Voltage Regulator Condenser?
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 6,486
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From: The Golden Triangle, Florida
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
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St. Jude Donor '20 thru '25
Voltage Regulator Condenser?
I'm putting a solid state VR in my car and was wondering about the condenser. I thought the condenser wasn't necessary with a solid state VR but I see the new VR has a tab for connecting the condenser in the same location as my current VR.
Question is, do I need the condenser?
Thanks,
-- Steve
Question is, do I need the condenser?
Thanks,
-- Steve
Drifting
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 1,416
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From: Des Moines, Iowa, USA Iowa
IMHO, No. The capacitor is just part of the C2 radio noise suppression system, and only for AM radio at that. So if you listen to a lot of AM radio on your original C2 radio then it might help if it is still working. Otherwise, other than giving an original appearance to your regulator install, it does nothing 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2012
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From: Western Massachusetts
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
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The mechanical regulators use vibrating points to switch resistance in and out of the field circuit causing spikes and sparks that the condenser absorbs. Solid state units have no moving parts.
Dan
