Bob Engelhardt wrote:

Michael A. Terrell wrote:
Why would an AC capacitor have a DC charge?

Because the "switch" opened when the voltage across it wasn't zero?
This is a series cap, isn't it? I.e., no path to discharge once the
switch opens.

An AC cap always has charge on it, except at the AC zero crossing.


It's in a low Q, low impedance circuit. A lot of start caps have a
bleeded inside, or welded to the terminals.