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There's sparks and then there's sparks

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norm-wy

07-10-2000 11:22:34




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Hope nobody minds if I take this chance to bring up some of what the capacitor (condenser) does in the ignition circuit. Because inductors (coils) don't like to have the current changed in them, when your distributor tries to stop the current flow to the coil by opening the points, there is a LARGE voltage induced across the points causing an arc to be established between the points. This is the coil's attempt to continue the current flow. The energy in the magnetic field has to go somewhere and without anything else the energy is used up destroying your points. To prevent this damage, the capacitor is connected across the points to soak up the energy from the magnetic field and store it in the electric field of the capacitor. This does away with the arcing across the points. Since there is a voltage high enough to ionize the air between the points,the voltage rating of the capacitor must be far in excess of either 6v or 12v. I'm sorry but I've forgotten the voltage rating typically found in automotive ignition applications, maybe something like 200-300v. Its been way too long since I built my last transistorized ignition system, something like 25 years plus or minus. If the capacitor shorts out, the engine acts like the points are closed all the time because there is a short circuit across the points and the result is no putt-putt. If the capacitor open circuits, the engine will continue to run until the points are eaten up by the arc and then it’s no putt-putt.
Fluorescent lights,especially the cheap bare tube shop lights (like the $8.88 blue lite special at Kmart) have the same problem when you shut them off. The arc across the switch contacts will eat up wall switches just like the points in your N. If you listen or watch at night you can usually hear or see the arcing through the switch plate. They have to suppress the arc in fluorescent lights the same as in a distributor to protect the switches.
I sure hope this didn’t come across as being too bor-r-r-r-r-r-ring, but I decided to take a chance on it anyway in case someone might find it worth reading. My$0.02 worth

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RT....Question

07-11-2000 08:20:02




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 Re: There's sparks and then there's sparks in reply to norm-wy, 07-10-2000 11:22:34  
I posted the day before ie 800 won't start....and found my 'grommet" was bad where the peg goes through the distributor housing. After replacing the grommet and putting in new points...I have spark at the plugs.....
I also have an arc coming from the high intensity wire of the coil to the negative peg of the coil. Could this mean that my condenser is bad??RT



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no.....Dell (WA)

07-11-2000 11:51:38




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 Re: Re: There's sparks and then there's sparks in reply to RT....Question, 07-11-2000 08:20:02  
RT..... ..no, it means your coil insulation is going bad. Replace your coil. And seriously consider replacing your sparkplug wires with copper core wiring, not the radio static suppression carbon core stuff that is so readily available at your discount auto parts. I buy good "HotRod" sparkplug wire sets and get enuff for 2 engines. (grin) Your tractor parts dealer should have good wire too, but make certain it is copper core wire.

Reason: plastic/bakelite/rubber insulation dries out and cracks from heat, time. Electrons are lazy little suckers and want to take the fastest way home (thru the cracks that you can not even see) to the otherside of the battery (ground). If they do that, they don't do any work, like making sparkies sparkle, engines run, lights lite, generators gen, you get the idea.

Hope this explains..... ..Dell

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rbell

07-11-2000 13:12:06




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 Re: Re: Re: There's sparks and then there's sparks in reply to no.....Dell (WA), 07-11-2000 11:51:38  
And here the engineers all told me them little critters flowed from negative to positive! Or was that the holes flowed from negative to positive? ANy way you sure got it right! if'n you got a path of least resistance they gonna follow it for sure. I love this board and the full minds that frequent it.



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Salmoneye

07-11-2000 06:05:40




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 Re: There's sparks and then there's sparks in reply to norm-wy, 07-10-2000 11:22:34  
Excellent info! I just started to understand the 'induced' voltage of the secondary, and this helps a lot!
Thank You!!!

Paul II, In Vermont



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Jim.UT

07-10-2000 16:59:19




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 Re: There's sparks and then there's sparks in reply to norm-wy, 07-10-2000 11:22:34  
That's the first time I've EVER heard someone try to explain what a condensor does. Thanks.



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Al PA

07-10-2000 15:51:01




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 Re: There's sparks and then there's sparks in reply to norm-wy, 07-10-2000 11:22:34  
Thanks for the explanation. Surprisingly, this ignition system information is starting to make sense to me. Hopefully, I'll get past the "a little knowledge is dangerous" stage soon.



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9n'er

07-10-2000 13:32:32




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 Re: There's sparks and then there's sparks in reply to norm-wy, 07-10-2000 11:22:34  
thank you for posting. glad you did.



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