automotive ignition condenser uf and voltage rating?

Nov 21, 2005 3 Replies

First reply

Tim Williams

0.33uF 200V? Ballpark. Replace with a snubber rated film capacitor, encapsulated further if necessary (considering most points caps are metal cased!). If you're asking if you can use some in a different circuit, sure, but hell I don't know why you'd be asking the value, it's…

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Anyone know an approximate rating for an ignition condenser like voltage and uf? Can these things be used in HV electronics as a regular capacitor?



0.33uF 200V? Ballpark.

Replace with a snubber rated film capacitor, encapsulated further if necessary (considering most points caps are metal cased!).

If you're asking if you can use some in a different circuit, sure, but hell I don't know why you'd be asking the value, it's usually stamped on the things you know.

Tim

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The "condenser" I tested read 0.2 uF. As for voltage rating, I'd guess several hundred volts. Traditional coils from old style, dwell based inductive ignitions have a turns ratio of about 100 to 1. If such a coil puts out about 20kV, that means the condenser would have to withstand 200 volts, but of course it must have a significant safety margin -- maybe a factor of two? And then there is "coil fault;" if a spark pug wire falls off and there is no place for the coil's energy to go, the flyback voltage is even greater. I would think a condenser would have a 400 volt rating, ballpark, but that is just semi-informed speculation on my part.

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