PMA question, battery or condenser

[shark1979]

i am about to get a PMA from Hugh's . what is the difference between running a condenser or a battery. what kind of condenser do you use ? where can you get it? Is there pros an con to battery vs condenser.

 

[Downer]

I'm thinking your meaning capacitor

 

[jetero41]

A battery actually creates power (chemically ). a capacitor only stores power ( created by the PMA ) for times when needed.

 

[shark1979]

I'm thinking your meaning capacitor

yes you are right. i have got my words mixed up. To many things on my mind with work and other stuff. sorry for the mix up

 

[shark1979]

so now that i am asking about a capactior where can you get one and what are some pros and cons? i understand what they do, we use them in AC units on fan motors and compressors. i think the idea of no battery for the clean look of no battery box. is there a draw back to doing it?

 

[XSLeo]

A capacitor and a condenser are the same thing, just called different names in the application.
Leo

 

[shark1979]

So what kind , size do I need to use in place of battery. Where can you get them? Can you use one from a car stero system?

 

[XSLeo]

Look on the pma conversion thread. It talks about several options.
Leo

 

[jamesgs4]

I use the one from lowbrow
http://www.lowbrowcustoms.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=1695

 

[Tia813]

I got my capacitor from Fry's electronics for $7. I believe Accel has one called battery eliminator(?) for $40. I like it cuz it was $7 and if it goes bad I have a spare that I can swap out quick. No cons yet.

 

[I am Carbon]

A small unit should work just fine with the PMA

 

[JR Hammer]

I'm stuck on this part too--- I was trying to wire up my PMA system with a small battery. The battery is a .8Ah and about the size of a cassette tape case (or half the size of an 8-track tape--LOL) and the problem I am having is that the battery keeps going dead. When the battery is below about 10Vdc the whole system craps out; meaning the engine will idle roughly and with NOT take any throttle without stalling out. The engine runs great with the battery all charged up but the battery leaks down and will eventually die.

so why even bother with a battery if you're going kick-only?? At least that's my thought on it... I'm going to 86 the battery-- it's too much of a liability

 

[jefft]

I tried the Accel one and didn't have good results. I have since swithced to a small cigarette pack sized battery and it is working fine.
jefft

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[Detale]

Which cigarette battery exactly man?

 

[JR Roxx]

This is the one I'm using and it seems to be working fine

 

[jefft]

The one in JR roxx picture is the same one I'm using. I bought it on ebay after reading about someone here using it but now can't find it on ebay. I found another one that meets the same specs and size on Batteries Plus website and there is a store locally.
jefft

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[pamcopete]

The problem with these tiny batteries and the PMA setup is that they overcharge and overheat and at least one of their cells goes open which means that the battery will no longer act as a filter for the noisy voltage that comes out of the PMA so the ignition system then starts to act up because of the crap voltage and the engine doesn't run too good and people then blame the ignition system and / or they spend three or four weeks screwing with their carbs when all they have to do is throw the tiny battery in the trash and get a real battery or a decent expensive capacitor.

Whatever you do, do not buy a "Battery eliminator" because it is just a cheap capacitor in a fancy container that promises you better mileage, faster starts, smoother idle and great sex... A Friend of mine tried one and, yes....the sex was great, but the engine ran like crap..... Gotta get your priorities straight...

 

[jd750ace]

I've had bad luck with capacitors over the past couple of years. Of course, my home appliances and electronics are only equipped with China's finest! They usually swell up and rupture, internal shorting or corrosion, I guess, but I had to replace the power supply in a 32" LCD twice for it, and I've lost 3 fans to capacitor problems in the past 18 months. Does anyone have any base numbers for capacity and output? You might be able to find good options through Dayton Grainger. That's where I got mine for my A/C unit fan, and for my P.O.S. panckae compressor that I had.

 

[ann0yed]

After reading every posting I could find about capacitors I ended up getting this:

68,000uF 25V Aluminum Electrolytic Capacitor

http://www.tedss.com/CGS683U025V4C

AND I decided, what the hell, I'll run one of those tiny batteries as well - which I think I may disconnect after having read what Pete wrote about them causing ignition problems because I've been experiencing some mysterious possible ignition problems of my own.

 

[jefft]

I would like to find a condensor that is finally proven to work dependably in conjunction with the PMA and Pamco units. I don't know what the difference is between the Accel and these other condensors that makes one a successful swap and another one not. Hard to find specs on the Accel. Does the Sparx have a larger storage capacity than the Accel?
jefft

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