1955 Voltage Regulator Question

[Paul Falabella]

Had the battery on charge and started car. I noticed the dash and dome lights were significantly brighter(especially dash lights). Pretty sure this is an aftermarket Voltage regulator. What is the condenser on the cutout terminal for? How can I get those nice bright lights all the time?

Thanks

Edited July 20, 2016 by Paul Falabella (see edit history)

[SpecialEducation]

That's interesting...  I don't know that I've ever seen a condenser (capacitor) on a voltage regulator before, but it's probably there for the same reason you have one in your distributor: To make the points last longer. 

 

1 hour ago, Paul Falabella said:

How can I get those nice bright lights all the time?

 

Install an alternator. 

 

You could also put smaller pulley on the generator* and bump the voltage up at the regulator.  The generator can only charge if it is allowed to make more voltage than is available at the battery.  If it is under-charging, even at cruise, you may need to bump it up.  Any idea how many volts you are making at cruise?

 

*For the record, I'm not really advocating a pulley change...

Edited July 20, 2016 by SpecialEducation (see edit history)

[Fr. Buick]

The condenser is supposed to be there.  I believe it serves to "quiet down" the electrical noise for the radio, no?

[Beemon]

Like Fr.Buick said. Mine has one, too. I believe it's also a .20 uF condenser like the ignition condenser and the condenser that goes on the ignition coil. There should also be one on the ground terminal of the generator, but that one is. 30 uF and I haven't found a replacement for that one yet. 

[SpecialEducation]

Some Google searching shows a lot of arguments about this.  It is there to reduce arcing across the points, there's no doubt about that.  The arcing will create radio interference and it will shorten the life of the points, but the primary concern seems to be radio interference, and the actual effect on regulator life is arguable (probably minimal).  It is optional, but will destroy the regulator if hooked up to the field circuit (although it seems to me the field points would make more noise than the reverse cut-out).    

 

The condenser at the generator is the same story, to reduce arcing across the commutator.  I don't think anyone is arguing that brushes & commutators last longer when there's a capacitor at the generator.  The condenser at the coil is obviously strictly noise suppression.  If you have arcing in the coil, radio noise is the least of your concerns.