Difference between a condenser and capacitor?
- Thread starter AZ Vic
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fills the gap in old technology ignition setups
as memory serves me correctly, THAT type of system has a resistor that limits 8 VOLTS to the distributor, and once you go HEI, you need to take a 12V wire straight from the fuse box for adequate voltage or you will screw it up after a few passes
here is a explanation from a website about how condensors work
Condenser: Those same principles of inductance create a kind of paradox, because when the points open and the magnetic field collapses it also induces a current in the primary as well. It's not very much because there are only a few windings in the primary, but it's enough to jump a small air-gap, such as the one between the just-opening points in the distributor. That tiny spark is enough to erode metal away from the points and you'll 'burn' the points. It prevents the points from arcing and prevents coil insulation breakdown by limiting the rate of voltage rise at the points.
http://autorepair.about.com/cs/generalinfo/a/aa052502a.htm
BW
as memory serves me correctly, THAT type of system has a resistor that limits 8 VOLTS to the distributor, and once you go HEI, you need to take a 12V wire straight from the fuse box for adequate voltage or you will screw it up after a few passes
here is a explanation from a website about how condensors work
Condenser: Those same principles of inductance create a kind of paradox, because when the points open and the magnetic field collapses it also induces a current in the primary as well. It's not very much because there are only a few windings in the primary, but it's enough to jump a small air-gap, such as the one between the just-opening points in the distributor. That tiny spark is enough to erode metal away from the points and you'll 'burn' the points. It prevents the points from arcing and prevents coil insulation breakdown by limiting the rate of voltage rise at the points.
http://autorepair.about.com/cs/generalinfo/a/aa052502a.htm
BW
salvageV6
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Nothing. 
A device that holds charge is termed a capacitor or condensor.
Usually the car ones are case grounded one lead types.
A device that holds charge is termed a capacitor or condensor.
Usually the car ones are case grounded one lead types.
I think there is some technical difference between them... like the condensor will not store the charge like a capacitor would.
I tried searching for definitions, but they mostly use applications not definitions (at least for a condensor).
I think, and I am trying to confrm this here, that a condensor will not "hold" a charge like a capacitor does.
I was given this off of another site:
**"I am by no means an electrical engineer , but , there is a difference between the 2 . A condenser is used to gather energy , and focus it at a particular point continuosly , while in use . A capacitor is used to store energy to a particular level , and , then , release it immediately"**
well, how bout it??
Thanks in advance,
Vic
I tried searching for definitions, but they mostly use applications not definitions (at least for a condensor).
I think, and I am trying to confrm this here, that a condensor will not "hold" a charge like a capacitor does.
I was given this off of another site:
**"I am by no means an electrical engineer , but , there is a difference between the 2 . A condenser is used to gather energy , and focus it at a particular point continuosly , while in use . A capacitor is used to store energy to a particular level , and , then , release it immediately"**
well, how bout it??
Thanks in advance,
Vic
a capacitor and condenser are indeed the same thing, it's just that "condenser" is an older term they used a long time ago. Ideally a capacitor/condenser will hold a charge forever, it just is that the internal resistance (ie the dielectric not being perfect) disallows this from happening, so the cap will discharge slowly. At this point in time, I could probably tell you about 10X what you'd ever wanna know about capacitors, so I'm gonna be quiet now before I get into a long winded rant I have no escape from. 
Capacitor, or electrical CONDENSER, device for storing an electrical charge. In its simplest form a capacitor consists of two metal plates separated by a nonconducting layer called the dielectric. When one plate is charged with electricity from a direct-current or electrostatic source, the other plate will have induced in it a charge of the opposite sign; that is, positive if the original charge is negative and negative if the charge is positive. The Leyden jar is a simple form of capacitor in which the two conducting plates are metal-foil coatings on the inside and outside of a glass bottle or jar that serves as the dielectric. The electrical size of a capacitor is its capacitance, the amount of electric charge it can hold.
Capacitors are limited in the amount of electric charge they can absorb; they can conduct direct current for only an instant but function well as conductors in alternating-current circuits. This property makes them useful when direct current must be prevented from entering some part of an electric circuit. Fixed-capacity and variable-capacity capacitors are used in conjunction with coils as resonant circuits in radios and other electronic equipment. Large capacitors are also employed in power lines to resonate the load on the line and make it possible for the line to transmit more power.
Capacitors are produced in a wide variety of forms. Air, mica, ceramics, paper, oil, and vacuums are used as dielectrics, depending on the purpose for which the device is intended.
Capacitors are limited in the amount of electric charge they can absorb; they can conduct direct current for only an instant but function well as conductors in alternating-current circuits. This property makes them useful when direct current must be prevented from entering some part of an electric circuit. Fixed-capacity and variable-capacity capacitors are used in conjunction with coils as resonant circuits in radios and other electronic equipment. Large capacitors are also employed in power lines to resonate the load on the line and make it possible for the line to transmit more power.
Capacitors are produced in a wide variety of forms. Air, mica, ceramics, paper, oil, and vacuums are used as dielectrics, depending on the purpose for which the device is intended.
