RE: ballast resistor elimination
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RE: ballast resistor elimination



Silly question here. I'm hearing a lot of talk about points distributors.  Why in this day and age would anybody run points?   Junk yards are full of electronic ignitions.  And aftermarket ready to run distributors are not all that expensive.  Plus I found a web page where you can make your stock distributor into an HEI for around $40.  The website says any Chrysler v8 can have HEI on it.  It won't work on a slant 6.  If anyone wants the website shoot me a PM and I will dig it up for you.  Just my two cents.
 

Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2013 01:00:32 -0500
From: zephyr9900@xxxxxxxxxxx
To: 1962to1965mopars@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: ballast resistor elimination

"THIS MAKES THE COIL OPERATE ON 6 VOLTS WHICH INDICATES THAT IT IS A SIX-VOLT COIL."   I think Not!  It's a twelve-volt rated coil operating on six-volts, reducing it's possible output!  Installing a six-volt rated coil in the same system will have a higher output and operate at its maximum rating.  Also from the MoPar Muscle article you referenced, "Electronic ignition systems, whether factory Mopar or aftermarket, don't utilize breaker points, thereby not actually needing a ballast resistor to control amperage through the pickup coil. And while ignition coil life may be compromised without a resistor, the additional secondary voltage (at the spark plug) is increased which generally improves power. So does your application require a ballast resistor? Quite simply, if your distributor has breaker points the answer is yes; if not, the answer is no." 
 
I probably should have gone more in depth (My Bad) about extended point life as the article did, again, the primary reason for Ma MoPar to install BR ballast resistors, the extended coil life was just a convenient byproduct for a short period of time because your running a Twelve Volt coil at a reduced voltage.
 
Not wanting to get into a lengthy discussion but with the correct capacitor you could eliminate the BR also!

 
 
 
 
-------Original Message-------
 
From: John
Date: 6/11/2013 11:24:41 PM
Subject: Re: ballast resistor elimination
 


First, of course the stock coil resistance is really 1.35 ohms (1.28-1.42 ohms per the shop manuals). This is because resistance is a steady-state obstruction to current flow. Resistance is a Direct Current quality. You use your multimeter or digital VOM and that is what you will measure with a stock coil. So a stock coil does have a resistance of 1.35 ohms. If you want to talk about dynamic conditions, then we must speak of the coil’s impedance and not of its resistance.

In addition in a points-driven system, like the Dodge's we really have only two operational states that we can measure. Sure there are dynamic conditions in action but without specialized equipment we are unable to measure them and even more important, these dynamic conditions are not really pertinent here. So these two conditions are when the points are open and when they are closed.

With open points, no current flows thru either the ballast resistor or the coil. So one will measure battery voltage at any point from the battery to the non-ground side of the points.

However with the points closed, current will flow as follows: battery to ign switch to ballast res to coil to points and finally to ground. With an assumed charging voltage of 14 volts at the battery, we can measure voltage drops of about 8 volts across the ballast and 6 volts across the coil. THIS MAKES THE COIL OPERATE ON 6 VOLTS WHICH INDICATES THAT IT IS A SIX-VOLT COIL. 


A 12 volt coil designed for a point system has it's own built in resistance that extends the life of points and the coil. Read this article in Mopar Muscle. http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/techarticles/body/mopp_1110_ballast_resistor_guide_ballast_blast_off/ 
So both are right the ballast resistor extends the life of the points and the coil. Using a internally ballast coil or 12volt coil eliminates the need for a ballast resistor. 

Sent from John

On Jun 11, 2013, at 18:40, Herb <zephyr9900@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Bingo!!  The lowered voltage extends the life of the points, nothing to do with overheating coils.  There are 12v coils in all our cars unless someone wanted to get more spark the old school way and installed a 6v coil.  Just run a jumper wire across the two leads on the back of your ballast resistor to get 12v to the coil and still look stock.   Jumping a bad resistor recycling it is better yet!  Now running 12v will shorten the life of your points unless your running a Pertronix unit or something like it that is designed to run on a full 12v because the reduced voltage from a ballast resistor is getting close to the fail voltages of their system.  Pertronix systems as well as others are designed to run with a low resistance 12v coils, as opposed to a standard high resistance coil that will burn the Pertronix unit and others, out in the end.  That is why I always install Pertronix units and Pertronix coils as a set and have had years & years of trouble free operation. 
 
H
 
 
 
 
-------Original Message-------
 
From: 65
Date: 6/11/2013 7:38:22 PM
Subject: Re: ballast resistor elimination
 
I believe the ballast resistor was also there to protect the points from having 12V through them constantly.
 
 
----- Original Message -----
From: John
Sent: Tuesday, June 11, 2013 4:49 PM
Subject: Re: ballast resistor elimination

I also believe a 12 volt coil will eliminate the need for a ballast resistor. Our older Dodge systems are made to start with 12 volts to ensure it will start. After starting when the key returns to the run position it feeds power through the ballast resistor dropping the voltage to the coil to 6 volts. If you bypass the ballast resistor it will run but the constant 12 volts to the coil will cause it to eventually overheat and fail. If you take the ballast resistor out or bypass it you need to replace the coil with one made to operate with a constant 12 volts. Pertronix makes a 12 volt coil some of the other manufactures also have 12 volt coils in there cars they are not hard to find and not to expensive. 

Sent from John

On Jun 11, 2013, at 13:09, MO <micher@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I can't testifie about the Mopar  electronic, but for  points or Pertronix, you can eliminate the ballast resister by going to your parts house and asking for a coil that says right on it, "no external resister needed" It should be on their shelf.  They must have the resister built right into the coil. .....................................MO

On Tuesday, June 11, 2013 9:08:24 AM UTC-5, Roger Pettigrew wrote:
the only way to eliminate the ballast resistor is to go with a complete aftermarket ecu system, such as MSD or pertronics, as well as a different coil
 
In a message dated 6/11/2013 8:45:34 A.M. Central Daylight Time, vul...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
I know it has been covered here before, but with advancing CRS (can't remember s***) on my part,
can someone tell me how to eliminate the ballast resistor ? I have the MoPar electronic ignition
with the orange box, and want to eliminate the weak link in the system if possible. Thanks, Warren.
 

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