Re: Ballast resistor

[jlandry@domain.elided (John A. Landry)]

In a brilliant stroke of genius, Tom Harais <tjhemh@domain.elided> blurted
out:

>If the MSD is truly supplying low current across the points, then not
>needing the condenser would seem appropriate. I've always been told that
>the only role the condenser ( a large capacitor) played was to keep the
>points from arcing when they opened and closed.

I read a book in the last six months that went on to say that the condenser
does a *lot* more than just prevent the points from arcing.  It said that
this is a commonly misunderstood area of the ignition system.  It escapes
me now exactly what the condenser does, but it was something along the
lines of acting as storage for the current as the points are open, so the
electricity never completely stops flowing.  It's sort of like this I
guess... when the points open, the current that otherwise was flowing
through the points to ground when closed, instead runs into the condenser
and there fore never stops flowing.  When the points close again, the
current flows out from the condenser *and* coil through the points until
they open again.  The condenser could be thought of as a surge bin, storing
the surging electricity as the points open and draining as they close.

I'll have to look this subject up again and post it to the Digest.

John
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
jlandry AT halcyon DOT com       | For such a promiscuous conglomeration
Conservative Libertarian         | of numbskulls as generally constitutes
Life Member of the NRA           | an army, a six pound trigger is well
WA Arms Collectors               | enough.  With an easy pull soldiars
Commercial Helicopter - Inst.    | would desimate their own ranks more
http://www.halcyon.com/jlandry/  | than those of the enemy. T. S. Van Dyke