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Household material with a high dielectric constant?

Started by Promit Mar 31, 2004 at 9:33 PM 9 replies 5.7k views

Original Post

Mar 31, 2004 at 9:33 PM

I''m wondering what sorts of household materials have high dielectric constants, and approximately what their constants are. It has to be something paper-like, that I can sandwich in-between two sheets of aluminum foil and roll up. I was thinking wax paper, but I don''t actually know how good of a dielectric that is. I need high, capacitance, the kind radioshack doesn''t sell. Thinking hundreds of millifarads here.

Xtremehobo

Mar 31, 2004 at 9:38 PM

uh... why 0_0

Extrarius

Mar 31, 2004 at 10:22 PM

At what voltage? I did a quick froogle search and found a 1 farad capacitor rated at 5.5v for $2.25

novadragoon

Mar 31, 2004 at 10:37 PM

i''ve seen good capacitors made using a pvc pipe and like cooking oil

caesar4

Mar 31, 2004 at 10:39 PM

do u like wonna make a capacitor bomb?

Cartman''s definition of sexual harrasement:
"When you are trying to have intercourse with a lady friend, and some other guy comes up and tickles your balls from behind"

(watch South Park, it rocks)

Jonni Jupiter

Mar 31, 2004 at 10:41 PM

Rail gun?

bass boost?

cheap taser?

Sneftel

Mar 31, 2004 at 10:46 PM

I seem to recall that petroleum jelly (vaseline) works well.

If you want a really good capacitor, tho, you can''t make it yourself. Hint: TVs and microwaves have huge ones, and broken TVs and microwaves probably have working capacitors.

"Sneftel is correct, if rather vulgar." --Flarelocke

temp_ie_cant_thinkof_name

Mar 31, 2004 at 10:48 PM

Plastic grocery bags
Polyvynl plastic wrap
PET plastic from wendy''s salad
Condoms

Promit

Apr 1, 2004 at 11:38 AM

quote:
Original post by Jonni Jupiter
Rail gun?

bass boost?

cheap taser?

Number 1.

SiCrane

Apr 1, 2004 at 2:19 PM

quote:
Original post by Sneftel
If you want a really good capacitor, tho, you can''t make it yourself. Hint: TVs and microwaves have huge ones, and broken TVs and microwaves probably have working capacitors.

Keep in mind that a broken TV can maintain significant charge in its capacitors for several years or more. It''s probably non-fatal to discharge one in most instances, but I know one EE who managed to break his own arm when messing with a TV capacitor. (The charge caused him to jerk his arm back sufficiently hard enough that when it smacked into a pipe it caused a hairline fracture.)

Sneftel

Apr 1, 2004 at 7:39 PM

Aw, you had to go and tell him. This was going to be the best April Fool''s Day ever!

"Sneftel is correct, if rather vulgar." --Flarelocke

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