What is the surge current rating of HVC screw terminal capacitors?

HVC's HVCT8G screw terminal high voltage ceramic capacitors are rated for substantial surge current capability — typically supporting non-repetitive peak surge currents ranging from 500A to over 5,000A depending on capacitance value and voltage class, making them suitable for demanding pulsed-power applications.

HVCT8G Variant

Capacitance Range

Rated Surge Current (IFSM)

Pulse Width

Repetition Rate

|---------------|-------------------|---------------------------|-------------|----------------|

Low-C (280pF – 560pF)	Small disc	500A – 1,000A	≤ 10μs	Non-repetitive
Mid-C (680pF – 2.2nF)	Medium disc	1,000A – 2,500A	≤ 10μs	Non-repetitive
High-C (2.7nF – 4.7nF)	Large disc	2,500A – 5,000A+	≤ 10μs	Non-repetitive
Special High-Pulse	Custom	Up to 10,000A	≤ 5μs	Per application spec

HVC validates surge ratings under IEC 60384-14 / JIS C 5401 test methodology:

Test Parameter

Standard Condition

HVC Tested Condition

Margin

|---------------|--------------------|---------------------|--------|

Ambient Temperature	25°C ± 5°C	-55°C ~ +125°C full range	✅ Wider
Pre-conditioning	None required	100 thermal cycles	✅ More rigorous
Surge Waveform	Exponential decay	Simulated actual load waveform	✅ Realistic
Pass Criteria	No visible damage, parameters within tolerance	Full re-test after 10x surge cycles	✅ Stricter
Post-Surge DF Change	Not always specified	ΔDF < +0.05% absolute	✅ Quantified

For repetitive pulse applications (laser PFN, radar modulators), engineers should apply derating:

Operating Scenario

Derating Factor

Example (Rated 3000A surge)

|-------------------|-----------------|----------------------------|

Single event (rare)	1.0 (no derating)	Use up to 3,000A
Occasional (<1/hr)	0.7	Max 2,100A per pulse
Regular (1-10 Hz PRF)	0.5	Max 1,500A per pulse
Continuous high-PRF (>10 Hz)	0.3 or custom analysis	Max 900A; consider thermal modeling

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{ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [{ "@type": "Question", "name": "What is the surge current rating of HVC screw terminal capacitors?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "HVCT8G surge current(IFSM): Low-C(280-560pF)=500-1000A, Mid-C(680pF-2.2nF)=1000-2500A, High-C(2.7-4.7nF)=2500-5000A+, Custom=up to 10000A. Tested beyond IEC 60384-14: full temp range, 100 thermal cycles pre-cond, 10x surge cycle re-test, ΔDF<+0.05%. Derating: single event 1.0, occasional(<1/hr) 0.7, regular(1-10Hz) 0.5, continuous(>10Hz) 0.3." } }] }

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