What is the purpose of the ballast resistor?
What is a 'Ballast Resistor' and do I need it?
- 390fastback. Another question on the painless wiring kit for my 68. ...
- fastbackfolk
- pprince. You need the resistor to reduce the voltage in order for the points not to burn up quickly. ...
- 2ndGen. I've always associated actual ballast resistors with Mopar vehicles. ...
- 390fastback. ...
- 2ndGen. ...
- cmayna. ...
- 390fastback. ...
- cmayna. ...
- cmayna. ...
How to replace a ballast resistor?
Steps
- Before you go to the trouble of replacing the ballast, you should determine if a bad ballast is indeed the likely cause of the problem.
- Remove the lamps and place them in a safe location.
- Turn the light off at the switch, as well as at the circuit breaker. ...
What does a ballast resistor do in an ignition system?
- Vehicle starts, then immediately dies. The most obvious symptoms will be the vehicle starts, but then immediately dies as soon as you release the key.
- Not starting at all. If the ballast resistor is not working properly, the vehicle will not start.
- Don't jump the resistor.
- Let the vehicle be.
Do I need a ballast resistor?
The ballast resistor is used in automotive applications. It is used to reduce the voltage level of the ignition coil. To test the ballast resistor, we need an ohmmeter and multimeter. If the ballast resistor is not connected with the ignition coil, the full supply voltage is applied to the ignition coil.
How do you test a ballast resistor?
0:031:01Ballast Resistor - How to Test - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipTake one lead from your voltmeter connect it to the side coming from the ignition switch. Take theMoreTake one lead from your voltmeter connect it to the side coming from the ignition switch. Take the other week when we voltmeter connect it to ground. Now reach in the car. And turn the key to the on.
What is the value of ballast resistor?
So if you have an LED with a voltage rating of say 4 Volt, forward current of say 10mA and a voltage source of 6V. This means that the voltage across the LED should be either 4 or less than 4. Therefore, the resistance of the ballast resistor should be either R= (6-4)/0.010 = 200Ω or greater than that.
How do I know if I need a ballast resistor?
And while ignition coil life may be compromised without a resistor, the additional secondary voltage (at the spark plug) is increased which generally improves power. So does your application require a ballast resistor? Quite simply, if your distributor has breaker points the answer is yes; if not, the answer is no.
What happens when a ballast resistor fails?
If the ballast resistor is not working properly, the vehicle will not start. Since it is an electrical system, it is something best left to the professionals to handle. The only way to have the vehicle up and running again is with a ballast resistor replacement.
How many ohms should a 12 volt coil have?
You should have a resistance reading of at least 3-4.5 ohms. A bad coil will show a higher reading then 3-4.5. Next, place the red or black lead from the meter to the centre of the coil , and to either one of the terminals positive or negative. You want 9500-10000 Ohms, a little less is ok but no more.
How many volts should a ballast resistor have?
To test your ballast resistor you need an ohm meter or multimeter set to ohms. Remove the connectors from both sides of the resistor. The ohms should read between 1.8 and 5 ohms. You should be getting 9 volts to the positive side of the coil.
How do I test a ballast with a multimeter?
To measure it, set your digital multimeter to around a thousand ohms resistance setting. Connect the black leads to the white ground wire on your ballast. Afterward, test every other wire with the red lead. When you do this test, a good ballast will return an “open-loop” or max resistance.
How do you bypass a ballast resistor?
5:4912:28Pertronix flamethrower and ballast resistor bypass on the ... - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe perfect thickness for these jumpers. And then all i'm going to do is unplug them from theMoreThe perfect thickness for these jumpers. And then all i'm going to do is unplug them from the ballast. Resistor. Straight across and we should be able to just throw the key. In.
What does a 12 volt ballast resistor do?
0:577:28How the Ballast Resistor Works - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo let's see how this takes place the batter is going to supply a constant towboat voltage to theMoreSo let's see how this takes place the batter is going to supply a constant towboat voltage to the ignition switch. When you turn the key on 12 volts are being sent to the ballast resistor and as
Should a ballast resistor get hot?
Old style Ballast resistors get hot, its the way they work and why they are mounted the way they are. Basically if you were to remove the filler you would find a wire coil, usually a fairly thick gauge and the current flowing through this is creates the resistance. A By-product of this is heat.
Why do some ignition coils need ballast resistor?
A Ballast Resistor is an electrical device that reduces voltage to the coil so that more energy is available for the spark plugs during starting.
What does a fuel pump ballast resistor do?
0:332:35Fuel Pump Ballast Resistor - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThis goes into the circuit just to drop the voltage may be from 12 volts to 10 volts or somethingMoreThis goes into the circuit just to drop the voltage may be from 12 volts to 10 volts or something like that and all it does is cut down on the noise.
How many ohms does a ballast resistor test?
Sometimes a ballast resistor will test correctly at 3 ohms under a static, cold resistance test per above, but perform incorrectly under dynamic load on the bike. In such cases, the actual delivered resistance can deviate from the design spec.
