BONUS ELECTRICAL PUB! BONUS ELECTRICAL PUB!
In recent issues of RC a number of correspondents have queried Neil Cairns’ article on fitting an ‘Easycap’ to his magneto, which apparently restored easy hot starting. Quite rightly they ask whether the internal capacitor (the more modern term for the old condenser) should be removed first? Quite right, it should – usually.
Readers will all know that the capacitor somehow magically suppresses sparking at the points, and enhances it at the plug. My simple explanation is that when the points open, the magneto primary current has to stop. But this stoppage of current and its associated electro-magnetic field, results in a high voltage – a few hundred volts, and will draw an arc at the points immediately they start to
