Hey guys, so after last weekend and getting the truck running again. It was brought to my attention that I should convert to Petronix and do away with the points.

My question is... MY coil is "use with external resistor" and my truck has the pink resistance wire not the ballast resistor. When installing this it says to connect the + lead from the Petronix to the ignition side of the ballast resistor... so should I hook the + side to the pigtail in the back of the ignition prior to the pink wire since the pink wire is technically my resistor?

Thanks

 

If you are retaining a correct stock replacement coil for the truck, yes.

 

I bought an Accel Super Stock Breakerless Electronic coil....

 

Coils for electronic ignition are usually not used with a resistor. Are you sure yours is for use with a resistor?
If it is, then you would wire the Pertronix as if it has the stock coil, before the resistor.

 

Well the website says that coil has .7 ohms primary resistance... which isn't much?

 

It's a little confusing at first. Basically you want (in my opinion) to bypass the pink wire ballast and run a full 12+ volts constant. Don't use a 0.6 ohm coil without the resistor.

Why? Your friendly Ohms Law. Now don't quote me on this, but I believe the Ignitor 2 and 3 can only use the 0.6 ohm coil. Or is it the other way around?

In any case 0.6 ohm coils edit: (These are called Flamethrower 2 coils, for use with Ignitor 2 modules) must use an external ballast resistor afaik.

Disconnect and bypass the pink wire, and if using the Ignitor 1 module and want to use a Flamethrower coil as well, use the 1.5 ohm coil. It will still get a little toasty. Been running mine for years this way. YMMV. Make sure your wires, cap, and rotor are good or it will arc to ground or crossfire.

 

Cory in the PM you sent me. On the bottom of the instruction sheet it says " NOTE: A resistor wire or ballast resistor may or may not be included in the original equipment. They are NOT to be changed in any way with the installation of AN ignitor system"

This tells ME, you should leave the pink wire hooked up ( With OEM Coil)

So now, were there instuctions shipped with the Acell Super Stock Breakerless Ignition Coil? What are they saying?

As I recall HEAT is the death of electronics and the cooler they can run the better for long life.

A Full 12 volts is really 14.20 volts with a properly operating charging system. Which is what your generator/mechanical regulator system will do.

A regular coil has to have SOME resistance thru its windings, possibly 0.6 Ohms and I'd guess one with built in resistance might be 1.5 ohms in regards to the two numbers that have been mentioned.

 

I would definitely not want to get rid of the pink wire; as it says to keep all existing external ballasts. That's why I bought a coil with pretty low resistance .7, figuring it would need additional external resistance (pink wire). No, the accel coil did not come with instructions or anything.

 

"It says" what says, where says?

Always read the manufacturer instructions, because believe me, things get twisted when told 4th hand by people who haven't had their morning coffee. Here's what Pertronix says about their coils:

NOTE: REMOVE OR BYPASS EXTERNAL BALLAST RESISTOR OR RESISTANCE WIRE WHEN INSTALLING THE RECOMENDED FLAME-THROWER COIL.

Depends whether reading the instructions for the Ignitor module, or reading the instructions for the Flamethrower coil. That's why I said, it can be confusing. Pertronix has to take into account folks using just the Ignitor alone and keeping the stock coil or, folks using just the Flamethrower alone. Or, folks installing both.

As far as I can tell the 3.0 ohm coils are used in 4 or 6 cylinder engines, the 1.5 ohm coils for V8s. The 0.6 ohm coils are not for use with the Ignitor I, but their later Ignitor II on 6 volt systems.

Keep in mind the reason for the ballast to begin with is to reduce the voltage to the primary circuit and ultimately, the current (amperage) through the points, so they don't burn out.

Since we don't have contact points to worry about anymore a high output coil built for the task (no ballast) doesn't need it or want it and we can also increase the spark voltage availability and open up the plug gap slightly. The resistance of the coil itself isn't the only resistance in the primary circuit. There's probably five or six connections between the ignition switch and the battery. And LOTS of corrosion in 60 year old trucks. What happens is people use the ballast and a 3.0 ohm coil, and corroded wiring harness, and the electronics choke.

Pertronix doesn't want to see more than 8 amps through the module though. Do the math if you have doubts about your particular setup.

14.5 divided by 1.5 = 9.6 amps. Except, the coil isn't "ON" all the time, so it works out to less than that. So we're OK there, plus there's also the resistance of the primary circuit itself. Now.

14.5 volts divided by 0.6 = 24.16 amps. Uh-oh!

There isn't actually a resistor installed inside the coils, it's simply the measurement through the primary windings.

Are all these high secondary voltages in the super-duper ignitions even necessary? Probably not. The 90 jillion volt "super coils" are probably snake oil anyway, hot rod marketing. And should you ever want (or need) to reinstall points and condenser the ballast or pink wire would need to be reconnected.

Don't leave the ignition to ON without the engine running, whether using points or the Ignitor 1. Any type of coil left in this state will get smoked and may leak or make lots of noise. Coils get HOT in use, that's what they do, convert 12 volts to 20,000+.

 

"It says" what says, where says?

T-9, the quote I posted "WAS FROM HIS" Pertronics install instructions. He received NO install instructions with the Flamethrower coil. My reference was to the unit being installed only to replace the pts and condenser, not the coil.

I don't question any of your calculations as you appear more knowledgeable on them then I as far as what resistance values are in different coils. I only had the 2 values mention to refer too.

 

From the Pertronix instructions,

"Eight cylinder engines require a minimum of 1.5 ohms of primary resistance. Do not remove resistors if the coil primary resistance is less than 1.5 ohms."

With the .6 ohm Accel coil, you leave the resistance wire in place, otherwise you do not have the minimum 1.5 ohms.

The ignitor will be wired according to "B. Alternative Wiring Installation:..." in the instructions.

 

Thanks guys, yes I did some reading about Ohms and rules of electricity and it is compounded when put into a series... so .7 ohms resistance from ballast and then the .7 from the coil... around the 1.5 I need. I left the resistor in place and wired the Petronix before the resistance wire. It fired right up, seems to run a little better also. Set up was a breeze! Thanks again everyone