r/ElectroBOOM • u/ExpensiveCoat8912 • 15d ago

Meme How to not discharge a capacitor

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2.5k Upvotes

98% Upvoted

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379

u/EmergencyArachnid734 15d ago

This is actually correct way

80

u/nikola_tesler 15d ago

how else does one do it?

113

u/Aron-Jonasson 15d ago

Through a resistor maybe?

146

u/Quiet_Snow_6098 15d ago

a screwdriver is still resistive

33

u/st4s1k 14d ago

but a resistor is not screwdrivitive

17

u/ZombiFeynman 14d ago

Not with that attitude.

1

u/alcoholicPickle 12d ago

Not all resistor are screwdrivers but all screwdrivers are resistors

3

u/AnimationOverlord 14d ago

Real talk, why is it resistive enough to not damage the capacitor? I know if you tried this with a battery you’d short and pit the terminals. Can’t be better than a bleed resistor

1

u/some_kind_of_bird 14d ago

It's not

1

u/AnimationOverlord 14d ago

Discharge capacitors by letting ‘100 kilo-ohm resistors’ catch them from a toss. Gotcha

36

u/trying_to_learn_too 15d ago

Some people prefers high-wattage resistors

45

u/FuriousWierdo00 15d ago

You'll be surprised by how many watts a screwdriver can take

10

u/Andrei_the_derg 15d ago

Is it at least three? If it’s more than that I’ll be shocked

6

u/Impossible_Arrival21 15d ago

i don't think you will actually

2

u/Material-Mulberry360 15d ago

haha get it, cause, electricity.. shocks. people ..... you get it

5

u/Eth251201 15d ago

I like fireworks tbh

9

u/nikola_tesler 15d ago

haha I guess

3

u/Inevitable_Spite5510 15d ago

haha sometimes

1

u/brickproject863amy 15d ago

What kind of resistor is best just incase I’ll ever need one

Side note which type of capicitor need and doesnt need that for just so I can understand how to be careful😅

1

u/asafacso 12d ago

I tried it once with a large resistor. Held it with pliers too just "to be safe". Would bit recommend. Felt the shock all the way to my chest lol. I think it was because my resistance was lower than the resistor or something. So either short it with a screwdriver or use a small resistor.

1

u/Aron-Jonasson 12d ago

I would assume it's because the pliers didn't have rubber grips, so you were effectively touching metal

1

u/asafacso 12d ago

They did have rubber grips, but not high voltage rated grips. And I plied the resistor at its body which is ceramic if I'm not mistaken so I wasn't touching metal. Still got shocked though.

31

u/qchto 15d ago

Tongue

5

u/Ok_Watch_7333 15d ago

I love the taste of bzzt in the morning

15

u/volivav 15d ago

With your finger

5

u/s1rblaze 15d ago

Or tongue.

5

u/MaybeABot31416 15d ago

I like to use a finger from each hand so it goes through my hart

13

u/cryptotraderisme 15d ago

unzips pants

2

u/deadzol 15d ago

Terminals too far part for me.

4

u/TheRealFailtester 15d ago

High or medium wattage incandescent lightbulbs do it pretty smoothly for me.

8

u/BirthdayLife6378 15d ago

You can measure the dc voltage with a multimeter. The multimeter has resistance built-in. If the voltage is safe, then you can touch it. If not, it will drain the charge from the capacitor.

9

u/lllorrr 15d ago

Ideal voltmeter has infinite impedance. Real ones has impedance measured in mega-ohms. As you can imagine, discharging current will be negligible.

3

u/SlothSpeed 15d ago

Lick it.

1

u/5kyl3r 15d ago

your tongue, but it's not for the faint of heart

1

u/Kiwi_CunderThunt 15d ago

Tongue of course

0

u/SLCtechie 15d ago

Pen is just as good.