What happens during overvoltage of ESMA capacitors?
ESMA capacitors do not fail during overvoltage conditions. When the applied voltage exceeds the maximum specified value for a long time, the capacitor cell begins to generate gas. The gas is released through a resealable safety valve located at the top of each cell when a designated pressure is reached. Water, which is the major part of the electrolyte in an ESMA capacitor, is consumed during gassing, therefore, additional distilled water may be needed to top up the electrolyte if overvoltage conditions persist for long periods of time. Nevertheless, overvoltage conditions do not harm an ESMA capacitor. This is unique among all supercapacitor products.
