Exploding suppressor.

[jeff the gasman]

had one this morning on a faulty boiler explode an narrowly miss my eye. Took a chunk out of my cheek. Any idea what causes this guys. Tia. And I do know where the thanks button is. X

 

[Echo the husky]

They usually just melt or swell up, or spew out loads of terrible smelling smoke. I've not seen one explode before though. The pressure must have built up inside it when it failed. Components connected directly across the mains supply lead a hard life.

 

[John D v2.0]

Must be just bad luck, capacitors normally have a week spot to release pressure so I'm surprised a suppressor doesn't. What was the fault? Perhaps the was a list neutral on the mains and it has been hit by over voltage, any other appliances damaged?
PS no need for the thanks button for my ramblings!

 

[bernardgreen]

If the capacitor across the mains and in a sealed / moulded assembly is large enough to "explode" then there should ( in good quality equipment ) be a fusible resistor in series with the capacitor as part of the package.

If it was on a DC circuit then maybe reverse polarity was the reason.

What ever you were very un-lucky that it "blew up" while you had the covers of the boiler.

 

[jeff the gasman]

If the capacitor across the mains and in a sealed / moulded assembly is large enough to "explode" then there should ( in good quality equipment ) be a fusible resistor in series with the capacitor as part of the package.

If it was on a DC circuit then maybe reverse polarity was the reason.

What ever you were very un-lucky that it "blew up" while you had the covers of the boiler.

243 v ac Bernard. Thanks