Verification, please?

This question 'fits' both 4-pin and 2-pin ballast setups.

I understand the purpose of the 4-pin ballast, the higher resistance feeding a reduced voltage to a five pin ECU. The coil compensating side, whatever value it may be, is relevant to the question.

The IG2 (start) wire feeds the coil full system voltage, presumably to help a cold engine start. The IG1 (run) side runs the coil through the compensating ballast.

Fine.

What I find curious: During the IG2 event, pin 1 on the ECU is powered through the compensating resistor, reducing the voltage with which the ECU operates.

That seems odd. Why does the ECU's power supply have any connection through/to the ballast resistor (either the 2 or 4-pin). Is it just to get the one wire powered through both states of the ignition switch (IG1 and IG2)?

A BTW, really: I have a 4-pin ballast, don't use the higher ohm side. Don't use the low side, either, but that's a different bale of whick. There are a lot of wires attached to the thing, complicated by modification for an MSD unit I used for years. I'm looking to clean up the mess, having just broken the main 'IG1' run wire right at the spade crimp.

What is a good choice to join together all the wires that need joining...that ARE joined at the ballast? I've found the existing wiring harness wire too old to effectively solder together. Scraping, cleaning, brushing every strand is a PITA...and even with doing that, chances of a decent solder joint are slim.

Separate ring terminals and a barrier strip might work. I've looked for 'This is what I did...' threads, didn't find one; doesn't mean the question hasn't been covered a bazillion times already.

Thanks!!