can mundorf supreme caps be used for AC filtering


Hi I have some mundorf supreme caps rated at [.047] 600v , can these be safely used in AC filtering without fire risk ? I know that shunyata and audience use cap filtering in there line conditioning products. between negative and positive, not ground. thanks, Chris
chrissain
I am 100% certain that Jensen 4 pole caps are low-impedance (low ESL) caps designed for DC supplies, NOT for direct connection to AC.
Digi-Key, Mouser and Newark carry plenty of X and Y rated capacitors.
They are easier to find in the PDF catalog than through a site search.
Good luck
Agear, I did not know they were no Jensen caps in the Tripoint power conditioner. I heard about the Jensen caps in that conditioner from what Mintzar said here on the audiogon forums.
According to UL and other safety standards, on an AC power line you can only use "X" safety rated caps from line to line and only "Y" rated caps line to ground. Any other caps can be a fire or shock hazard and insurance companys would not cover this mis-application. "X" and "Y" rated caps are specifically designed for severe transients that can be on the line and either not fail or fail in a "safe" mode.
According to Miguel (Tripoint guy), there are no caps in the Spartan...just a FYI.
The Jensen 4-pole caps are said to be the best caps for AC filtering on the market. These are the same caps used in the $35,000 Tripoint Audio Spartan power conditioner.
pls post your correspondence chrissain, i'm looking at using the same caps in an AC filtering application myself.
thanks for the concern gbart, I have corresponded with a mundorf rep once about output coupling caps in my tube amps and he told me that the mundorf supreme caps are self healing, I will contact him again to make sure that the can be used for ac before trying them, thanks for the heads up. I am very aware of the dangers of using the wrong cap in this application . thanks again, chris
Chrissain, you know that "AC rated" has nothing to do with the capacitor manufacturer's AC voltage rating right ? I just want to be sure we are on the same page. When we talk about "AC rating" for noise suppression use across AC hot and neutral, we are referring to the cap being X2 rated, i.e., the dielectric must be self healing or fail open so as not to pose a fire or electrocution hazard. Can you point to a source of information where it says Mundorf caps are X2 rated ? Regarding the Auricaps, I use 0.47uf ansd 1uf 600V, one across each duplex outlet/transformer secondary, and across the AC input of my DIY balanced power conditioner.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-5/191557/B2_09.jpg

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thanks gbart, I know that the mundorfs are ac rated . what value auricaps did you use? how many ? thanks, chris
I have used Audience's Auricaps for across the line AC filtering for more than 6 years without incident. The Auricaps failure mode is open, posing no short-circuit/fire risk. I don't know about Mundorfs. I would at least investigate the failure mode of the Mundorf caps before using them in an across the AC line application.
no. no current limiting in AC filters other than trannys & inductors. my fave conditioners use neither.

also, suspect that putting caps from H/N to ground would also help. but do more research.

also, may want to encapsulate the caps in flameproof heatshrink, just in case
anybody ???? the point is I already have 8 .47 mundorf supreme caps and love a good project, i might get some lager mundorfs and bypass them with the ones I already have, and make My own filter, but I dont know if this will limit current to my amps or not , thanks ,chris
I think you can do better with an Alan Maher filter. The single cap filter you are addressing is bandwidth-limited.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000620623011&hiq=alan%2Cmaher&ref=search#!/photo.php?pid=42814&id=100000620623011

thanks, is .o47 a good value ? or do I need something bigger or smaller ? thanks, christopher.
Yes, I do it and it works great. Lots more detail in the music that I was never able to hear before. The 600 volt rating is well over the 120 volts of house AC.