VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION General Discussions Condenser option

Buying a reliable condenser is becoming a bit of an issue. With this in mind a user over on stovebolt.com has done some considerable research and testing with an alternative to the standard condenser and thinks he's ready to go to market. He's now taking orders. I've ordered two. I'm posting a link to the thread if anyone is interested. <CLICK>

Since I am not registered on Stovebolt can't open the links.

New (advanced design) Condenser
#1388815 New18/12/20 01:08 AM
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 1,755
Dallas, TX
J
Jon G Offline OP
Shop Shark
If you've followed this topic in the Electronic Bay section, these are the condensers (capacitors, actually) I've been working on for months. Hundreds of hours and hundreds of dollars have been spent in the study, and this is what I'm offering as the solution to the condenser problem. If you haven't seen the discussion in the Electronic Bay section, you might enjoy it.

Basically this is to replace the condenser in your distributor. It mounts the same way and it will provide the continuous capacitance your engine was designed to have. It should last for up to 300,000 hours of use and it is very accurate. Also it is rated for use up to 250+ degrees F. It should be the last condenser you'll ever need.

Shipped in the USA with tracking...$12 each. Shipped internationally...please contact me and we'll see. The new USPS international rates vary by country (and by region in some countries).

I'd suggest sending a PayPal payment to: jon_goodman@yahoo.com and then sending me a message with your postal address. If you have any questions,
please let me know.

JUST PASSING ON THIS INFORMATION !

Should be visible to anyone registered or not. We have guest lurkers all the time. If you can go to the main chat site, scroll down to the Parts For Sale forum. If you try that and still can't access the site I'll send a note to our webmaster.
Edit: I just logged out over there and was able to visit the page without issue.

I get the same as Chipper. Telling me I must register.

Try going the long way like I posted above. If you still can't access the site let me know. I have no idea why you can't access it. At this exact moment there are 191 unregistered guests on the site.

Tiny, what problems have you had buying condensers?

Personally none other then the price. When I was having a starting issue with the 38 and finally traced it to the condenser, I posted about how to test the condenser. Part of the discussion was that modern condensers are often bad out of the box. The very issue is what prompted the fellow to start developing an alternative to what's being sold today. The one I bought and installed seems to be working OK for now but I'm buying a couple of his to have on hand just in case. I posted it here in case others were wanting to try an alternative.

Tiny,
Once I joined Stovebolt I could see the link. I don't visit other sites on a routine basis as Chat is my home and takes enough of my time to keep up with it.

Without doing any testing I have noted most cars use a 0.22 microfarad capacitor and the only vary in package and. Connection design.
Tony

Pretty cool, love the guys who do things to make our Chevrolets better or Improved while keeping the integrity.

I cruise StoveBolt as well, like the truck focus and all the cool projects. have been to a few of the local gatherings for the

here is a link to the discussion about the condenser replacement: The alternative condenser update

Ignition condensers...a suitable alternative...

looks like it may be a good alternative for someone that continuously blows or kills condensers.

on the newer models where is mounts inside no one would ever know, on the older models it mounts on the outside so it would be seen.

Awesome! Had hoped to do this once I got to this point in assembly as there are indeed very good capacitors on the market that will work very reliably. They just don't look and mount the same so he has sourced one that can have a lead added. Fantastic that he did the legwork on these.

The cheap condensers available remind me of Dollar Store items - made to look like something useful but comprised of junk materials.

Looks well thought through and even to pack for a spare would be a good idea for cars where it is exposed. You could likely mount it inside a can too with some dremel work and epoxy. The lead could be extended and it can be anywhere in the circuit so you might find a location to hide it discretely with a shot of black paint.

I buy old stock condensers on eBay. I often find them in lots and get them for $3 or $4 each. Recently saw some NOS Delco for late 4 Cylinder and early 6 cylinder applications. I checked the part number and they were described properly so they should have had the required long lead wire. I didn't need them so I passed. Box of 5 if I recall.
I'm always on the lookout for ignition parts lots on eBay.
All that being said, This is a cool product and priced fairly.

