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.
What can cause a ballast resistor to go bad?
The resistance through the ballast resistor varies with current flow which varies with engine rpm. This naturally causes the resistor to expand and contract from heat . That’s why they eventually fail.
Why is my ballast resistor smoking?
the ballast WILL heat up . Any grease, oil, etc WILL cause it to smoke.
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 .
How do you know if a ballast resistor is bad?
- 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. ...
- Don’t jump the resistor. ...
- Let the vehicle be.
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.
What does a 12 volt ballast resistor do?
The ballast resistor allows the ignition system to operate at a lower voltage until the engine starts . After ignition, the alternator begins to recharge the battery, restoring the regular voltage.
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 .
Can a resistor wire go bad?
The only way the wire will “go bad” is if it gets a break in it so it has infinite resistance (an open circuit).
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.
What is the difference between a ballast and non ballast coil?
What is the difference between the two types of coils? Basically, a non-ballast coil is designed to produce full spark output with 12 volts on the input (+ terminal) . A ballast coil is designed to produce the same spark output, but with only 6 to 9 volts on the input.
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.
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.
Where does a ballast resistor go?
Note: Ballast resistors are usually located bolted to the firewall if your distributor and/or coil is at the rear of the engine.
What does a resistor do for a coil?
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.
