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Metalized polypropylene film capacitors for discharge lamps
Normal Use
The use of these capacitors (contrary to what it may seem) is particularly demanding for the following reasons:
1) Generally they are located inside the lighting fixtures and are therefore subject to very high temperatures.
2) When they are turned on concurrently with the discharge between anode and cathode, even rather considerable transient overvoltage phenomena may occur.
- In the first case the high temperature induces rapid ageing and consequent deterioration of the dielectric.
- In the second case a strong overvoltage produces a high overcurrent, which in turn generates an increase of the internal temperature of the capacitor.
Therefore, it is very important to respect the following directions to obtain the best performance from the capacitors and avoid possible breakdowns while they are in operation:
A) Do not exceed the temperature shown keeping in mind that an increase of 10°C in the operating temperature, reduces the life of the capacitor by 50%, with unpredictable consequences if it is constantly used.
B) Avoid stressing the capacitors with voltage values higher than those shown on the nameplate. Even a minimum variation in the voltage applied can considerably reduce the life of the components.
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