That article by masters confuses a lot of people (me
included at one time). It is absolutely correct, but
the terminology and way it is written is confusing if
you're not following the train of thought. So lets
break it down:
WHAT IS A COIL?
A coil is basically a storage unit for energy.
Electrons build-up in the windings via power supplied
by the secondaries. When the circuit is completed by
breaker points OR by the electronic ignition, the
primary winding charge is released in a momentary
discharge that has built-up over those micro-seconds.
This is how you get 40k volts from a 12v source.
When the points or electronic ignition opens the
circuit, the process repeats.
NOT ALL COILS ARE MADE THE SAME
There are two major types of coils: Ballast coils and
non-ballast coils. Here's the tricky part. You might
think a ballast coil means it HAS a ballast..that
would be incorrect. Simply put:
A ballast coil REQUIRES a ballast resistor.
A non-ballast coil is designed to NOT use a ballast
resistor.
You following me so far? If not. Re-read the above
until it makes perfect sense.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?
A non-ballast coil has an internal resistance built
into it's windings, so that as voltage increases,
voltage capacity drops off. (This is a lucas sport
coil which Dan is describing requires the bypass).
Conversely A ballast coil (remember, this is the coil
which requires a ballast resistor), does not have this
internal resistance built into its windings. Whatever
you pump into this thing will be multiplied like a
transformer. So, if the coil is designed to receive 6v
via a voltage drop from a ballast resistor, and you
start pumping 12v into it, at high RPMS, instead of
getting 40k volts, you will get 80k+ volts.
Now, I don't know which Mallory coil you have. I know
there is a chrome coil for electronic ignitions and
another one for points ignitions. I happen to have the
Mallory breaker points ignition type (model 29217) on
my car and it is a ballast coil. And states very
clearly in the instructions DO NOT REMOVE THE BALLAST
RESISTOR. IF THE VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE A BALLAST
RESISTOR, INSTALL MALLORY PART #700 (a ballast
resistor)
SUMMARY
If you decide to by-pass the ballast resistor on a
ballast coil regardless of directions, YOU WILL:
1) Increase the voltage to as much as 80k volts at
high rpms!
2) Possibly destroy your coil
3) Burn out your condensor every time your tac hits
~4000 rpm
4) lasty but not leastly, go through breaker points
like a fat man through a box of jelly donuts.
Conversely, if you run a ballast resistor after
installing a non-ballast coil, very little will change
at low rpms. But at your higher rpms, the voltage will
decrease dramatically and you will most likely have a
very weak spark.
-Terry
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