The infamous ballast resistor

Thanks...Randy

Installation of the "trick" resistor is left to the installer. (tip: twist the resistors pigtails together, solder'em, then CRIMP some matching ring-terminals to fasten the assy on the "T"-board inplace of the infamous ballast resistor) What can be so difficult with that?

Just remember, they're POWER resistors and gitt HOT. So don't let some plastic wires come in contact with the HOT resistors. Thats just common sense. DO NOT USE wirenuts, thems for houses outta the rain, inside protective boxes..... ....respectfully, Dell who knows what he is talking about

And the principal reason for the "infamous ballast resistor" was (are you ready for this?) weaksister 6-volt batterys. They didn't have die-hards back in 1930's. Batterys are results of chemical reactions, chemical reactions are slowed down by COLD temperature. Therefore, Ford used a ballast resistor to INCREASE SPARKIES when it was COLD for easier starting. Simple, eh?

Gitt this straight, its called a ballast resistor because its resistance changes depending on INTERNAL temperature. It is designed to do that. And do all that auto-magically.

Somewere, I have a spec-sheet on the "infamous ballast resistor" that sez the MINIMUM resistance is 0.4-ohms and the MAXIMUM resistance is 1.7-ohms. In the electronics trade that is known as POSITIVE TEMP co-efficent. But after about 2-minutes of engine runnin' the heated-up resistance is about 1.4-ohms.

You need LAB-GRADE elecronic resistance measuring devices to accurately measure those LOW value resistances. But surprizingly enuff, even a $10 el-cheepo voltmeter is plenty accurate to measure the VOLTAGE DROP cause by that hard to read resistance.

As for WATTS rating of the ballast resistor, I believe it is 50-watts. This is very typical 2.5 times safety factor. You doubt? Typical ignition draws about 3-amps. Since POWER is as simple as PIE (Power=I (amps) times E (Electro Motive Force) nutter name for volts) Simple math calculations: P=3-amps times 6-volts = 18-WATTS. Safety factor 2.5x18=45-watts. Waddaya know? USE 50-watts design factor. Simple, eh?..... ...Dell, retired electronics engineer and certified CAL-LAB engr with 50yrs experience

So the bottom line is this: 1) for a healthy, long-lived electrical system, feed a 3 cell battery 7.4 volts (6 cell battery or 12 'volt' needs 14 volts) and 2)a "6 volt" front mount square coil will "live long and prosper" on 3 volts.
3)if I understand this correctly, the "12 volt" version of the front mount square coil wants the two 1 ohm resistors (in parallel) to keep it happy at something less than the operational 14 volts of a healthy 12 volt system.
To quote YOU KNOW WHO, "Simple, eh?!!!" duey