Ballast resistor
I recently noticed that the ballast resistor on my 67 ( 327/300hp ) is getting very hot after only a couple of minutes. Never noticed this before. Normal? If not, anyone have an idea why? Thanks, Wayne Billyer NCRS member # 64240
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Re: Ballast resistor
Perfectly normal. -
Re: Ballast resistor
Thank you, Jim,Comment
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Re: Ballast resistor
Agree with Jim............but non-original coil could also contribute to excess heating.
LarryComment
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Re: Ballast resistor
That's why it's mounted in a ceramic block. They get hot, but most never notice unless they inadvertently touch the wire. You can measure resistance, which should be about 1.8 Ohms at room temperature. The OE coil is a ...202, and the primary resistance is listed in the CSM. You can also check the voltage drop across each at idle speed.
The wire material is formulated to increase resistance with increasing temperature to protect the coil and points from excessive current. The late Dale Pearman (MIT engineering grad) used to refer to it as an "analog computer"... a crude one for sure, but he was right!
DukeComment
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