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Re: Solenoids and WLG wires

To: "Peter C." <nosimport@mailbag.com>, "Frank Clarici" <spritenut@Exit109.com>
Subject: Re: Solenoids and WLG wires
Date: Fri, 14 Apr 2000 15:55:37 -0400
Cc: "Spridgets" <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Ok here goes

The old (ballast needed) coil had THREE wires to the + terminal (Not sure 
of the colors, the car is there, I am here). The car has a Pertronix. One 
wire went to the 4th terminal on the solenoid. I have a 4 wire ignition 
switch - have had for several years, The old one was a 5 wire switch. I 
still do not know what the other wire was for. (the switch came from the 
fact that the only key I had for the Midget was in my pocket on the beach 
near Atlantic City, I went swimming - 'nuff said). The new coil (no 
ballast needed, only one I could get on short notice) still had THREE 
wires to the + terminal. The "NEW" solenoid only has 3 Terminals. The 
missing one is the one that had the post for the WLG wire to the + side 
of the coil. This wire is HOT when the car is running. I am unsure of the 
status of this wire when the starter is engaged.

So right now I have:
1) A four wire ignition switch (2+ yrs old - always worked)
2) a NON Ballasted coil (one week old)
3) a THREE terminal solenoid (used - put on last night)

The car ran fine, and stated - usually, in steps 1 (4 wire switch, 
ballasted coil, 4 terminal solenoid), 2 (the 4 wire switch, non ballasted 
coil, 4 terminal solenoid), 3) (4 wire switch, non-ballast coil, 3 post 
solenoid).

The only reason this all came up is the solenoid is not working. All of 
the other items seemed to be working just dandy. The solenoid would catch 
and start the car about 7 times out of 10. That is OK for me but my 16 
y/o daughter still tries to kill the engine upon occasion when pulling 
out from a stop. So I needed the solenoid. 

Larry (who is not an electrical engineer and who now feels like a DPO)

At this exact moment in time 4/14/00 3:33 PM, nosimport@mailbag.com made 
the profound statement:

>Larry,
>       I guess I can help, maybe.
>       Your old COIL had 2 wires going to the + post. 1 comes directly from the
>RUN terminal on the IGN switch through the ballast resistor or ballasted
>wire. The other comes from that extra terminal on the Solenoid which is
>energized only when the IGN switch is on START. The first wire provides ~7v
>whilst running and the second 12v whilst cranking. 
>       My recommendation for simplicity sake is to put on a coil like the
>original for a ballasted system and the original 4 terminal solenoid (Lucas
># SRB-335 which is not listed in Lucas' books, btw)
>       Ok, so you wont do that... then I think you'd have to revert back to a 4
>terminal (v. 5) ignition switch, and I'm not sure that is practical. You
>could remove the ballast to enable your coil to work properly (it wants 12v
>to be fed to it), but that doesn't help the solenoid issue.
>       Does that help?
>       Peter
>-
>At 07:24 PM 4/13/2000 , Larry Macy wrote:
>>OK I just put a coil in that says - for use with out an external ballast. 
>>Does that count??
>>
>>Larry
>>
>>>>>On 4/13/00 10:53 PM so and so (Frank Clarici) said. (And I quote:)
>>
>>>Larry Macy wrote:
>>>> What exactly does the W/LG wire do??
>>>> It appears to send a positive circuit to the solenoid. 
>>>
>>>Larry
>>>
>>>I can thank Peter C for this info.
>>>I needed the solenoid you had with the extra wire to the coil.
>>>It runs 12 volts to a ballist resisted coil for quicker starts on cold
>>>mornings. 
>>>(See my posts about a non starting A40 when it was 10* out)
>>>If you try to wire it up and jump more volts to the coil with out the
>>>correct solenoid, you back feed the starter motor and it never shuts
>>>off.
>>>How do I know this? Don't ask.
>>>Let's put it this way, it will work fine until next winter.
>>>-- 
>>>Frank Clarici
>>>Toms River, NJ
>>>Down to only 3 Sprites, 1 Midget and an A40 Farina
>>>http://www.exit109.com/~spritenut
>>
>>
>>Larry Macy
>>78 Midget
>>
>>Keep your top down and your chin up.
>>
>>Larry B. Macy, Ph.D.
>>macy@bblmail.psycha.upenn.edu
>>System Manager/Administrator
>>Neuropsychiatry Section
>>Department of Psychiatry
>>University of Pennsylvania
>>3400 Spruce St. - 10 Gates
>>Philadelphia, PA 19104
>>
>> Ask a question and you're a fool for three minutes; do not ask a 
>>question and you're a fool for the rest of your life. 


Larry B. Macy, Ph.D.
macy@bblmail.psycha.upenn.edu
System Administrator/Manager
Neuropsychiatry Section
Department of Psychiatry
University of Pennsylvania
3400 Spruce St. - 1015 Gates
Philadelphia, PA 19104

 Ask a question and you're a fool for three minutes; do not ask a 
question and you're a fool for the rest of your life. 



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