Mike

Hi folks,
While I spend most of my time at the Stovebolt site, I'm also a member here. Please feel free to contact me...email may be the best way. Happy to hear questions, thoughts, etc.

jon_goodman@yahoo.com will get me. All the condensers (capacitors, actually) have been sold but as soon as the holidays are over I'll be making more.
Jon

So there is a history to capacitor failure in general. Most of the general capacitors used in the tube electronic days were made of foil and paper. The paper degraded over time and caused failure. So when we restore an old radio for example, all the old paper capacitors are replaced with modern ones which don’t use paper. So NOS capacitors are probably not a good thing to rely on.

Even in the sixties they were still using paper capacitors. I don’t know if the automotive industry updated the ignition capacitors with new materials, or not. I tend to think there is probably a lot of old stock sitting in warehouses which are paper based capacitors.

Yes, undeniably there is. The capacitor is the Achilles Heel in most circuits, going toes up long before its partner (the resistor). My late uncle used to make those wrapped foil capacitors for use in radios, actually (in the 30s and 40s). What often happens to them (including the ones in autos) is that heat and time are their two worst enemies. The gel layer between the foil layers hardens to the point of being more like old dried up mucilage than what it was supposed to be. Very primitive design...honestly not much improved from the Leyden Jar. They lose capacitance and then they may continue to work but only marginally and finally they just die. This is why we're told to replace them each time the points are replaced. Keeping an old failing or failed one in use just means the system (particularly the coil) won't work as it should and the new points will burn too quickly.
Jon

Jon,
Thanks for your contribution to our hobby.
I'm 72 years old and have been maintaining and using vintage Chevys since 1971. Fords before that. In all that time, including every day vehicles made before 1973, I can only confirm one condenser failure.
I was driving my Model AA Ford truck in a parade when it suddenly started to run rough and had no power. The condenser in a Model A is poorly located near the exhaust manifold. I always carried a spare after that experience.
I was still driving a point fired 1972 K10 as my every day truck until about 3 years ago. I hear a lot of talk about condenser failure but I have really not experienced it. None the less, your product interests me and I will watch for them to be available after the holidays. It is always better to prevent a breakdown than to be prepared for it and have to deal with it when it happens.

Mike

If anyone here has an outside mounted condenser or a special needs situation, I'd be happy to try to help. The market for ultra-thin walled tubing is not robust and that product has become a specialty product and is quite costly now, but there may be other ways to work around this. As I mentioned jon_goodman@yahoo.com is a good way to reach me.
Best regards,
Jon

the outside mounted ones could be popular with the Vintage Chevrolets where they are outside the case, as shown above. my 1929 & 30 are this way, and think through at least 32 are like this.

The more information you can get for me regarding condensers mounted on the outside of the distributor, the better. Case size (diameter and length), mounting type, wire length, etc...images and measurements will help a lot.
Jon

In most cases the positioning of the condenser makes no difference to performance, so long as there is a good electrical connection somewhere between the coil negative terminal on 1 end and a good ground on the other though the closer to the moving point the better. Most condensers are 22microfarad though there are some slight variations.
Tony

I agree that location and position are irrelevant to function, there are many that are trying to stay original looking, but do not mind the modern upgrades :)

I went out and grabbed some dimensions off the ones i have on hand. had 4 on hand. also took some pictures.

Diameter of Can: .67
Length of Can: 1.12 - 1.25 (one was 1.75)
Length of wire: 2.75 - 3.12 long to center of Connector [Black Wire] (Flag Fork Elect Connector is best & easiest to use but Think the Ring Elect Connector maybe original style)
Black Nose on can where wire exits: .15 - .21 tall, .22 - .24 small end to .34 - .48 large end

Bracket is .69-.88 long
Metal Thickness: .02
Mounting Hole: .21

can get you more info if desired.

Here are some images that i took when reinstalling the electrolock

That's interesting. What years was the ring terminal used? All I've ever seen is the split flag.