What Happens When A Ballast Resistor Fails?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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If your ballast resistor is bad,

your vehicle will not run and you will have to have it towed to the mechanic’s shop

. … The biggest sign your ballast resistor is bad is your vehicle will start, but immediately stop as soon as you let go of the key.

What does the ballast resistor do?

In simple terms, the ballast resistor in a Mopar

limits the amperage, or current flow, through the coil while the engine is running

, thereby extending the life of the coil and breaker points of the distributor.

Do ballast resistors fail?

The ballast is just a wirewound resistor.

Too much current through them will heat them up such that they will eventually fail

. They form part of a circuit which includes the coil primary.

Will a bad ballast resistor cause no spark?


Yes, a blown ballast can bugger

up the spark, what kind of distributor are you using. Before replacing the ballast check it with an ohm meter, if you got one, and it should read what ever is stamped on the ballast such as . 9 ohms.

Can I bypass ballast resistor?

The duty of the ballast resistor is to limit voltage to the ignition coil. … 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

.

Does a ballast resistor reduce voltage?

The ballast resistor, supplies the needed voltage during the start up, and then immediately after the arc is established, it

reduces the voltage in addition to regulating the current flow

.

What happens when a resistor fails?

When a resistor fails, it

either goes open (no connection) or the resistance increases

. When the resistance increases, it can burn the board, or burn itself up.

How do you know if a resistor is bad?

  1. Turn off the power running through the circuit containing the resistor you need to test. …
  2. Look at the color bands around the barrels of the components for the code to determine resistor values. …
  3. Check resistor values with the color codes.

What causes a ballast resistor to get hot?

Re: ballast resistor getting hot

It means

the coil is drawing excessive current

.

How do you know if a fluorescent ballast is bad?

  1. Low output. …
  2. Flickering. …
  3. Buzzing. …
  4. Inconsistent lighting levels. …
  5. Delayed start. …
  6. Power off the fixture. …
  7. Remove fluorescent bulbs from the fixture. …
  8. Disconnect the ballast.

Why is there no spark at points?

If no spark is visible, check to see if

the points or wires are shorting to ground

either at the points or at the primary terminal screw going through the housing. Also check where the contact spring connects to the main frame of the points and make sure the insulator is not melted.

Do you need a resistor with a 12 volt coil?

If a 6 volt ignition system is converted to 12 volts and a Delco style 12 volt coil with an internal resistor is installed as part of the conversion,

no external resistors are required

. The 12 volt battery must be connected so the negative (-) battery terminal is connected to ground.

Can you bypass resistor?

A wire in the left circuit is shorting the 100Ω resistor.

All current will bypass the resistor

and travel through the short. The voltage across the 100Ω resistor is going to be zero.

Does my car have a ballast resistor?

How can I tell if I have a standard or ballast coil system? … To find out for sure, use a

multimeter to check the voltage on

the positive wire of the coil with the ignition on. You can test the resistance of the coil using a voltmeter and measure the Ohms (resistance) across the +’ve and –’ve terminals.

How many ohms 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.

Jasmine Sibley
Author
Jasmine Sibley
Jasmine is a DIY enthusiast with a passion for crafting and design. She has written several blog posts on crafting and has been featured in various DIY websites. Jasmine's expertise in sewing, knitting, and woodworking will help you create beautiful and unique projects.