Re: Which is best when changing to 12v?

Posted by jdemaris on November 20, 2003 at 17:24:31 from (209.23.29.130):

In Reply to: Which is best when changing to 12v? posted by Jim in NC on November 20, 2003 at 16:18:44:

I'm not sure what you mean by "performance." A gas engine is good condition will run the same with 6 volt coil getting 12 volts or a 12 volt coil getting only six volts. Ignition point life will be affected though. The ratio determines "potential" current, i.e. an ignition system will only produce the amount of current necessary to jump the gap in the spark plug. So . . . even though one setup is capable of higher output than the other, you won't notice it under normal circumstances. Variations, e.g. increased gap, or high resistance plugs wires can demand more voltage, so it's possible have a condition where one system might outperform the other in unusual situations. John Deere had the bright idea to use 6 volt coils with 12 volt systems along with a ballast resistor. The system worked okay but the ignition points didn't last very long.
Anyway, in my opinion and experience, a good old fashioned 12 volt coil hooked to a ballast resistor works fine. Along with it there should be a resistor bypass hooked up for when the starter is cranking the engine (to aid in cold weather starting). There are many ways to do this. Some starters already have a bypass terminal on the solenoid. There are also ignition switches available with a bypass such as John Deere used. Also, which I find to be very reliable and adaptable to virtually any tractor, is get a starter relay like Ford used on their cars and trucks (and tractors) up the late 70s. The relay has a resistor bypass built into it and costs around $10.

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