Voltage Regulator Condenser Checking and Replacement

[Jerry Shuck]

1964 Riviera.  Could one of you folks please tell me how to check my Voltage Regulator Condenser with a multimeter?  Any known sources for a direct replacement?

[EmTee]

I don't think it can be done reliably with a digital multimeter.  If you have an analog meter you can set it for resistance measurement (e.g., 10 KOhm scale).  First, short the lead to the case.  Then connect one lead to the terminal and the other to the case.  You should see the meter climb from 0 Ohms to infinity as the capacitor charges.  If it stays '0', the capacitor is shorted.  If it stays infinite, then it's open.  This test isn't foolproof though, because the capacitor could still fail a voltage breakdown test.  The multimeter won't provide a enough of a voltage stress to evaluate that.

[Jerry Shuck]

Great advice.  Thank you.  Is it common for a '64 Buick voltage regulator capacitor to die?  I have heard that they "last forever"?

[Bloo]

What is the symptom? If it is on the regulator, it is probably for radio interference. Do you have Alternator or regulator noise in the radio?

 

I don't know if they last forever (I doubt it) or if they just go bad and nobody notices or cares. Maybe they notice and care but just don't make the connection to what might be causing the noise. It is not terribly different from an ignition condenser, and one of those would probably be close enough to work except for the wonky mounting. I recall in the early 2000s wanting a couple of these with the traditional mounting tab for some car (I don't remember what make or model). I discovered that Chrysler used condensers about like this well into the K-car era. Those were probably the most recent ones. At that time it was discontinued everywhere and not available. By now it is possible that someone has reproduced them, but I have no idea who or for what car.

 

 

[Jerry Shuck]

Thanks for the education.  No symptoms...just rebuilding the alternator and replacing the voltage regulator so I thought I'd get into the capacitor while I was at it.  What started this whole journey into electrical world was that I blew out all four high beams.