how to safely deenergize capacitor

I have never had a problem with those but....

Using an insulated screwdriver and/or test lead jumpers....

Connect all terminals together.

(some have 2 terminals, some 3 or 4, just short them all together)

Or wrap all terminals with metalic foil.

But as I said, those are not high capacity, I'v enever had 'em hold enough charge to notice. Unlike some of the capicators inside a TV, the A/c ones are shorted (At the DC level) all the time. Just kill power to the A/C and you should be good.

The way I have done it for years is to either jump the the terminals with a insulated screwdriver or a insulated pair of needle nose pliers. The bigger the capacitance the bigger the spark.

past-MIdirector wrote:
Just take a screw drive between the posts and touch them with the screw drive at the same time. This will short out any power in the Capacitor.

And possibly destroy the capacitor- if it actually does have a charge.

past-MIdirector wrote:
Just take a screw drive between the posts and touch them with the screw drive at the same time. This will short out any power in the Capacitor.

50 years ago the teacher in school told us to do it that way, use a screw driver with a plastic handle.

Just take a screw drive between the posts and touch them with the screw drive at the same time. This will short out any power in the Capacitor.

Chris Bryant wrote:
I use the old fashioned method of testing it with my meter- though they say that modern meters are such a high impedance that they will not discharge a capacitor, I have yet to run in to one that was charged.
The "official" method uses a 2k ohm 5 watt resistor.

and leave it connected. many capacitors will build up another charge if you discharge it and then open the leads. Won't recharge to anywhere near the initial charge, but it can be enough to give you a suprising jolt.

I use the old fashioned method of testing it with my meter- though they say that modern meters are such a high impedance that they will not discharge a capacitor, I have yet to run in to one that was charged.
The "official" method uses a 2k ohm 5 watt resistor.

Just turn off the power to it and wait 10 minutes.

mudrat025 wrote:
Ok,so after that I should be able to handle it without fear of shock?also will it ark when I ground it?

Not if you follow my directions.

Make sure the power is disconnected and then the only safe way is to connect the capacitor terminals together. You can leave them that way.