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(36 votes) Published: Feb 25, 2002 12:00 a.m. Viewed 1431 times
There are basically two fun things you can do with capacitors outside their real use in electronics.
1. Explode them.
2. Explode them.
Capacitors are little components that look like cylinders, there are other kinds but these work best. You can buy 20 at RadioSack for about $3, they come in an assortment pack of big ones and small ones. Try to pick out a pack with a lot of small ones, as these work the best. You can cannabalize a clock radio or something and rip out all the capacitors, that works too.
There are two ways to explode capacitors, using 120v or higher AC electricity, and burning them. Unless you build some kind of device to electrocute the capacitors you’re going to have to stick them in an outlet. I’ve done it with and without ruber gloves, the explosion force is pretty much the same (not painful, just pressure), but the reason to wear gloves is so you don’t shock yourself. Go ahead, stick the thing in there, try not to burn your eye.
There is a loud pop, no flaming material or anything.
The more fun and less complex way to do it is to find a coffee can, some paper towels, and a flammable liquid (Raid bug spray works well, and your parents probably won’t notice half the can is gone, but the smell is strong). Set the paper towels down in a pile, spray the hell out of it, and dump some small capacitors into the towel. Stick the paper towels into the coffee can with the capacitors near the bottom of the can. Now light the top part of the paper towels with whatever, you can go ahead and make a cool flamethrower out of your Raid can if that’s what you’re using (doesn’t really need a separate article, but try it).
If you’re using Raid, the paper towels will burn for quite a long time. Warm your hands on the mini-hobo fire you just made, and wait for the fire to reach the bottom. Note that looking into the can during this is not a good idea, I was standing over it for maybe 3 seconds and the capacitor, against all ods, chose that moment to pop and hit me in the eye. I was lucky as #*@! because I wasn’t blinded. If you put a lot of capacitors in there, there should be a lot of loud pops, it’s pretty cool. After all of them pop, you can turn the can upside down to extinguish (NOT with your hands, you blockhead) I hate to be so specific with the Raid again, but if you used it the paper towels stay flammable for weeks, odly, so you can re-use them if your SRO decides to take a cruise by and you have to go extinguish them.
I’ve tried making a wood fire in a 55 gallon drum, and dangling the capacitors like you’re fishing, works good. If you do that with large capacitors, a hissing gas comes out that burns greenish-blue. Cool. Now that I’ve wasted my time writing this, go waste your time doing this!
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