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scottyrocks Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2016 Posts: 2645 Location: Long Island, NY
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Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2018 12:24 pm Post subject: How to mount capacitor to circuit board? |
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I am in the process of attempting to install a capacitor in place of the condenser for the distributor.
I am using the unit shown in the 2nd half of this writeup:
http://www.nonlintec.com/sprite/cap_failure/
In it, the author discusses mounting the capacitor to a piece of printed circuit board.
"I mounted the cap on a piece of printed circuit board so it could be mounted right on the coil. . . I'm still a little troubled by the need to mount this sensibly; I'm not sure what's the best, simplest way to do this. Most important is to strain-relieve the leads. Just soldering wires to the leads, and letting them flop in the breeze, probably will result in them breaking from fatigue before long. That's why I mounted the cap on the piece of board; this way, a dab of epoxy on the wires will prevent them from flexing at the connection."
What I'd like to know is how, precisely, to mount something such as this capacitor, on a piece of circuit board. Epoxy? Will that stand up to heat and vibration?
What is circuit board actually made from? Is there something else I can substitute, as long as it it's not magnetic, or flammable? Would masonite work?
Should I build or adapt a small container for it, instead of circuit board? _________________ “If you care for a thing long enough, it takes on a life of its own, doesn't it? Mending old things, preserving them, looking after them – on some level there's no rational grounds for it.”
– D. Tartt, 'The Goldfinch'
Last edited by scottyrocks on Sat Dec 15, 2018 3:32 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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andk5591 Samba Member
Joined: August 29, 2005 Posts: 16754 Location: State College, PA
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Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2018 12:40 pm Post subject: Re: how to mount capacitor to circuit board? |
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The PC board looks like a hack IMHO and is not needed. You could just hang it off the distributor tab with your slip on connector attached...Or better yet, solder a length of wire to the ends for your connectors and use a cable clamp (rubber coated steel clamp) to attach it to the shroud. Would look cleaner, function as well and be easily servicable.
If you want to do the circuit board, all it is a a fiberglass or similar sheet clad with copper on one side. Note that there is a slice in the copper to separate the 2 leads. You can get this on Amazon https://smile.amazon.com/McIgIcM-copper-laminate-c...s=pc+board _________________ D-Dubya Manx clone - 63 Short pan,1914.
Rosie 65 bug - My mostly stock daily driver.
Woodie 69 VW woodie (Hot VWs 7/12).
"John's car" 64 VW woodie - The first ever
Maxine 61 Cal-look bug - Cindy's daily driver.
Max - 73 standard Beetle hearse project - For sale
66 bug project - Real patina & Suby conversion
There's more, but not keeping them... |
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scottyrocks Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2016 Posts: 2645 Location: Long Island, NY
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Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2018 1:28 pm Post subject: Re: how to mount capacitor to circuit board? |
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Yes, it looks hacky, indeed, mounted like that, as the author wrote, but I wasn't going to put it there on the side of the coil, per se.
In the interim, while looking through my loads of leftover building materials, I found a length of j-track and fabbed a very solid bracket that will be mounted to the coil bracket bolt on the upper/right side. It should look pretty neat when it's done, and I will post a picture, assuming that the whole thing works properly. _________________ “If you care for a thing long enough, it takes on a life of its own, doesn't it? Mending old things, preserving them, looking after them – on some level there's no rational grounds for it.”
– D. Tartt, 'The Goldfinch' |
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scottyrocks Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2016 Posts: 2645 Location: Long Island, NY
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Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2018 3:31 pm Post subject: Re: how to mount capacitor to circuit board? |
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I got it mounted and wired, and the car started right up and revved very nicely.
Here are a couple of pictures.
I had a few choices of where to put both wires.
The new green wire from the capacitor could have gone to the existing green wire at the coil, but I didn't have a 2-1 spade connector handy, so I ran the new wire into the distributor where the regular condenser wire would go (2nd picture).
The white wire (I don't have brown) is ground and could have gone almost anywhere. I secured it to the coil strap bolt on the other side.
The J-track holds the capacitor snugly but doesn't crush it. It's like it's tailor made for it. I got lucky.
