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SOHC.co.uk Forums => CB350/400 => Topic started by: Lynx on February 22, 2013, 03:40:19 PM

Title: Condenser Testing
Post by: Lynx on February 22, 2013, 03:40:19 PM

Hi everyone,

Can condensers be tested off the bike, by resistance or similar?

Cheers

Title: Re: Condenser Testing
Post by: SteveD CB500K0 on February 22, 2013, 05:02:39 PM

I would say not.

As a condenser (we call them capacitors nowadays) it is basically an open circuit at low frequencies (ie DC) and a short circuit at high frequencies. It reduces the sparking at your points by offering a low impedance to the high frequencies caused by the abrupt opening of the points, "shunting" the excess power to earth.

If you have a spectrum analyser you can probably test it.

Or you could just get a new one  ;D

Title: Re: Condenser Testing
Post by: Lynx on February 22, 2013, 06:38:18 PM

Thanks you Steve. That does give me a starting point as i have one which is open circuit and one which is closed circuit from body to terminal.

Title: Re: Condenser Testing
Post by: SteveD CB500K0 on February 22, 2013, 07:14:05 PM

If it is short circuit then it's dead.


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Title: Re: Condenser Testing
Post by: Bitsa (Ralph Wright - RIP) on February 23, 2013, 09:18:41 AM

Oddjob,

Thanks for the memories I too used to catch the young trainees out with that.
Cheers
Bitsa

Title: Re: Condenser Testing
Post by: K2-K6 on March 02, 2013, 04:28:39 PM

I worked for a while in photo-film processing and the film prep lads did the same with the capacitors inside disposable film cameras.....there was one that powered the flash with a button to charge it......somehow it never fails to amuse when somebody catches a wack from them.

I like the sound of a Spectrum analyser Steve.......the sort of thing somebody could really use in pub-talk one upmanship!