Ballast resistor question ??

[Brooks James]

I know that the coil draws more electricity at higher rpm's, and that the ballast resistor heats up increasing the resistance thus reducing the current to the coil. I Read here recently that with a points ignition the ballasts reducez the voltage to 6V to keep from frying the points. What are the other advantages ?
My question is: I Want to run a switched bypass to run a full 12V to the coil when Im at wide open throttle.
Your thouvhts

 

[AJ/FormS]

I have used relays, but on electronic ignition, and on the street, it didn't seem to make any difference
But-um I use the big yellow square-top Accell Super-Coil, with it's own ballast, which I power up from the battery, triggered thru a relay by the ignition switch.
Best dog-gone coil I ever bought.

 

[Brooks James]

I have used relays, but on electronic ignition, and on the street, it didn't seem to make any difference
But-um I use the big yellow square-top Accell Super-Coil, with it's own ballast, which I power up from the battery, triggered thru a relay by the ignition switch.
Best dog-gone coil I ever bought.

I also have a Super Coil

 

[Professor Fate]

With what ignition? With a stock Chrysler electronic, you run the risk of burning out the box- they're only made to handle a temporary 12v. load at startup. There are aftermarket boxes designed to carry a full-time 12v load, with an appropriate coil. With points, the condenser helps protect the points, but you run the risk of cooking the coil. Aftermarket systems, such as MSD or any of the HEI-based systems already are designed to run at a full 12v., but with a different, appropriate coil.

 

[Professor Fate]

I also have a Super Coil

Depends what you have. There are different Super Coils, designed to run with or without a resistor.

 

[Brooks James]

Depends what you have. There are different Super Coils, designed to run with or without a resistor.

This one came with a resistor

 

[Brooks James]

With what ignition? With a stock Chrysler electronic, you run the risk of burning out the box- they're only made to handle a temporary 12v. load at startup. There are aftermarket boxes designed to carry a full-time 12v load, with an appropriate coil. With points, the condenser helps protect the points, but you run the risk of cooking the coil. Aftermarket systems, such as MSD or any of the HEI-based systems already are designed to run at a full 12v., but with a different, appropriate coil.

OK i have a msd6al and a blaster 2 coil, will that work ??

 

[dadsbee]

Read the instructions for the MSD6AL, they don't use a ballast and it will tell you the proper coil to use!

 

[pishta]

electronic distributor running an old mallory CD ignition. probably under.$80 used. bulletproof. ballast resistor saves the points reducing the amperage to the points, extending their life. on the electronic. it was used to regulate the current ("...The compensating resistance serves the same purpose as in the contact ignition system, that is to maintain constant primary current with variation in engine speed..." Mopar FSM) with an aftermarket coil (supercoil) i'd say its not mandatory. what is the ohm. value of your ballast resistor? it matters. supercoils like more than 7v per another thread.

 

[Brooks James]

Read the instructions for the MSD6AL, they don't use a ballast and it will tell you the proper coil to use!

I just looked it up Super Coil is acceptable with msd6al

 

[LO23M8B]

Mallory used to sell a toggle switch for when you raced. Long long long ago.

 

[Brooks James]

Mallory used to sell a toggle switch for when you raced. Long long long ago.

I dont see why a 20amp toggle wouldnt work

 

[dadsbee]

.. or you can just ignore the fact that the MSD6AL doesn't use a ballast, carry on.

 

[Brooks James]

With what ignition? With a stock Chrysler electronic, you run the risk of burning out the box- they're only made to handle a temporary 12v. load at startup. There are aftermarket boxes designed to carry a full-time 12v load, with an appropriate coil. With points, the condenser helps protect the points, but you run the risk of cooking the coil. Aftermarket systems, such as MSD or any of the HEI-based systems already are designed to run at a full 12v., but with a different, appropriate coil.

MP bronze shaft dizzy, msd6al

 

[Professor Fate]

MP bronze shaft dizzy, msd6al

If it's installed correctly, then you're already at 12v.

 

[Bewy]

You asked for thoughts.
Use elec ign, not points. With elec ign, you get these benefits [ over points ]. Timing doesn't change due to rubbing block wear; no points bounce to cause timing variations, no points erosion to cause timing variations....

 

[RustyRatRod]

.. or you can just ignore the fact that the MSD6AL doesn't use a ballast, carry on.

Which is what he does with every situation and every question. I don't know why he even wastes the bandwidth.

 

[Brooks James]

Which is what he does with every situation and every question. I don't know why he even wastes the bandwidth.

Oh PLEASE forgive me for trying to find out in depth about about a subjects im interested in. The info here is encyclopedic and i fully intend to take advantage of it.

 

[LO23M8B]

.. or you can just ignore the fact that the MSD6AL doesn't use a ballast, carry on.

Different animals.

 

[dadsbee]

Different animals.

Yep, but if he doesn't start acknowledging or thanking people for giving him correct information he's gonna find out that "encyclopedia" he's using will start getting smaller!

 

[AJ/FormS]

I forget stuff real quick, no big deal.
My head leaks knowledge almost as fast as I put it in, so it is in a constant state of filling and leaking. I have to read/see, the same stuff over and over, until it finds something to stick to; then finally, it becomes a building block. I got no desire to keep track of who said what when, or keeping score. With me every day is a start-over day. It's a good thing I don't have to sleep much anymore.

 

[Brooks James]

I forget stuff real quick, no big deal.
My head leaks knowledge almost as fast as I put it in, so it is in a constant state of filling and leaking. I have to read/see, the same stuff over and over, until it finds something to stick to; then finally, it becomes a building block. I got no desire to keep track of who said what when, or keeping score. With me every day is a start-over day. It's a good thing I don't have to sleep much anymore.

Like "50 First Dates"

 

[AJ/FormS]

Speaking of dates;
I married my Third girlfriend, who was actually my first real date. I was 22 when I met her. Well, 22.5 technically, lol.
My first girlfriend died years ago, and the second I heard got real fat...... like her mother; so no loss there. But yaknow; neither of them was my kind, if you know what I mean; I didn't until just a few years ago.

If you have a CDI system.; they work best with a matching E-core coil.
The big yellow square-top Accel SuperCoil will work..... but the design is Not optimal for a CDI system. That coil expects a full-time 7 to 13 volt input, and to have it's ground interupted.
Whereas an E-core is expecting a momentary shot of 525Volts rammed right thru it.
Optimally; they are two different species.

 

[Jim Kueneman]

It will also reduce electrical and thermal stresses off any electronic box as well. I always leave the ballast resistor in when I add Pertronix to my cars.

 

[Bewy]

Whether a BR is used should be determined by what the instructions say. A BR maybe reqd or it may not. Failure to follow the instructions could lead to failure or reduced ign performance.