Pete, most coils need the resistor
The resistor limits the CURRENT going through the coil. Also, if you have a points ignition, it lengthens the life of the points greatly. It’s true that the coil puts out less energy with the resistor, but it’s not a lot less.
Keeping this in view, why do ignition coils need ballast resistor?
The ballast resistor keeps the engine running by preventing the engine from receiving full amperage from the ignition once started. In order to get the vehicle started, the starter sends a higher amperage to the spark plugs when you turn the key in the ignition. The spark plugs need the initial jolt to fire up.
Likewise, can I bypass ballast resistor? A quick and easy way to diagnose ballast resistor failure is to bypass it by running a temporary jumper wire from the battery to the coil. If it starts and remains running, you’ve found the problem. The ignition points are not designed to take full battery voltage for long.
Beside this, what is a resistor coil?
The function of an ignition coil is to multiply battery voltage to a sufficient electrical charge to fire the spark plugs. Any coils that do not have an external resistor have one built into the coil itself. That is about all you have to know in order to find a coil that will work in a vehicle with a point distributor.
How does a ballast resistor coil work?
The ballast resistor allows the ignition system to operate at a lower voltage until the engine starts. The ballast resistor then functions to regulate the voltage going to the ignition system to avoid additional wear on the system.
13 Related Question Answers Found
How do you test a coil?
Connect your multimeter to the positive terminal or pin of your coil, and to the high output terminal that goes to the spark plug. Most ignition coils should have a secondary resistance falling somewhere between 6,000 to 10,000 ohms;however, refer to manufacturer specifications for the correct range.
How do you wire a 12 volt ignition coil?
How to Wire 12 Volt Coils Disconnect the black negative cable on the negative post of the battery. Look at the ignition coil. Connect one end of the spark plug wire to the large center terminal of the ignition coil. Connect the positive terminal of the ignition coil to the “On” terminal of the ignition switch.
What Ohm ignition coil should I use?
Most coils should read between 0.4 and 2 ohms. Zero resistance would indicate a shorted coil while a high resistance reading would indicate an open coil. Secondary resistance is measured between the positive (+) terminal and high voltage output terminal.
How do you hook up a coil resistor?
Strip the end of the positive wire from the ignition, and connect it to the positive end of the resistor. From the other terminal on the resistor a wire goes to the positive on the coil. Make sure to attach securely to the connecting terminal, by wrapping the wire around the post and tightening with a screwdriver.
Do I need a resistor for my coil?
Pete, most coils need the resistor Although that’s not the case with EVERY coil, most do require it. The resistor limits the CURRENT going through the coil. Also, if you have a points ignition, it lengthens the life of the points greatly.
How does a 12 volt ignition coil work?
The ignition coil is the component that converts the 12 volt signal into the high 20,000+ volt charge. Once the voltage is stepped up, it goes to the secondary circuit which then directs the charge to the correct spark plug at the right time.
How many ohms is a ballast resistor?
1.5
How much voltage should be at the coil?
The coil becomes a transformer, stepping the voltage up. If your car uses a 12 volt battery, the 12 volts you put into the primary side of the coil will exit the secondary side as 30,000 volts!
What is an external resistor on an ignition coil?
In other words if the alternator has an internal resistor then you would use an external resistor coil. All that internal/external coils refers to is that there needs to be resistance somewhere in that part of the circuit and it will be located either at the coil or at the alternator.
Is there a difference between a 6 volt coil and a 12 volt coil?
Same thing. A 12 volt coil has higher primary resistance than a 6V. If it works at all, you’ll get very low secondary voltage, and the engine will run really lousy! Your 12 volt coil will work if it doesn’t have an internal ballast resistor.
How do you test a 12 volt coil?
You can test a 12-volt ignition coil for effectiveness by checking the resistance of its wire windings with a multimeter. Disconnect your engine’s main negative battery cable with a wrench. Pull the main ignition coil wire, the one that leads to the distributor, off the coil.
Does ignition coil have to be grounded?
The simple answer is no, the coil case does not have to be grounded for the ignition to work properly.
Why does an ignition coil get hot?
The leading cause of premature failure of an ignition coil is due to a worn or bad spark plug ignition cable. A bad spark plug ignition cable will have a much higher than normal resistance. This excessive voltage creates a high amount of heat which consequently melts the coil’s wire insulation.