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  • Electrical: Ballast Resister

    I'm in the process of a complete rewire of my 63 Wagonaire with a 259ci engine. Does a ballast resister need to be installed for the points or does the coil already reduce the voltage? It didn't have one on it and ran well without burning the points.
    Gary

  • #2
    To be sure you could take an amp reading. If the points are closed, key on and 12 volts across the coil, it should draw about 4 amps. In other words, the coil would have about 3 ohms across the primary terminals if no external resistor is needed. If the amp draw is about 8 amps, then it needs an external resistor. If the ohms is 1 1/2 then it needs an external resistor to be run on 12 volts.

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    • #3
      TWChamp, that's not possible now. The old harness is out and the new one is going in. I was told that the coil could be one that reduces the voltage, is there any way to confirm that while it's off of the car? I was also told some cars used a stainless wire for more resistance but stainless wire was not connected to coil from distributor.
      Gary

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      • #4
        That depends on what kind of a "Harness" you are installing, the original Harness had a Pink Resistance Wire from the ign. Sw. to the Coil, the replacement Harness???

        Factory duplicate new Studebaker Vendor replacement, NOS New replacement, aftermarket do it your self kit?
        StudeRich
        Second Generation Stude Driver,
        Proud '54 Starliner Owner
        SDC Member Since 1967

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by StudeRich View Post
          That depends on what kind of a "Harness" you are installing, the original Harness had a Pink Resistance Wire from the ign. Sw. to the Coil, the replacement Harness???

          Factory duplicate new Studebaker Vendor replacement, NOS New replacement, aftermarket do it your self kit?
          StudeRich, thanks for the reply. I'm using an aftermarket "Haywire" harness that I had laying around. My plans for the car necessitated an upgraded wiring harness. It's a GM harness and the replacement is going fine with the exception of the ballast question. There will be an engine transplant next year but I need to use the 259 for this year. The original distributor to coil wire was black and no ballast resistor was there.
          Gary

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          • #6
            The ballast resistor is just one method of reducing the voltage across the points to an acceptable level where the points won't cook and turn blue and fail.

            Other methods for reducing that voltage is a resistor wire (which Stude used in some models) and an 'internal resistor' coil.

            Quick method to check to see what you have.

            Turn your key to 'on'
            Check your voltage at the coil .
            It should read 7.5 volts.
            That would mean you have a resistor of one of these types in your system.
            If your voltage reads 12 volts, then you need to add one of the types of resistors to reduce that voltage down from 12 volts.

            Note: When you turn your key to 'start' (crank), there is a bypass circuit that allows the full 12 volts to go across the points, but only during cranking.
            The 'run' voltage should be close to 7.5 volts.


            Knowing what you have now is important, because adding an internal resistor coil to a system that has a resistor wire will cause a low voltage scenario.
            (You can usually visually tell an internal resistor setup if there are two wires running to the plus side of the coil).
            Last edited by DEEPNHOCK; 03-31-2015, 05:41 AM.
            HTIH (Hope The Info Helps)

            Jeff


            Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please. Mark Twain



            Note: SDC# 070190 (and earlier...)

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by DEEPNHOCK View Post
              The ballast resistor is just one method of reducing the voltage across the points to an acceptable level where the points won't cook and turn blue and fail.

              Other methods for reducing that voltage is a resistor wire (which Stude used in some models) and an 'internal resistor' coil.

              Quick method to check to see what you have.

              Turn your key to 'on'
              Check your voltage at the coil .
              It should read 7.5 volts.
              That would mean you have a resistor of one of these types in your system.
              If your voltage reads 12 volts, then you need to add one of the types of resistors to reduce that voltage down from 12 volts.

              Note: When you turn your key to 'start' (crank), there is a bypass circuit that allows the full 12 volts to go across the points, but only during cranking.
              The 'run' voltage should be close to 7.5 volts.


              Knowing what you have now is important, because adding an internal resistor coil to a system that has a resistor wire will cause a low voltage scenario.
              (You can usually visually tell an internal resistor setup if there are two wires running to the plus side of the coil).
              Jeff, is it possible to bench test the coil? The rewire is already in process and I won't be able to test coil online until wiring is complete.
              Gary

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by garrilla View Post
                Jeff, is it possible to bench test the coil? The rewire is already in process and I won't be able to test coil online until wiring is complete.
                Try one of these methods...

                http://tinyurl.com/bench-testing-ignition-coils
                HTIH (Hope The Info Helps)

                Jeff


                Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please. Mark Twain



                Note: SDC# 070190 (and earlier...)

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by DEEPNHOCK View Post
                  Thanks Jeff, I should have thought of that.
                  Gary

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by garrilla View Post
                    Thanks Jeff, I should have thought of that.
                    No sweat Gary... Glad to help out.
                    The Internet is an amazing resource... Way smarter than I am...
                    HTIH (Hope The Info Helps)

                    Jeff


                    Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please. Mark Twain



                    Note: SDC# 070190 (and earlier...)

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      StudeRich's reply prompted me to check the wire diagram and there is a pink resistance wire from the ignition. So with the new harness I'll have to use a ballast resister. Looks like I'll have to trace which wire pole on the starter solenoid to have a 12V source to bypass ballast for starting, any advice? The starter solenoid has 2 small posts, 1 on the battery side and 1 on the starter side. Does the 1 on the starter side put out 12V when the key is turned to start?
                      Gary

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                      • #12
                        The terminal that is on the starter side outputs 12 volts in the start position.
                        Ron

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          The Terminal is marked "I" for Ignition works only in the Start Mode of the Ign. Sw.

                          The "S" Start Term starts the Car.
                          StudeRich
                          Second Generation Stude Driver,
                          Proud '54 Starliner Owner
                          SDC Member Since 1967

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Thanks guys, that clears things up for me.
                            Gary

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              The ignition coil is NOT Stude specific you can swap the coil out if you do not want to run a resistance wire and thay way when you bowtie it you will all ready have a 12 volt lead for the coil.
                              If you car is ugly then it better be fast.....

                              65 2dr sedan
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                              55 Commander Wagon
                              54 Champion Wagon
                              46 Gibson Model A
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                              45 Agricat
                              67 Triumph T100
                              66 Bultaco Matadore

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