Megneto plus points/condenser on old Briggs

Hi, All,

my Briggs (100292-0536) has a magneto and points and condenser. I am more used to either a magneto alone, or a battery with points and condenser. I hadn't seen this combination before. Can someone explain what points and condenser add to a magneto ignition?

thanks!

Bill
 
Welcome to the Old School way of doing things.

The points/condenser in the Briggs magneto trigger the spark timing the same way they would if it was a battery/coil ignition system.
The magneto just makes the electrical energy for the spark instead of the coil if it were a battery ignition system.

In all the later magneto ignition modules, the timing trigger was electronic and housed in the same case as the magneto coil. The timing circuitry took the place of the points and condenser.
 
Briggs called it a Magnatron. They were not that costly and worked great.Any good small engine parts place may still have them. Take your serial and model numbers so they can make sure your engine takes one. Another common problem on older Briggs is the pulsa jet carb. It is actually part of the gas tank and the tank warps a tiny bit. If you taka a GOOD fine file and "plain" the srface a little it will fix the tank top where the diapram sits. Did a bunch of them. Dead give away is the thing will not start or runs like crap.
 
For many yrs I did the same thing as you did fileing/sanding tank top till I found out briggs made a repair kit(pn391413)for warped tank problem rather than spend $40-$50 for a new tank,goto link below to see installation of kit.Move mouse pointer over pic & click left mouse button to enlarge.
tank
 
Hi, All,

thanks for the answers tho none of them quite got at what i am asking...

mine is pre-magnetron.

What i don;t understand is the advantage of condenser and points over magneto alone.

My other 100292 engine is plan magneto pure and simple, no points, no condenser.

Bill
 
Hi Willam, you can not have a magneto without points and a condenser all B&S engine pre magnetron have points and a condenser, the point are basically a switch when they close electrical current flows thur the primary winding in the coil (current is generated via the magnet on the flywheel) when the point open the switch is off stopping the current flow when this happens a surge of high energy electrical current is generated in the secondary winding of the coil this is the spark the condenser is like a mini storage battery it stores up the current as point close and releases it when the open it this helps with the spark energy and saves on the points contacts preventing them for pitting and burning. If your other engine has no point or condenser then its been converted to magnetron a magnetron magneto uses electronics to replace the points and condenser, if you look close at the engine with out points you should see under the coil a round metal pin between the armature legs this is the electronics part of the system.
GB in MN
 
Got it. Changing magnetic field builds current in
primary, but sudden stop of current when points
open collapses field and gets secondary to fire?
 
Yes.
The opening of the points triggers the voltage spike in the secondary windings that jumps the gap in the sparkplug. The condenser gives the primary current a secondary place to go so the points don"t have a spark jump between them.

later ignition modules used an electronic switch to do the same job as the points, and contained in the housing. This switch was triggered by the passing of the flywheel magnet instead of being triggered mechanically, like the points.
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top