Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Unregistered" data-source="post: 14084">Real capacitors will loose charge over time;  the loss of charge is called "leaking".  In reference to an earlier question, a capacitor only responds to changes in voltage according to the equation, i = C (dv/dt).  Therefore, when a capacitor is connected across a constant DC source, such as a battery, it will act as a open circuit.  Hence, it will not drain the battery when the car is shut down, unless it has an internal short circuit.  It is only when the DC voltage is varying that the capacitor will supply a current.  For example, when an amplifier begins to draw a large current, the battery's voltage will drop and the capacitor will react by supplying the necessary current on demand.  In other words, a capacitor is a transient reservoir of charge.LJM</blockquote>

Top