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Re: Condensor Question

To: <Gt6steve@aol.com>
Subject: Re: Condensor Question
From: "Tom Strange" <tstrange@new.rr.com>
Date: Mon, 23 Sep 2002 21:03:03 -0500
wellllllll,
  I dont think they are quite up there with Enron yet, but then, who
knows?????????????
----- Original Message -----
From: <Gt6steve@aol.com>
To: <tstrange@new.rr.com>
Cc: <FOT@autox.team.net>
Sent: Monday, September 23, 2002 8:49 PM
Subject: Re: Condensor Question


> Tom has got it exactly right with regard to choosing the correct
capacitance
> for an ignition system.  The capacitor (condenser) is chosen to balance
the
> inductance of the coil and a different coil will require a different
> capacitance.  That being said, the failures are an effect of voltage
> puncturing the substandard dielectric these guys are buying nowadays.  As
Tom
> said, caps are simply insulators and conductors layered over each other.
If
> the insulator cannot resist the high voltage spikes produced it will short
> across conductive layers and the cap will fail.
> Now, knowing that these are nothing more dramatic than garden variety
caps,
> and knowing that the electronic field is crawling with electronic experts
why
> can't we find a common off the shelf industrial cap to live forever under
our
> hoods?  Heretofore there was no reason cuz Mallory had the best stuff but
if
> their new owners are gonna go lowest common denominator then let's find a
> replacement before we dump their corporate asses on the heap beside Enron
et
> al.  Jeez, that almost turned into a rant, didn't it?  Steve Smith in Las
> Vegas
>
>
> >   A condenser is nothing more than a piece of tin foil layered with wax
> > paper & rolled into a ball.  This works much like a shock, and absorbs
> > energy when the points open and close.  When these were common on cars,
a
> > good way to tune up a car for a repeat customer, was to look to see
which
> > side of the points were pitted, and which side had the metal missing.
You
> > then checked the capacitance of the old condenser, and put one in (new
or
> > used, didn't much matter) with a higher or lower capacitance.  After a
tune
> > up or two, the points would wear flat.  You then had the proper
condenser
> > for the car, its electrical system, and the drivers style of driving.
(any
> > of these things could change the required capacitance of the condenser).
> >   The bottom line, is we are each looking for the proper capacitance
> > condenser for the system it has to service.  When you get one that
allows
> > the points to wear flat, KEEP IT IN THE CAR............ there is nothing
to
> > go bad in it....
> >   Now, my question is...... with such a simple object, that should never
> > fail, WHY is Mallory ( a quality product) having so much trouble getting
us
> > something that will work properly...
> >   We can experiment with different condensers, they do all do the same
> > thing, but the proper condenser will be different for each of us...
there
> > just is no simple answer as to which one we should all install.........
> >   Sure wish there was such an answer though...
> > Tom

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