What is a ballast resistor?
First, the ballast resistor is the long, white ceramic thing attached to the left side of the coil assembly. Basic function: the ballast resistor is a resistor contained in the primary ignition circuit wiring that lowers voltage after the engine is started to reduce wear on ignition components.
What are the components of a circuit?
The principal ones are the coils, plugs, plug wires / caps, ballast resistor, points, and dual condensers. The battery, wiring harness, stator, rectifier, voltage regulator and associated switchgear are in the mix as well. All of these components must function harmoniously for good results.
Is a Honda ballast reliable?
If any of you owned Chrysler cars during the 60s and 70s, you are no doubt familiar with this common problem! Fortunately, the Honda ballast is very reliable and catastrophic failure is rare . To test your ballast, remove the 2 attached wires from the terminals and check for resistance across the terminals (ignition off).
What happens to the resistance of a ballast resistor?
When the current flowing through the resistor increase, it increases the temperature of the ballast resistor. As a result, the resistance also increases. This type of ballast resistor is used in an incandescent lamp. When the current passing through the lamp increase, the resistance of the ballast resistor increases.
Why is a ballast resistor used?
A ballast resistor is used in a device to compensate for changes and secure the other components of a network. When the current flowing through the resistor increase, the temperature also increases. And due to the temperature rise, the resistance also increases. Therefore, an increase in resistance limits the current flowing through the network.
What voltage is used to supply the ignition coil?
If the ballast resistor is not connected with the ignition coil, the full supply voltage is applied to the ignition coil. Generally, the battery is used to supply the ignition system. And in most cases, the battery voltage will be 12V or 24V.
What happens to the voltage of a ballast when the current increases?
When the current passing through the lamp increase, the resistance of the ballast resistor increases. And it also increases the voltage drop across the resistor. When the current decreases, the temperature goes down and resistance decreases.
Why is the ignition ballast resistor important?
It reduces the failure risk of the ignition coil. When the starter motor cranks the engine, the ignition ballast resistor helps to reduce the coil voltage and coil current. Therefore, low current causes a low-temperature rise. And it results in a long life of the ignition coil.
How to increase the life of an ignition coil?
To increase the life of the ignition coil, we need to reduce voltage. and to fulfill this purpose, we connect a ballast resistor with the ignition coil . So, to test the ballast resistor, we can measure the voltage across the ignition coil. If the ballast resistor is good, it reduced the voltage level to 7-8V.
What happens to the resistance when the current is flowing through the resistor?
If the current flowing through the resistor increases above the threshold value, the resistance increases. The resistance can then correspondingly decrease as the current decreases. In this way, the ballast resistor tries to maintain a constant current flowing through a circuit. The ballast resistor is different from the load resistor.
kittypancake Well-Known Member
How many ohms resistance should a ballast resistor read? The one in the car has 12v on both sides, so I'm guessing thats not right. The used one I have sitting around reads 0 ohms resistance, so I'm guessing tha's not right either.
Bad Sport HALF A BUBBLE OFF Staff Member FABO Gold Member
They vary, 1.5 to 2.5, I think. Maybe a little higher. Don't quote me on it LOL.
67Dart273 FABO Gold Member FABO Gold Member
1-1.2. Not over 1.5 Most meters are not accurate the lower the resistance gets.
kittypancake Well-Known Member
1-1.2. Not over 1.5 Most meters are not accurate the lower the resistance gets.
67Dart273 FABO Gold Member FABO Gold Member
Make sure it's reading what you think. Meters "vary." What does the ohmeter say with the probes disconnected? This is the "infinity" reading. Short the probes and see what it says. Digi meters rarely read "zero" with the probes shorted.
ir3333 Well-Known Member
cold,in and around 1 is fine and as stated, at that lo a resistance your meter will be out .3 or so.
BillGrissom Well-Known Member
The main thing is the voltage at coil+ (red lead) with the black lead on BATT-. You should read ~8 VDC (average) with the engine running, if points or the OEM Mopar box.
Why do ignition coils need a ballast resistor?
People also ask, 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. ...
Do you need a resistor for Pertronix?
If the coil required a ballast resistor when it was used with points, then you must still use the resistor. If it didn' t, then no resistor is necessary.
Why remove ballast resistor?
In either type of ignition system, points or electronic, the ballast resistor can be removed to increase secondary voltage to the spark plugs, but the long-term effects of removing the resistor differ between the two systems.
Where is the ballast resistor on a Mopar?
Some brands utilized a resistor in the coil or a resistor wire hidden in the wiring from the ignition switch, but Mopar put their resistor (or ballast resistor) on the firewall or inner fender, causing some to misidentify it as a part of the charging system. In simple terms, the ballast resistor in a Mopar limits the amperage, or current flow, ...
Do distributors need ballast resistors?
So does your application require a ballast resistor? Quite simply, if your distributor has breaker points the answer is yes ; if not, the answer is no. See all 7 photos. 2 Older points-style ignition system used a single resistor which reduced amperage to the coil resulting in extended life for the coil and points.
