Rally dash condenser. Is it necessary?

[RJRENTON]

They also give better gas mileage and improve the ride.

Yes, noise suppression is a side effect of what a capacitor, ie condenser does. It is also a regulator, and filter of which the last two are their primary purposes. I spent 31 years working for Ma Bell. My primary job was servicing their electronic and electro-mechanical switching systems. I am not qualified for a a lot of things but I do know what the purpose of a capacitor/condenser is in both AC and DC circuits.. Yes, they are used for radio noise suppression by there nature as your (Bible) quote indicates, but they are doing other things besides that. @RJRENTON has his ducks in a row on the subject and our differences are just communications problems. Thanks for your input.[/QUOTE

With regard to your comment regarding the purpose of the condenser/capacitor in an AC and DC circuits....
---First, in the DC circuit power supply--an electrolytic capacitor (polarized) is generally used as either a PI filter, in conjunction with a choke or inductor, to smooth out ripple or to clamp the sine wave output of a rectifier circuit to the peak value of the ripple OR in a capacitor resistor network based power supply, the combination of the resistor and capacitor acts as a voltage divider circuit to clamp the reduced voltage to a higher value, determined by the capacitors value.
---Second, in single phase AC circuit, a capacitor (a non-polarized electrolytic) is often used as a motor starting device, thru the motor's start winding to provide additional locked rotor starting torque, for example, a compressor drive.
In a three phase circuit, capacitors are often used to provide power factor correction and to reduce the KVAR (Reactive Kilovar) or reactive portion, of the power supply's difference between real power, KW or Kilowatt, and apparent power or, KWD or KiloWatt Demand, reducing the overall cost of the power consumed.
In this simple discussion regarding the capacitor's function on the instrumrnt panel, IF it (the capacitor/condenser) can be eliminated and operation continues unchanged in both response and accuracy of the instruments, its function has nothing to do with "smoothing" of the voltage but only to provide electrical noise elimination of the mechanical instrument panel voltage regulator. Exactly like the thoughts of others, with regard to the alternator capacitor and ignigion coil's external capacitor's function.....spurious electrical noise elimination.
Just additional points to ponder...
BOB RENTON

 

[RJRENTON]

It does zero for gauge operation period. It is strictly a noise suppressor. Back in the day when these cars came without radio's there usually were none from the factory. When a over the counter radio package was ordered there was a sub package in the radio box kit. That kit had several suppressors with instructions. Common three locations, dash, alternator,and coil. Seems like they were mainly needed for AM radios where FM was less sensitive.

With regard to the comment regarding the purpose of the condenser/capacitor in an AC and DC circuits....
---First, in the DC circuit power supply--an electrolytic capacitor (polarized) is generally used as either a PI filter, in conjunction with a choke or inductor, to smooth out ripple or to clamp the sine wave output of a rectifier circuit to the peak value of the ripple OR in a capacitor resistor network based power supply, the combination of the resistor and capacitor acts as a voltage divider circuit to clamp the reduced voltage to a higher value, determined by the capacitors value.
---Second, in single phase AC circuit, a capacitor (a non-polarized electrolytic) is often used as a motor starting device, thru the motor's start winding to provide additional locked rotor starting torque, for example, a compressor drive.
In a three phase circuit, capacitors are often used to provide power factor correction and to reduce the KVAR (Reactive Kilovar) or reactive portion, of the power supply's difference between real power, KW or Kilowatt, and apparent power or, KWD or KiloWatt Demand, reducing the overall cost of the power consumed.
In this simple discussion regarding the capacitor's function on the instrumrnt panel, IF it (the capacitor/condenser) can be eliminated and operation continues unchanged in both response and accuracy of the instruments, its function has nothing to do with "smoothing" of the voltage but only to provide electrical noise elimination of the mechanical instrument panel voltage regulator. Exactly like the thoughts of others, with regard to the alternator capacitor and ignigion coil's external capacitor's function.....spurious electrical noise elimination.
Just additional points to ponder...
BOB RENTON

 

[BAFRAID]

With regard to the comment regarding the purpose of the condenser/capacitor in an AC and DC circuits....
---First, in the DC circuit power supply--an electrolytic capacitor (polarized) is generally used as either a PI filter, in conjunction with a choke or inductor, to smooth out ripple or to clamp the sine wave output of a rectifier circuit to the peak value of the ripple OR in a capacitor resistor network based power supply, the combination of the resistor and capacitor acts as a voltage divider circuit to clamp the reduced voltage to a higher value, determined by the capacitors value.
---Second, in single phase AC circuit, a capacitor (a non-polarized electrolytic) is often used as a motor starting device, thru the motor's start winding to provide additional locked rotor starting torque, for example, a compressor drive.
In a three phase circuit, capacitors are often used to provide power factor correction and to reduce the KVAR (Reactive Kilovar) or reactive portion, of the power supply's difference between real power, KW or Kilowatt, and apparent power or, KWD or KiloWatt Demand, reducing the overall cost of the power consumed.
In this simple discussion regarding the capacitor's function on the instrumrnt panel, IF it (the capacitor/condenser) can be eliminated and operation continues unchanged in both response and accuracy of the instruments, its function has nothing to do with "smoothing" of the voltage but only to provide electrical noise elimination of the mechanical instrument panel voltage regulator. Exactly like the thoughts of others, with regard to the alternator capacitor and ignigion coil's external capacitor's function.....spurious electrical noise elimination.
Just additional points to ponder...
BOB RENTON

Wow, some or that sounds a little familiar related to learning the electrical launch systems of the missle systems for a gunners mate rating in the Navy. Other than that you lost me at electrolytic capacitor. But that’s some good stuff.

 

[RJRENTON]

Wow, some or that sounds a little familiar related to learning the electrical launch systems of the missle systems for a gunners mate rating in the Navy. Other than that you lost me at electrolytic capacitor. But that’s some good stuff.

Not to be facetious, read and learn or ask questions and learn....either way....knowledge is a wonderful thing...remember....from the shear "nothing-ness" of thought, we learned how to fly, build the atomic bomb, and the Saturn 5 moon rocket......
BOB RENTON

 

[BAFRAID]

Not to be facetious, read and learn or ask questions and learn....either way....knowledge is a wonderful thing...remember....from the shear "nothing-ness" of thought, we learned how to fly, build the atomic bomb, and the Saturn 5 moon rocket......
BOB RENTON

This is all true. With all of the noise in the world now I applaud those who can still think straight and focus.