There is no stress on the soldered joints so they should stay together.
Comments welcome. _________________ “If you care for a thing long enough, it takes on a life of its own, doesn't it? Mending old things, preserving them, looking after them – on some level there's no rational grounds for it.”
– D. Tartt, 'The Goldfinch' |
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David_nc_72std Samba Member
Joined: August 22, 2015 Posts: 841 Location: Winston-Salem, NC
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Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2018 5:10 pm Post subject: Re: how to mount capacitor to circuit board? |
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I would probably secure the wires near the capacitor, so you don't get a lot of vibration transferred to the capacitor leads, right at the capacitor itself would probably be the most likely place for the wire to break. Also need to do something to protect it from rain. |
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scottyrocks Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2016 Posts: 2645 Location: Long Island, NY
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Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2018 7:59 pm Post subject: Re: how to mount capacitor to circuit board? |
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I just put some shrink tubing on the capacitor wire connections. That should keep it a little more sturdy. I will look for an additional way to anchor the wires, as well. _________________ “If you care for a thing long enough, it takes on a life of its own, doesn't it? Mending old things, preserving them, looking after them – on some level there's no rational grounds for it.”
– D. Tartt, 'The Goldfinch' |
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bluebus86 Banned
Joined: September 02, 2010 Posts: 11075
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Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2018 8:33 pm Post subject: Re: how to mount capacitor to circuit board? |
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I have not had problems with replacement capacitors. If I were me, and I am, I'd buy a regular replacement capacitor. if concerned about failures, carry a spare, or convert to an electronic points that dont require capacitor, never wear, never drift, timing stays dead nuts on target.
Bug On! _________________ Help Prevent VW Engine Fires, see this link.....Engine safety wire information
Stop introducing dirt into your oil when adjusting valves ... https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=683022 |
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Digger89L Samba Member
Joined: May 16, 2013 Posts: 1130 Location: Western Canada (SK)
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Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2018 4:02 am Post subject: Re: how to mount capacitor to circuit board? |
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OK ....piqued my curiousity: why replace the condenser with a capacitor ...or are they the same thing, just a different name? _________________ "If you can't fix it with pop rivets, crazy glue and duct tape, or hold it together with zip ties, velcro or magnets, it REALLY is broken." |
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scottyrocks Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2016 Posts: 2645 Location: Long Island, NY
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Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2018 12:50 pm Post subject: Re: how to mount capacitor to circuit board? |
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Digger89L wrote: |
OK ....piqued my curiousity: why replace the condenser with a capacitor ...or are they the same thing, just a different name? |
Yes, and the one I got matches the car's condenser re microfrands and stuff like that.
Here's the final product, shrink tubed and ziptied. I did cut off the ziptie tail after I took the picture.
_________________ “If you care for a thing long enough, it takes on a life of its own, doesn't it? Mending old things, preserving them, looking after them – on some level there's no rational grounds for it.”
– D. Tartt, 'The Goldfinch' |
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EVfun Samba Member
Joined: April 01, 2012 Posts: 5445 Location: Seattle
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Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2018 1:08 pm Post subject: Re: how to mount capacitor to circuit board? |
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Digger89L wrote: |
OK ....piqued my curiousity: why replace the condenser with a capacitor ...or are they the same thing, just a different name? |
Condenser is just an old name for a capacitor. It looks like a good part was chosen, capable with withstanding 1000 volts (the coil primary voltage surges when the points open) and designed to handle a fair amount of ripple current (charging every time the points open and discharging each time they close.) The chosen 0.22 mircofarad value is typical for an automotive condenser. _________________
Wildthings wrote: |
As a general rule, cheap parts are the most expensive parts you can buy. |
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Wayne S. Johnson Samba Member
Joined: April 12, 2006 Posts: 1265 Location: GILROY, CA
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andk5591 Samba Member
Joined: August 29, 2005 Posts: 16754 Location: State College, PA
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Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2018 1:52 pm Post subject: Re: how to mount capacitor to circuit board? |
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Bluebus, a lot of us have had condensor failures withe new parts. I have had 2 that failed in a very short time.
