pertronix and ballast resistor

[Anonymous]

ordered my pertronix today for my 68 200, and sales guy says i might need a resistor. do i need one or is this guy trying to sell me something i dont need?

 

[CobraSix]

Usually, it's required that you remove the resistor wire or ballast resistor if you have one, not install one. Sounds like the guy is getting confused.

First, get a multimeter and check the voltage you get at the coil. If you are getting 12Vs with the key in run, you'll need to do nothing but wire it up. If you get 6-8Vs at the coil, then you need to bypass the coil wire for pertronix with some other 12V switched source.

Slade

 

[61Futura]

I think you need to change to a 12 volt coil to be able to remove or bypass the resistor or resistive wire. The ignition power wire of the petronix should go to a full 12 volt ignition source and not the hot side of a 6 volt coil that has a series resitor. It may still work without the full 12 volts, but it is best to have it. I haven't gone to a petronix yet, but I plan to after I fix my major problems first. I will also go to a 12 volt coil. If you alter the wiring to the coil, keep in mind that the coil gets its power from the starter relay (solenoid) when the key in in the start position. I don't think the ignition switch supplies power to the ignition wire when the key is turned to start. The petronix will need this 2nd source of power also.

My plan is to use the stock wiring to the coil and add a 12 volt igniton wire to the hot side of the new 12 volt coil. Then the petronix can be powered at the coil also.

 

[Lazy JW]

The purpose of the ballast resistor is to reduce burning of the points AND ALSO to prevent over-saturation of the coil. The stock coil was designed to be used with the ballast resistor, and if you don't use one it will over heat the coil and lead to premature failure. Remember, all that the Pertronix 1 does is replace the points, and if you run the stock coil all that you have really accomplished is to eliminate the need for points maintenance (which is a fine thing, of course), but any other perceived improvements are due to the placebo affect and the fact that you probably tuned everything else up at the same time. This also applies to the much vaunted DS2, as the stock DS2 coil is also designed to be used with a ballast resistor, and under close scrutuny is not the enormous improvement over breaker points (energy-wise) that one might think it should be. A coil with higher inductance is required to get more zap.
Joe

 

[PutPut6]

I removed the ballast resistor when I instaleld an Ignitor II. Haven't had any problems.

 

[66 Fastback]

I did not remove the resistor wire and have not had any problems.
Doug

 

[Anonymous]

I did not remove the resostpr wire and have not had any problems.
Doug

I did not remove the resistor wire, and DID have problems after about a week.

 

[Anonymous]

Always room for confusion..what does the manufacturer (petronix) say to do?.....not much help on their site.
Remove the resistor for 12v or keep it to stay with the 6.6v?
The Petronix ignition and coil is my next project.......and I though this has been done so many times.....

Mike

 

[PutPut6]

I think I remember reading somewhere that they say the ballast resistor is not needed. But it's been a while since I installed mine so who knows.

 

[Lazy JW]

The Pertronix unit is capable of carrying the extra current so it does not need the resistor, but the stock coil WAS designed to be used with the resistor. Use the resistor unless you upgrade to a coil that does NOT require a ballast resistor.
Joe

 

[PLP6400]

I am not usining the pertronics right now. But when I did Pertronics told me that these are points replacement. It did not matter if you left your existing resistor (ballast or wire) or ran a new 12 volt supply to the coil. It worked fine for me with the resistor wire. One day the Pertronics quit working. I called Pertronics and they told me to send to them. About a week later they called me back and said they couldn't find anything wrong with it, but they were going to send me a brand new one. I decided not to use a Pertronics anymore and gave it to my my son. It has worked fine for him using the stock resistor wire.

 

[61Futura]

Some time ago, someone here provided a link to a website from either Pertronix or a Mustang site that said you needed a minimum of 5 volts on the hot side of the coil when the negative side was grounded for the Pertronix to work properly. A 30 to 40 year old ballast may have increased in resistance and the voltage could then drop to or below 5 volts, especially after the ballast heats up. Just turn on the key, ground the negative side of the coil and measure the voltage on the positive side of the coil to see if you need to alter the stock wiring.

I just think getting a 12 volt coil is the way to go regardless of the result of this test. I just hope my small distributor cap can handle the extra high voltage.

 

[Poney102]

Pertonix = remove resistor wire
Pertronix II = no need to remove resistor wire

at least thats the way I remember it

Dave

 

[Anonymous]

The pertronix Ignitor module needs 12v, if picked up at the positive side of the coil you need to replace the coil with a 12v coil and bypass the resistor, if picked up at a different switched 12v source, then the stock coil can be reused with the resistor.
Pertronix has different coils with different coil resistance specs, I did find their catalog on line and I should say very informative.

Mike

 

[Anonymous]

The module will come with the instructions on whether or not to run a 12v source. I know for sure that the igniter II can be ran on 12v or the ballast resister, it's opional. I did do a test when I installed my igniter II ,and the old resister wire on my 64 Ranchero dropped the voltage down to 3.84 volts. All you have to do is unplug the wire from the ignition switch and replace it with regulare fine strand wire, I used 14 gauge probably much bigger than needed. On 64/65 Falcons/Rancheros the wire is pink with a white stripe; I'm sure that mustangs, fairlanes, commets are the same it would only make sense.

I would not expect any performance gains with the stock coil. The Flame-thrower II coil is designed to run on 12v and has a low ohm rating of only .08 ohm. The tiny distributor cap is unable to handle the full potential of the 45,000 volt Flame-thrower II coil and I would also assume the same for the 40,000 volt Flame-thrower coil. When the plugs are gapped greater than .050 the spark energy will arc to the cap hold-down clamps, I know this from experience. Now if you are that extreme this can be corrected by slathering dielectic grease all over the cap, and you probably wont notice any increased performance if at all. For the just in case emergency you should carry the old set of points in your vehicle with at least a screw driver and a 3/8 wrench to install them; if you are running 12v to the coil or just to the module I recomend also carrying a spare ballast resitor though you can run 12v to your points but they wont last to long.