New Condensor Has 2 Wires,Old one has 1?,Any Ideas

Information relating to the Matchless G2 or AJS Model 14 250cc Lightweight
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Daveski
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Jul 24, 2008 4:40 pm
Location: Lancs UK

New Condensor Has 2 Wires,Old one has 1?,Any Ideas

Post by Daveski »

I Bought a new condensor for my 250 G2 from the Club. It has 2 wires instead of 1 wire which is on the current[old] condensor. Both are the same colour and seem to originate from the same place. 1 has a connector on, the other just a bare metal end.Should I connect both wires together, or cut one off, or something else?.Most condensors I have seen only have the one wire. Advice will be appreciated, Thanks..Daveski
1961 Matchless G2
2007 Triumph Bonneville T100
aobp11
Posts: 802
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2005 10:45 pm
Location: GLD NETHERLANDS

New Condensor Has 2 Wires,Old one has 1?,Any Ideas

Post by aobp11 »

Since nobody replied so far, here is my try. I have no G2 and no such condensor, so I have to guess. The metal case of the old capacitor serves is "wire" to ground, the other lead goes to the contact breaker. With 2 wires there are a few possibilities.
1) The actual capacitor is between the wires and is isolated from the case. Then one wire goes to ground (probably clamped under the fixing screw), the other to the CB. Immaterial which wire goes were.
2) One wire is (internally) connected to the case and can be used as extra ground lead. The other wire to the CB.
3) (Unlikely) The wires are connected internally and you can remove one of them or connect them together.
4) (Unlikely, might be fantasy.) It's a double capacitor. Case to ground, choice between one of the wires or both connected together to CB. This gives a choice between lower and higher capacitance values, useful to correct burn-in profile of CB points.
It's certainly situation 2) when one of the leads shows zero ohms resistance to the case. Similarly 3) when zero ohms between the wires.
Remember that a capacitor shows infinite resistance and that's what you will find in 1) and 4) between the wires mutually and between wires and case. Most simple and most informative to distinguish between 1) and 4) is to use a DMM with capacitance measurement function. Without that function, you can use the DMM first as ohmmeter (this charges the capacitor when its there indeed) and then change quickly to DC-voltage while its test leads are still or again connected. The voltage will drop slowly (in many seconds) to zero when the capacitor is there. Otherwise you will read zero volts immediately.
Success. Albert.
Daveski
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Jul 24, 2008 4:40 pm
Location: Lancs UK

New Condensor Has 2 Wires,Old one has 1?,Any Ideas

Post by Daveski »

Thanks for the reply. Both wires come out of the same solder blob on one end of the condensor body, so they must go to the same place at the other end. Both are the same colour [brown]. It seems odd there are 2 wires that seem to do the same thing.
Regards, Daveski
1961 Matchless G2
2007 Triumph Bonneville T100
pto
Posts: 95
Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2008 2:54 pm
Location: Lancashire UK

New Condensor Has 2 Wires,Old one has 1?,Any Ideas

Post by pto »

My 250 CSR has only one wire, I have seen a condenser with two wires from the same blob of solder used on a twin contact set up, sound like its the wrong item, almost any condenser that fits will work fine, go to your local car acc shop, get one for an old mini, will be a lot cheaper!
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davehutch
Posts: 192
Joined: Sat Jul 19, 2008 4:05 pm
Location: LEICESTERSHIRE UK

New Condensor Has 2 Wires,Old one has 1?,Any Ideas

Post by davehutch »

I have a G2 and got a new condenser from the club, and that came with two wires. I cut one off and used it, maybe I was wrong? I have put my poor running down to carb problems could it be condenser? Although I have had it running sweet at times since putting that condenser on.
----Only a biker knows why a dog sticks his head out of a car window.
Daveski
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Jul 24, 2008 4:40 pm
Location: Lancs UK

New Condensor Has 2 Wires,Old one has 1?,Any Ideas

Post by Daveski »

I thought the same thing, just cut one wire off. They both originate from the same place [blob of solder] so hopefully will work ok.
1961 Matchless G2
2007 Triumph Bonneville T100
basketcase
Posts: 141
Joined: Sat Jan 15, 2005 12:00 am
Location: STAFFORDSHIRE UK

New Condensor Has 2 Wires,Old one has 1?,Any Ideas

Post by basketcase »

I had the same condenser from JSL, just cut off one of the wires and it will work ok. Well at least mine does!!
Remember to be careful when tightening the screw which holds the condenser in place, not the adjusting one, it can strip the thread in the base plate (been there, done that).
Regards, Nigel.
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Egor Rider
Posts: 46
Joined: Sat May 06, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: cambridgeshire UK

New Condensor Has 2 Wires,Old one has 1?,Any Ideas

Post by Egor Rider »

Hi All,
My 67 AJS 250 csr broke down a few weeks ago . After waiting for the ( USELESS ) RAC to turn up (3hrs) . I fixed it my self.It turned out to be the condenser(direct short to earth).I replaced it with one for a Vauxhall Viva ,looks exactly the same £2.99 from local car accessory shop. Been ok for the last 100 or so miles.
Daveski
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Jul 24, 2008 4:40 pm
Location: Lancs UK

New Condensor Has 2 Wires,Old one has 1?,Any Ideas

Post by Daveski »

Well I cut one of the wires off and it works fine.Still dont know why 2 wires are fitted.
1961 Matchless G2
2007 Triumph Bonneville T100
aobp11
Posts: 802
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2005 10:45 pm
Location: GLD NETHERLANDS

New Condensor Has 2 Wires,Old one has 1?,Any Ideas

Post by aobp11 »

One explanation might be that on some machines the wire goes first from coil to condensor and then continues from condensor to contact breaker. On our machines (at least on mine with SR1) both the coil and the condensor are wired directly to the contact breaker.
Albert
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