General question about capacitors/terminals

[Gutch220]

So, let's say you have a capacitor with 4 terminals. It's a 500v capacitor with a ground terminal and three 50uF terminals.
What's the point of having multiple terminals of the same uF value?
Why not just have two terminals (a common ground and a single 50uF terminal)?

What's the engineering purpose behind this? Is it because EACH terminal can handle 500v, but when added up, it'll be more than 500v
(for example, one terminal is 300v, one is 200v, and one is 100v, so the sum is 600v and too much........but separated is OK?)

 

[Micky]

It's for when you want different stages of capacitance. All in one can.

 

[XTRXTR]

Its a multi-cap can. In your case it has three capacitors in one can with a common ground. You could tie the three 50uF together and get 150uF in parallel or two and one for 100uf and 50uf, or 50uf, 50uF, 50uF. Each one is rated for the 500VDC. Most Marshalls have 50uF+50uF cans. If it is a 50 watt it will have 3 cans. 100W I believe has 6 cans.

50W Have one can wired in parallel for 100uF as the reservoir supply filter cap and the others are 50uF + 50uF later in the circuit typically with the B+ dropping resistors between.

100W have two cans wired in parallel/series for 100uF total, (50//50)+(50//50) = 100+100 = 100uF for the reservoir cap. Caps are additive, like a resistor in series, while in parallel and more like a divisor in series. When in series the 500v rating can be added for a total 1000V rating

There is no way to wire a single multi-cap can in series, so they usually have a 50+50 in writing on the can.

In your case it should be 50+50+50 meaning 150uF if you tied the 50uF terminals in parallel together.

 

[Pete Farrington]

let's say you have a capacitor with 4 terminals. It's a 500v capacitor with a ground terminal and three 50uF terminals.

It would be best to provide a link to the product you’re asking about.
Details matter.
I recall some ‘snap in’ style radial caps have more than one pcb pin for each terminal. To distribute the stress I suppose.

 

[Gutch220]

It would be best to provide a link to the product you’re asking about.
Details matter.
I recall some ‘snap in’ style radial caps have more than one pcb pin for each terminal. To distribute the stress I suppose.

I'm not really asking about a specific product, just general curiosity. But it I'm getting the gist that have three 50uF lugs gives you the option of 50, 100, or 150 uF in one cap, let alone adding others in series/parallel.