Getting into this further, how generic is the actual cap value? Are all of the part numbers for the condensors more related to type of mounting? _________________ D-Dubya Manx clone - 63 Short pan,1914.
Rosie 65 bug - My mostly stock daily driver.
Woodie 69 VW woodie (Hot VWs 7/12).
"John's car" 64 VW woodie - The first ever
Maxine 61 Cal-look bug - Cindy's daily driver.
Max - 73 standard Beetle hearse project - For sale
66 bug project - Real patina & Suby conversion
There's more, but not keeping them... |
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Wayne S. Johnson Samba Member
Joined: April 12, 2006 Posts: 1265 Location: GILROY, CA
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Bryan67 Samba Member
Joined: January 01, 2003 Posts: 2933 Location: Fresno, Ca.
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Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2018 3:18 pm Post subject: Re: how to mount capacitor to circuit board? |
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So why not just use a condenser? _________________ If you`re going to do something, do it right. |
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mukluk Samba Member
Joined: October 18, 2012 Posts: 6985 Location: Clyde, TX
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Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2018 4:58 pm Post subject: Re: how to mount capacitor to circuit board? |
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Bryan67 wrote: |
So why not just use a condenser? |
Possibly because the OP hasn't had the best of luck with available replacements and is trying what he hopes to be a more robust solution... just a thought. _________________ 1960 Ragtop w/Semaphores "Inga" |
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scottyrocks Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2016 Posts: 2645 Location: Long Island, NY
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Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2018 5:27 pm Post subject: Re: how to mount capacitor to circuit board? |
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Yes, three have stopped working in as many months, and that's just with local weekend driving. I want a more permanent solution, and believe I have found it, although all that information is in another thread. _________________ “If you care for a thing long enough, it takes on a life of its own, doesn't it? Mending old things, preserving them, looking after them – on some level there's no rational grounds for it.”
– D. Tartt, 'The Goldfinch' |
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scottyrocks Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2016 Posts: 2645 Location: Long Island, NY
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Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2018 1:03 pm Post subject: Re: how to mount capacitor to circuit board? |
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Just ran some errands around the neighborhood. The car ran beautifully.
Many thanks to all in this thread, as well as others, who supplied information and advice. _________________ “If you care for a thing long enough, it takes on a life of its own, doesn't it? Mending old things, preserving them, looking after them – on some level there's no rational grounds for it.”
– D. Tartt, 'The Goldfinch' |
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Pruneman99 Samba Member
Joined: February 22, 2012 Posts: 5013 Location: Oceanside
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Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 4:08 pm Post subject: Re: how to mount capacitor to circuit board? |
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Great write up scottyrocks. I, like you, had terrible luck with new condensers. IDK if my coil was causing it (just a Bosch blue unknown specifics) or what. It was driving me nuts. Sometimes they wouldn't last 10 miles, sometimes a few weeks.. Finally I was out of replacements, so I stole a very old one from a core distributor I had kicking around. It's been like 2 or 3 years, no problem since.
I've seen that condenser dissection write up you linked to before, but I couldn't find it again. Thanks for posting it up. It's pretty obvious why these crap condensers fail so quickly when you get a look inside. What a joke. Stuff just press-fit together, and it's all loose in the can..
I'll probably just order a few capacitors you linked to for backup. I loathe the idea of spending another dime on POS condensers that WILL FAIL.
Let us know how the mod holds up over time. |
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scottyrocks Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2016 Posts: 2645 Location: Long Island, NY
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Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2018 6:12 am Post subject: Re: how to mount capacitor to circuit board? |
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Thank you for your kind words, Prune.
The time test will be an important one. Of course, it has to last. There is a record here (this thread) of when I installed it. I will certainly update here if the thing fails.
I don't put a lot of miles on this car, but can reply here yearly if all is well. _________________ “If you care for a thing long enough, it takes on a life of its own, doesn't it? Mending old things, preserving them, looking after them – on some level there's no rational grounds for it.”
– D. Tartt, 'The Goldfinch' |
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Wayne S. Johnson Samba Member
Joined: April 12, 2006 Posts: 1265 Location: GILROY, CA
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