• The Roadster Factory Recovery Fund - Friends, as you may have heard, The Roadster Factory, a respected British Car Parts business in PA, suffered a total loss in a fire on Christmas Day. Read about it, discuss or ask questions >> HERE. The Triumph Register of America is sponsoring a fund raiser to help TRF get back on their feet. If you can help, vist >> their GoFundMe page.
  • Hey there Guest!
    If you enjoy BCF and find our forum a useful resource, if you appreciate not having ads pop up all over the place and you want to ensure we can stay online - Please consider supporting with an "optional" low-cost annual subscription.
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this UGLY banner)
Tips
Tips

25μF capacitor—Coil On Plug ingnition

Morris

Yoda
Offline
Almost done with my COP setup for me megasquirted 1500. The wiring diagram I am working with calls for a 25μF capacitor between the coil(+) and ground. So I am wondering... what is the typical range for your work-a-day off the shelf condenser? Or... where would one find a capacitor suitable for this application. (I am thinking the junk yard, but I would feel a lot better about buying new).
 
OP
Morris

Morris

Yoda
Offline
That splash of gobbeldygook is supposed to be "25 micro farads." The "micro" character did not render correctly. Also, apparently I can't spell ignition.
 
OP
Morris

Morris

Yoda
Offline
How does one test for farads?

On the Megasquirt forums, guys are saying that close is good enough for this application.
 

RickB

Yoda
Offline
If you have a digital meter with farad measuring capability then it's simple. Most don't have this, the Fluke 113 does.

To simply see if your condenser has capacitance with a digital multimeter this always worked for me:
Set the meter to ohms, if it has multiple settings then something around 1000 or 2000 ohms or lower would probably work.
YMMV

Meter across the two wires of a capacitor or the wire and the body of the condenser.

Watch the display, it should go from zero up the scale gradually then back down. This is an interaction with the circuitry in the meter and means nothing more than that the meter is sensing capacitance.

Again - YMMV - all meters are different, I personally use a Fluke 77 for anything important and a cheapo chinese DMM that has tach and dwell settings for other stuff.
 

Sarastro

Obi Wan
Silver
Country flag
Offline
Capacitors come in standard values; 0.25 is not one of them. 0.22 microfarads is closest, which should be close enough.

Any electronics place will have capacitors, but for your application you will need a fairly high breakdown voltage; I'd say at least 1000 volts. Higher is OK.

The capacitor also must handle a fair amount of current, any most ordinary capacitors for electronic applications won't do that. You need a "dv/dt" rating of about 100 volts per microsecond or more. Unfortunately, this spec may not always be available. If it isn't, the capacitor probably isn't what you want, anyway.

Try https://www.alliedelec.com/search/productdetail.aspx?SKU=6130669
or https://www.alliedelec.com/search/productdetail.aspx?SKU=6130592

These are much better quality than the junk sold for automobiles, and you'll never have to replace them.

Also, take a look at Digi-Key https://www.digikey.com/

or Mouser: https://www.mouser.com/
 
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
Sarastro Continuing with the capacitor/condenser issue Spridgets 15
Sarastro Ignition condenser/capacitor post mortem Spridgets 39
TimK Condenser [capacitor] mounted to firewall??? Austin Healey 4
M Replacement of Lucas HA12 with Lucas SA12 Coil Austin Healey 6
K TR2/3/3A Coil against hot engine?.....relocating the coil? Triumph 11
wkilleffer MGB Coil resistance MG 4
Cokerair TR4/4A Fried Ignition Coil Triumph 18
J TR2/3/3A 58 TR3A Coil weak? 9KΩ on the secondary with a 1968 HA12 45208A non-ballasted coil. Triumph 4
J TR2/3/3A 58 TR3A Coil weak? 9KΩ on the secondary with a 1968 HA12 45208A non-ballasted coil. Triumph 1
F Hot Ignition Coil Austin Healey 6
V MGB Thackery (double coil spring) Washer Substitute? What else works? MG 9
timsgolf Coil Wiring Austin Healey 20
K TR2/3/3A Front coil springs? Triumph 2
R TR2/3/3A TR3A Coil/condenser problem Triumph 22
PAUL161 T-Series MGTF Xpeg Ignition Coil MG 22
longbridgehealey Coil terminals Spridgets 1
P TR3B Coil Issue? Triumph 7
A Wedge Won't fire without jumper from coil to battery Triumph 6
F Spitfire No output from coil HELP!! 1972 Spitfire 1.3L Accusspark Triumph 19
JPSmit female spade tab - coil Restoration & Tools 13
M TR4/4A Dedicated front coil over shock absorbers. Triumph 5
Lin Lucas coil question Austin Healey 8
K What to do for coil bracket on upgraded generator? Austin Healey 8
K TR2/3/3A Coil nuts? The SW and CB nuts on a Moss gold coil? Triumph 3
JPSmit Daughter's VW - coil pack? Other Cars 2
S Intermotor or Lucas Sport Coil ? Austin Healey 14
FlyingCat Spitfire Spark to Coil Triumph 23
S TR2/3/3A Front coil spring recommendation? Triumph 7
S TR4/4A Coil-over suspension upgrade Triumph 4
JPSmit Bosch Coil question Spridgets 14
KVH TR4/4A Front Coil Spring Packing Piece Triumph 12
2 TR2/3/3A Coil issues Triumph 31
D coil spring finish Austin Healey 5
M TR4/4A Front coil springs.....Rating & Length? Triumph 1
M TR4/4A Rear coil springs for TR4A Triumph 4
Marla TR4/4A Pertronic coil Triumph 12
M TR4/4A TR4 front coil springs Triumph 0
M TR2/3/3A Why is my coil so hot? Triumph 6
Marvin Gruber Big healey coil springs Austin Healey 7
M Starter field coil for BN1 Austin Healey 17
KVH TR4/4A Front Coil Spring Spacers Triumph 1
S TR2/3/3A Coil wiring Triumph 4
wingsandwheels MGB 1979 MGB coil w/ altered wiring MG 6
JimTR4 TR4/4A Coil - easily confused... Triumph 6
T TR2/3/3A coil mounting bolt oil leak Triumph 2
2wrench TR6 What's for dinner? Fried Coil??? Triumph 4
Griz Coil Wiring Austin Healey 4
2billydavies TR2/3/3A dead battery... until i disconnect the wire from coil to distributor Triumph 10
J TR2/3/3A TR3 coil spring height Triumph 4
Y MGB 1977 MGB Ignition Coil and Wiring. MG 7

Similar threads

Top