How do you make a capacitor safe for storage?

Making a capacitor safe for storage involves ensuring that it does not pose a risk of electrical shock or damage. One of the most effective methods to achieve this is by shunting it out. Shunting a capacitor means connecting a resistor across its terminals, which allows any stored charge to safely dissipate over time. This process significantly reduces the voltage across the capacitor and prevents any possibility of electrical discharge when it is handled or stored.

Shunting also ensures that the capacitor is in a neutral and stable state, so when it comes time to use it again, it will not have remaining charge that could cause accidents. The choice of resistor value for shunting is critical; it should be large enough to avoid unnecessary power loss but small enough to effectively discharge the capacitor in a reasonable amount of time.

Other options like discharging, isolating, and grounding do have their uses, but do not specifically address the need for safely storing a capacitor by neutralizing its stored energy in the most efficient manner.