Crash tests for cars are certainly more spectacular than comparable tests for capacitors, but capacitor testing is equally important for our general safety.

It may seem logical to expect a component to withstand stress under normal operating conditions. However, people do not always bear in mind that operational conditions cannot be predicted in all cases. Random events that were not taken into account during the construction process can occur at unforeseen moments.

Switching actions, power failures or lightning strikes can cause the voltage to exceed the nominal range by hundreds or even thousands of volts. These voltage surges may damage or destroy sensitive components, such as capacitors, which may develop flashover paths with uncontrolled energy releases. As a consequence, capacitors may overheat and ignite, flames may spread to other components in the vicinity.

The purpose of the tests defined in standard IEC 60384 is to prevent precisely this happening: they ensure that there is no danger, even if the capacitors are destroyed.

The VDE Institute has been conducting such tests for many years and has recently extended its facilities in line with new standardization procedures. The results of periodic calibration endorse the high standards of quality in respect of the reproducibility of the test results.