A flaming capacitor brings together this thread, the fireworks thread, and the worst radio & TV stations thread.
The following events happened at a failing AM station that had no budget to perform repairs or buy replacement parts: the circuit breaker feeding the transmitter failed. Instead of replacing the breaker, a quick-fix was implemented by bypassing it 
!!! (Never do this!)
One day, the filter capacitor in the transmitter's plate supply shorted out! The 200-Amp cartridge fuses in the breaker panel committed an honorable hari-kari, preventing the radio station from burning down. However, the capacitor exploded, releasing PCB-laden oil, the rectifiers exploded, releasing mercury, and the plate transformer was pretty nicely melted. According to the station manager, who witnessed the transmitter meltdown, "it was like firecrackers in there."
This story was told years ago by a participant on the AM Stereo Forum, who had been considering buying the dark station for a very low price. He stated that the old transmitter, a Gates BC-1E, was not salvageable, as much as he would have liked to restore it.
Posted on July 4, 2009 - 01:28 AM
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