Today I installed my third Pertronix 1 ignitor, to go with the flamethrower 1 coil (there wont be a fourth LOL). The instructions did say an inline resistor
wasnt needed with the Flamethrower coil and Pertronix 1. However I called the tech support line and asked them. The tech guy said you could use the inline resistor if wanted, or if not it could be removed. Either way the longevity of the Ignitor would not be affected, but with it inline the spark energy would be reduced.
FYI
Mike

 

Dose anyone know if it makes a differance whether if you have a generator or altanator? I would think the voltage/amps would be cleaner on a later model altanator?

 

for what it's worth, i always use a ballast resister, and have never had a problem with a pertronix unit. i also use stock coils though on the over 15 units i have put in, but i have one that has seen constant service in a dump truck since 1981.

 

From what I have found the Pertronix coil has the 1.5 ohm ballast resistance built in. That is why they said you could take out the external resistor. A stock coil would require the ballast resistor. Some Ford cars and trucks have a resistance wire instead of the resistor depending on the year. I have heard people cooking the pertronix by leaving the ign sw on too long when the engine is off.

Mallory makes a filter to prevent voltage spikes from damaging the electronic ign.

The ballast resistor was introduced when car makers went to 12v sytems to make the points last longer. When transistor ign came in the resistor was kept to protect the electronics. When you switch to aftermarket parts you should follow the makers recommendations for the combination of parts you are using, JMHO.

 

I just installed the Pertronix 1.5ohm coil in mine and I removed the inline dropping resistor.(commonly known as a "ballast" resistor) The spark is visibly brighter too!



I cannot say if the 1.5ohm coil does have an internal additional resistance but I'll connect my Fluke 189 and measure it. If it's around 1.5 ohms than it doesn't. If it's 3 ohms or so then you *could* say it has a "ballast" resistor but probably more correctly the series resistance might just be more actual series resistance of the primary winding of the coil.

On the other hand....There's probably no separate resistor inside the coil. The reason for the 1.5 ohm coil is provide a higher primary current.

More primary current will produce more induced voltage in the secondary winding of the coil and MORE spark voltage. This would be why you would not want to use the "ballast" resistor in the first place Since they designed the system to produce a higher voltage spark you would be kinda defeating the whole purpose of switching to the electronic system. (they made the system to eliminate the moving parts *points* but they also want to produce a higher voltage spark too!)

Pertronix suggests using the resistor in vehicles that have them because the original coil could over heat running at 12v all the time. Most cars with ballast resistors use a 6v coil. (the ballast resistor is usually only switched out during starting to provide higher coil current and therefore higher spark voltage while the starter is engaged.)

Pertronix designed their 1.5 ohm 12v coil to work at the higher primary current without damage.

Just for perspective purposes....a 1.5 ohm coil could be disspating about 130w of power. P(watts) = voltage squared divided by resistance 14x14/1.5 is about 130w The current thru the coil I=voltage/resistance
(when the points are closed)

With the 3 ohm coil it's of course, 1/2 of that.

That's a lot of power and if you put that coil in a hot engine campartment it could get pretty hot and ultimately either short or open up and fail.

(the actual average current is of course less since the points open and close or in the case of the Pertronix, the solid state device switches on and off))


Sorry for the electronics dissertation....(my wife always tells me to "bottom line it")


Cheers,

Rick

 

I have a voltage regulator and my petronics work fine.