How Do You Discharge A High Voltage Capacitor?
According to the Consumers Products Safety Commission of the United States, the microwave oven is one of the most dangerous appliances in the average home. Four do-it-yourselfers die every year while working on microwave ovens. Microwave ovens are one of the most lethal small appliances in the home because they operate at very high voltages i.e. 3,000 to 5,000 volts. Unplugged from the wall receptacle, this voltage can lie in wait for the unwary do-it-yourselfer for days. Microwave ovens contain oiled-filled filter capacitors, designed to store this high voltage until they discharge through their built-in bleeder resistors but those resistors can fail and the charge remains for several days. Discharge these capacitors before working on a microwave oven using an appropriate homemade discharge tool. Drill a pilot hole in the end of the wooden dowel and drive the nail in for about one inch. Grind off the nail’s head and taper the end into a sharp point. If you don’t have a bench grinder,
