Bob Engelhardt wrote:

Stormin Mormon wrote:
I'd have to check some day. But, I'm guessing that the connection to the cap
has continutity.

What do you mean?

And, a run cap will always be zero charge when removed from the circuit.

Why? I was trying to say that it will almost always have charge,
depending upon when exactly the circuit is opened. (Assuming that it's
in series.)

Think about it: cap's conduct AC current in that the charge goes into
them and out of them sinusoidally. But the charge doesn't go through
them. It goes on and off one side and the other side alternately.
There is always some charge on the capacitor while running. When the
circuit is opened, the charge at that moment stays there.


Why? That would make the item dangerous to service. Maybe fatal.
I've worked on equipment that had a 'Shorting Stick' along with HV
interlocks, in case the high resistance bleeder resistors failed. A 3
KVDC supply that can supply a 1,000 amp discharge current doesn't give
you a second chance.

These aren't storage capacitors, they are used to give a phase
shift. High AC current for a few cycles, then unused till the next
start cycle. Run caps are similar, but much lower capacitance.

If they didn't have the built in bleeders, there would be a lot of
injured or dead HVAC types.