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Old 11-23-2003, 08:40 PM   #1
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Capacitors on Older Electric Brakes

Have a 1973 31 ft Soverign with tandem axles. Behind each wheel is a 1" X 4" capacitor with a lead in wire and a metal bleeder rod. All 4 capacitors are interconnected. I assume that the interconnected lead in wire goes to the + electric brake wire?
My question is what is the function of those capacitors???
Will the brakes work w/o them?
Thanks in advance for any information.
Dick
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Old 11-24-2003, 07:26 AM   #2
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Never heard of capacitors in an electrical brake system. Brake system should work with out them. A capacitor is a short term electrical storage devise. I don't understand that function in a brake system unless there were spikes and then there would be a second applicat ion of the brakes.

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Old 11-24-2003, 11:04 AM   #3
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Question radio noise?

perhaps a previous owner was a ham radio operator and installed the caps to quell radio noise.

can't think of any better reason.

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Old 11-24-2003, 01:55 PM   #4
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Capacitors

Can you tell the value ??
.001 to .01ufd would be for electrical noise suppression. Other than that I know of no reason to have caps in the brake ckt.

Garry
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Old 11-24-2003, 04:37 PM   #5
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Thanks for the reply gentlemen.
My guess now is they act as sort of a voltage unifying device so that all 4 brakes see the same voltage??
Anyway since 2 of the bleeder rods were corroded back to the base, I bypassed them. Now when I apply max voltage only 1 wheel locks up. The good news is that it passed inspection. Now I can legally tow it to a shop for new axles etc.
Dick
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Old 11-24-2003, 04:47 PM   #6
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Navigator.

The capacitors were used to eliminate "radio" interference for a "Ham" operator.

You can remove them if you wish, as normally, a capacitor serves no other useful purpose.

Andy
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Old 11-25-2003, 01:39 AM   #7
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Thank you Andy.
Dick
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