> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Just tried my '66 GTO's mechanical voltage regulator on my friend's
> '69 Firebird and it started charging his battery again. Even though
> he had bought a new voltage regulator a month or so ago. (And then an
> alternator.) His does not have the condenser installed on the voltage
> regulator like mine does, but there's a terminal for it.
>
> I'm wondering if the condenser is necessary, maybe to keep the
> contacts from burning? I'd heard it was to prevent radio
> intereference, which we don't care about. I can't find anything in
> the service manual about it. If it's necessary to prevent contacts
> burning, maybe his new voltage regulator fried its contacts.
>

The condensor keeps the points from burning up. When the points break,
for a short time, current keeps flowing in the condensor. So, the points
don't arc. Then when the contacts close the condensor dumps it's
charge across the closed points and is then ready to absorb the current
from the next break.

Ted