Let's just add that
you shouldn't touch the capacitor terminals or connections at any time, before or after soldering the wires on, as it's the capacitor that is storing the charge that will make you think your fucking arm has been bitten off by a shark . . .

just out of curiosity, what is a safe and reliable way to discharge a capacitor?
(username failed moderation, Fri 10 Aug 2012, 9:07, 2 replies)

Safe discharge
Use a power resistor, i.e. one with a power rating high enough to handle the current sent thought it by the voltage in the capacitor. Use Ohms law and it all works. Too high a resistance and it will take hours, too low and there will be hotness. C x R gives time to 37% discharge in seconds.


Well you asked...
( jagwap, Fri 10 Aug 2012, 13:39, closed)

I came up with this because of a friend who did exactly that.
He was just trying to get it to flash, and touched two parts of the circuit board with his finger. His jumping and cursing was nowhere near as amusing as when he did it a second time...
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Fri 10 Aug 2012, 14:25, closed)