4.8 Series back-to-back connection
For applications where higher polarity reversal voltages occur, two capacitors with identical rated voltage and identical rated capacitance can be connected back-to-back in series (e.g. cathode to cathode). In this way, blocking in each polarization direction is achieved. To avoid damage to the reversed polarity capacitors during charging, it is necessary to connect diodes in parallel to the capacitors with the center of the diodes and the capacitors connected together.
This non-polar or bi-polar version (which only has half the capacitance value as a result) can be operated at voltages of up to the rated direct voltage of any polarity or with double the superimposed alternating voltage of the value permitted for the individual capacitor. The capacitors connected back-to-back in this way can also be operated at a pure ac voltage. At 20 °C ambient temperature, the surface temperature of the capacitor is not allowed to increase by more than max. 10 °C, while the upper temperature limit should not be exceeded.