bang and there was only a charred handle left. Cool. Drifting green smoke. Or maybe that was just the afterimage of the flash.
Ask Lard Embargo, he knows, he built his own tesla coil.

**Jantar** · 13th June 2007, 21:20

Originally Posted by degrom

They are a bit long...

Say I have a transformer that is 500ma. I charge a Capacitor up... What will the amps be when you short the capacitor?

More or less than the 500ma?

I am sure it will be more than 500ma...

That depends on the voltage that the capacitor is charged up to, and the resistance of the circuit that it is being discharged into.

**degrom** · 13th June 2007, 21:26

Originally Posted by Filterer

Yes the AMPS will be fuck loads more - The exact amount of fuck loads more depends on the properties of the capacitor. Out of interest how many farads is the capacitor?

Edit: And the voltage of the transformer?

I don't have specs on it..

Basically lots of amps is need to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.

By using capacitors you might be able to use a weaker power sources to
split water over a longer period.

**Filterer** · 13th June 2007, 21:28

Originally Posted by Jantar

That depends on the voltage that the capacitor is charged up to, and the resistance of the circuit that it is being discharged into.

We already established that he was going to short circuit it so likely less then .1 ohms, id imagine the 500mA transformer is 12 v as well

**jester67** · 13th June 2007, 21:33

Bloody sparkies are lunatics...smoke should stay in the little tubes...when smoke leak out...baaaddd. Baaaddd smoke...go back in tube...

**degrom** · 13th June 2007, 21:38

Originally Posted by limbimtimwim

Put your tongue on it and report back to us.

Can I use one of those big capacitors you get from an old CRT monitor?

**Jantar** · 13th June 2007, 21:48

Originally Posted by degrom

I don't have specs on it..

Basically lots of amps is need to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.

By using capacitors you might be able to use a weaker power sources to
split water over a longer period.

Not so, a very weak current is all that is needed, but then the quantities of gas obtained will be small.

One of the basic rules of science is that the energy required to split water into 2H2 and O2 is equal to or greater than the energy recovered by recombining 2H2 and O2 to form 2H2O.

**cowpoos** · 13th June 2007, 21:51

Originally Posted by jester67

Bloody sparkies are lunatics...smoke should stay in the little tubes...when smoke leak out...baaaddd. Baaaddd smoke...go back in tube...

arn't you talking about valves?

**Mom** · 13th June 2007, 21:57

Originally Posted by Filterer

you are right a capacitor can release its stored ENERGY a lot faster then a battery

You are telling me, and whats more the release of that energy can be very spectacular

Originally Posted by jester67

Bloody sparkies are lunatics...smoke should stay in the little tubes...when smoke leak out...baaaddd. Baaaddd smoke...go back in tube...

Meh.......little smoke filled tubes are nothing to be afraid of even when they start leaking..........vaccuum cleaners that let out their smoke are to be respected!

You would not believe how much smoke one of them babies can hold