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That time a capacitor blew right in my face at a repair bench in Tulsa

I was working on an old Pioneer receiver from the 70s, just recapping the power supply board. I got distracted for a second and put the new one in backwards... popped and sprayed hot electrolyte all over my cheek. Stung like crazy but I was more annoyed that I had to order another cap and wait 3 days. Has anyone else had a close call like that with a backwards cap?
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3 Comments
juliaa25
juliaa2522d ago
How bad could a little capacitor pop really be?
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ivan82
ivan8222d ago
Man, @juliaa25, you don't know pain until you've got hot electrolyte dripping down your cheek while trying to explain to a customer why their receiver smells like burnt popcorn and shame. I had a cap blow up in my face once that actually left little metal confetti stuck to my glasses. I looked like I'd been in a tiny firecracker fight and lost. It's not the pain that gets you, it's the sheer embarrassment of trying to clean your face with a shop rag while your coworker is dying laughing behind you.
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patricia905
Tell @juliaa25 that the real danger is the toxic fumes if you're not wearing safety glasses.
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