Honestly I think the suppression plug wires are the more critical of the two repairs. I have a modern stereo with bluetooth and such in my truck with a GM alternator and there are no issues. I don't have condensers but use a full set of suppression wires (and this is with an MSD electronic ignition).

 

I'm not Ross but I am an electrical engineer and I can answer your question.
A generator is a DC (direct current) generating device, the output is expected to be a smooth level current with little to no variations we know as AC (alternating current). Adding a condensor (capacitor) onto a noisy DC line will smooth out the AC "ripple" and reduce the noise on the current supply. An alternator on the other hand produces alternating current. To be useful in the automotive electrical system this alternating current (AC) must be converted to DC. Modern alternators have a rectifier built into them that smooths out the AC and outputs a clean DC supply. This rectifier in an AC system precludes the need for a condenser since there is no AC ripple (noise) left to remove. Hope this helps...

 

sounds like the first two lines of every country song I ever heard! Lol.

that reminds me of another band I’m listening to… Lost Dog Street Band.

 

In a few years with all the self driving stuff your truck will run away .

 

If you play the songs backwards, the truck will start and the dog will come back.

 

Thanks CharlieLED. I've never seen one on an alternator.... and now I know why!
Best, Jeff

 

What is the difference between this and a condenser in the distributor?

 

Just to follow up and give credit where it’s due.. cause re-reading this thread helped me once again figure out the problem AGAIN! I since had the engine replaced , May/2023, and this wire didn’t go back like we had it initially. Never gave it a thought -too enamored with the condensers ​​​​​. So after removing the brillman wires and replacing them with DC FOMOCO was left scratching my head thinking what could cause this again? Looking at electrical issues as this was the state of affairs at that moment but that wasn’t it.

Once again THANK YOU Ross! You were right on target! I can absolutely say that it was the suppression wire running from the distributor to the coil looped. you only need this if you’re running the crappy DC spark plug repro wires. Cause I had Brillman original non suppression wires in there, previously and they didn’t cause any issues. It’s only when I added the DC repro wire set that I had the problems both initially in 2020 and again in October 2023. If you’re using the DC wires and have this issue you only need to add a good suppression wire looped as so. The condensers as nifty as they are don’t seem to have any effect at least not on their own. But add this looped wire and the problem of skipping songs is no more. Plus my dog now comes to me when I call him!


Electrically speaking last few months I’ve been through hell and back but that’s another story. I’m only too glad to rule this out as another electrical issue. Now all electric and other issues are in rear view mirror!

so long story short is ; thanks again FTE, everyone who contributed to this thread!





19” long