Richard, sorry, my weak humour makes light of the safety concerns. The last=
 cap=20
that did this near me was something like 2200uF 25V, a long time ago, and I=
 think it=20
failed from temperature & ripple. Sounded like a shot gun. It was axial lea=
ded, don't=20
remember if it had an X or not.

Agreed, the X is there to relieve pressure... they certainly deform and ope=
n in caps=20
that swell & leak. Perhaps there are limits to their effectiveness where a =
fault=20
creates a fast internal pressure rise closer to the other end.

>      Nope. That X is a weak spot in the casing and it is put there by=20
> the manufacturer as a safety valve so that the capacitor won't go=20
> ballistic if the capacitor should fail. What happened to Bob was not=20
> supposed to occur. I have had Capacitors fail, including a couple that I=
=20
> have also put in backwards over the years and I have had only one go=20
> ballistic. The others opened at the top. Those had gone pop as there=20
> were pieces of the insides blown all over the place but at least those=20
> pieces would not have been dangerous except for a few minor burns.
>
> > Perhaps it's a matter of interpretation. The X means "not this end", an=
d the arrows
> > define the direction of thrust... ;-)

--=20
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