"Mike Romain" > wrote in message
g.com...
> The points 'do' arc out and burn in those regulators or you wouldn't
> need new ones.... I was always under the impression you needed the
> condenser to slow this down.

You're right, Mike. The condensor is there to stop RFI but it does it by
stopping the sparking, which is an interrupted DC. Just like the condensor
used to do on points, it provides a low impedance path for high frequency
AC or interrupted DC.

While an electromechanical regulator might not be a critical to spark damage
as ignition points were, the principle is similar.