One of the newest insulators to be added to our hobby is the capacitor insulator. The capacitor itself is the metal container made of alternate plates of tinfoil and insulating material, and the size of the tinfoil and insulating material is the determining factor for holding the electrical charge. The primary use, therefore, of the capacitor is to boost more power into the line as needed.

The capacitor insulator is the glass or porcelain bushing mounted on the top of the can-like container. The glass bushing becomes an insulator as it is used to keep the metal of the wire away from the metal container. These capacitor insulators are extremely beautiful in color and are a definite part of a collection. They come in various sizes and styles. The older type is of a solid glass with a very hard metal core. The newer types are of a hollow or unthreaded type with a thin wire of fusing through the center.

We feel that a word of caution on extracting the capacitor insulator should be mentioned here. Before you start removing the glass from the top of the container, be sure to puncture the can, as there is pressure inside. This pressure can cause a shattering of the glass in your hand, if not released before you start to work removing the insulator. The only method we have found to get the complete insulator out of the container is with a hacksaw and a vise. It is a slow and tedious job, but the finished article is a beautiful addition to any collection. If any of you readers have an easier and better method of removing this glass we would certainly like to hear from you.

There is another little word we would like to inject here. These capacitors carry high voltage and should never be tampered with or removed from any line. The power companies only remove and replace these capacitors when they burn out or are replacing a line. We hope you find someone to get you a burned out capacitor so you can add another beauty to your collection.

3 glass capacitor insulators. At the left is a beautiful yellow amber, center is a light lime green, and the one on the right is a deep amber. From what we've been told, the center one is the oldest, since it's not hollow like the other two, but solid glass enclosing a steel rod.