Thread: Ballast Resistor? or Not?

Tweet

Originally Posted by pat mccarthy

if you set it down under 12 volts its never going to 12 or past that . if that was the case your points would burn up ??????????????? IF hei coil is made for NO ballast then it should not need one

Very true, but are any of the coils in the round can made specifically for hei and thus 12v contantly. I don't know..... Just a question. Hmmmmmmmmm time for some research.

Originally Posted by dlotraf33

Very true, but are any of the coils in the round can made specifically for hei and thus 12v contantly. I don't know..... Just a question. Hmmmmmmmmm time for some research.

yes MSD makes one

Originally Posted by pat mccarthy

yes MSD makes one

Yeah it looks like that is the way to go. They had more specs and info on their products that the othes I looked at.

Oh BTW, really like that "IRISH DIPLOMACY" my great, great, grandfather was an O'Brian and mother always told me I got the Irish temper.

Originally Posted by dlotraf33

Yeah it looks like that is the way to go. They had more specs and info on their products that the othes I looked at.

Oh BTW, really like that "IRISH DIPLOMACY" my great, great, grandfather was an O'Brian and mother always told me I got the Irish temper.

i would not know any thing about the IRISH temper thing i have a bit of german No temper i just do not forget and that would be the IRISH i have alot of that i have used many of the MSD blaster coils with the 6als the pionts just will not take 12 volts full time that what the ballast ressistor from welding the points . the chevy cars used resistor wire for the old points when going to a hei or MSD this wire get removed so it gets 12 volts done a hand full this way

Ok, still not real sure as to answer. Here is what I found.
MSD Blaster II and III coils instructions say points and factory dist run ballast resistor. In another place they say if dist does not require ballast resistor don't run one. ???????????

Pertronics, Flamethrower 40,000 volt coil is internally resisted so can be used on many ignition systems. Directions and specs say nothing as to ballast resistor, 45,000 volt coil is available in 1.5 and 3.0 ohm models.??????? Oh 40,000 volt coil is .6 ohm

Accel says any coil with less than 1.0 ohm resistance needs ballast resistor.

phone support may lead to better info. It appears most of the round can coils are made to replace point type coils and electronic ignition systems. None specify HEI, with the exception of the conflicting mention by msd.

Electrical I know, not necessarly automotive, but theory and how componets work. I know somthing like a coil is designed to opperate a certain voltage, or range. If you design a coil to produce a certain output voltage with a ballast it will produce that voltage, increasing the input voltage will increase output voltage. But if one were to build to min specs, to reduce production cost. They might not handle very much voltage in excess of design spec. You would think in the case of an ignition coil with the numerous applications today the mfg would give at least a max input voltage, or better a min and max range that would not damage the coil and produce the desired output voltage. I did discover that the accel coil I purchased was a .8 ohm coil designed for points application. You would think that would be on the box, or on even a small instruction sheet in product. Neither were present, and of course the idiots a most auto parts stores anymore need an application for a set of cork sbc valve cover gaskets. Before I purchase another coil, and I think I'm looking at MSD, I wan't to hear it from them, that no ballast required, and that coil will operate without failure on constant 12 volt operation. But on the other end a coil designed to output 40,000 volts with a ballast could be run with a ballast on hei type, just run 12 volts to dist, and dropped voltage to coil only. You would think the aftermart market manufactures, knowing we are modifying our vehicles would maybe figure we were smart enough to understand their specs, and not just say it'll work buy it.