Condensors?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,241
Likes: 6
From: Arizona
Condensors?
$20 and $25 a piece for these condensors that go on the cluster and various areas under the dash. Mine appear to be original and I believe they are shot.
So, while I have the dash and all out, I want to replace them, but I am not in the mood to spend $200 to do it. I gotta believe these are generic type condensors and can be had somewhere for a few bucks a piece. I'm not interested in "correct", But I am interested in the proper "condensing" (Mfd, I believe it is) as it were.
I'm sure some of you guys have made the cluster repair and have run into this. Where did you buy your condensors? How did you determine the size of the condensors, etc???
So, while I have the dash and all out, I want to replace them, but I am not in the mood to spend $200 to do it. I gotta believe these are generic type condensors and can be had somewhere for a few bucks a piece. I'm not interested in "correct", But I am interested in the proper "condensing" (Mfd, I believe it is) as it were.
I'm sure some of you guys have made the cluster repair and have run into this. Where did you buy your condensors? How did you determine the size of the condensors, etc???
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 12,470
Likes: 1,548
From: Camp Verde AZ
C1 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
2017 C1 of Year Finalist
I tossed mine. Didn't see the need to replace them with anything, as they are simply shock aborbers to smooth out generator induced electrical noise and make the radio sound a bit better. if you have an alternator, they would seem to be moot due to the alternator slip rings in lieu of the sparky generator commutator.
If you buy them from newark electric, or such, they are called capacitors. Dunno their microfarad ratings.
Doug
If you buy them from newark electric, or such, they are called capacitors. Dunno their microfarad ratings.
Doug
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,241
Likes: 6
From: Arizona
Just generator noise huh??? I thought they were on the turn signal/flasher/ammeter etc. because of the surge noise they made? Good deal, If I don't have to by them at all, great! I just didn't want to get it all together and find out I have to pull the cluster back out. 
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,576
Likes: 118
From: Conroe Texas
Just generator noise huh??? I thought they were on the turn signal/flasher/ammeter etc. because of the surge noise they made? Good deal, If I don't have to by them at all, great! I just didn't want to get it all together and find out I have to pull the cluster back out.
1) A condensor on the Amp gauge for engine noise (I think)
2) A condensor on the brake light switch to mute static from applying the brakes
3) A condensor in the parking brake alarm circuit so that flashing on/off BRAKE light doesn't make noise
4) A condensor in the flasher circuit so the blinkers don't make noise on the radio
Plus one or two others that I can't think of right now.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,241
Likes: 6
From: Arizona
On a car such as yours:
1) A condensor on the Amp gauge for engine noise (I think)
2) A condensor on the brake light switch to mute static from applying the brakes
3) A condensor in the parking brake alarm circuit so that flashing on/off BRAKE light doesn't make noise
4) A condensor in the flasher circuit so the blinkers don't make noise on the radio
Plus one or two others that I can't think of right now.
1) A condensor on the Amp gauge for engine noise (I think)
2) A condensor on the brake light switch to mute static from applying the brakes
3) A condensor in the parking brake alarm circuit so that flashing on/off BRAKE light doesn't make noise
4) A condensor in the flasher circuit so the blinkers don't make noise on the radio
Plus one or two others that I can't think of right now.
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,576
Likes: 118
From: Conroe Texas
There's two on the top backside of the cluster as well, (of course they weren't hooked up) but I can't locate them in the AIM. Do you know of a size or capacitance they should be, or where I might find this info? I'm currently rumaging through Nolands book for any info.
The one on the top rear of the cluster near the tach, is probably spliced into the tan parking brake wire. My 65 didn't have any others mounted high up in the cluster, just the one under the Oil gauge that plugged into an always-hot brown wire, and the one under the Amp gauge that connected to the Amp wiring.
I'm looking at photos on Long Island Corvette's web site. Their capacitors have numbers on the end. Do you see any numbers on the ends of yours that may indicate their rating?
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 15,468
Likes: 8,949
From: northern california
C2 of Year Finalist (track prepared) 2019
The capacitance is not critical. Anything from about .2 MFd to, oh, 1 MFd will work.
What you want to also consider is the Voltage rating since automotive electric systems can have some huge Voltage transients.... significantly more than the 14.4 Volts you measure at the generator.
I'd look for capacitors with a minimum of 100 Volt rating and higher is better.
I'd also look for non-polarized capacitors (you don't have to think about which wire is positive.... just hook it up) and I'd avoid a type of capacitor known as an "electrolytic".
As long as you don't need "correct", a well stocked Radio Shack will have capacitors that will work just fine.
Jim
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 8,897
Likes: 1,357
From: Santa Ana CA
Its just a 0.47 mfd non-polarized capacitor..., very cheap at any electronics supply place. See the link:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=2091096
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=2091096
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 38,897
Likes: 1,926
From: Washington Michigan
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,241
Likes: 6
From: Arizona
Great, Thanks guys. I have located them in U69 and in the Adams book. They appear to the same as the P/N's are sequential, except for a couple of them.
HeavyJetPilot...LIC is where I found the $20-$25 per price tags. Did they have a generic source outside of the catalog that you were thinking of?
Anyway, I got all the infomation I was looking for from you all, Thanks Again
HeavyJetPilot...LIC is where I found the $20-$25 per price tags. Did they have a generic source outside of the catalog that you were thinking of?
Anyway, I got all the infomation I was looking for from you all, Thanks Again