<VV> Resistor Question - Update

Eric S. Eberhard flash at vicsmba.com
Wed Nov 9 13:53:36 EST 2011


Bob,

I am sorry to disagree with you so strongly since I know you 
generally know 10 times more than I do on most things -- I just am 
pretty good with computer stuff and Ignitors in general.

I am unsure what you are reading on Pertronix Web site -- the on line 
instructions are clear that it MUST have 12 volts to the 
Ignitor.  You may certainly chose to use a coil that cannot take 12 
volts, but then you MUST run 12 volts from another source to 
the  Ignitor.  It is much easier to use a coil designed for 12 volts 
-- like the Pertronix Ignitor.  The only thing you need to be careful 
of is a Pertronix 1 requires a Petronix Ignitor coil, a Petronix 2 
"requires" a Petronix 2 coil (actually a regular one should work, not 
as well, not as hot a spark).  You cannot use the 2 coil with the 1 
unit or it will fry.  You can, of course, use other brands of coils 
but be very careful of the specs.  I often hear criticism that these 
units have problems.  I also have read that people don't think you 
need 12 volts and don't use the Pertronix coils and so forth ... and 
have problems.  I have had exactly one Pertronix failure in over 20 
years (usually I have had 4 Corvairs at a time) -- some units I drove 
for over 100k miles.  Never a problem -- except when I once used a 
Petronix 2 coil on a Pertronix 1 unit ... it fried in a month.  Maybe less.

http://www.pertronix.com/support/manuals/pdf/ignitor12vneg.pdf
http://www.pertronix.com/prod/ig/ignitor/default.aspx (shows it is 12 
volt unit )
http://autoxer.skiblack.com/ignition.html (instructions although I 
like my way of getting 12 volts better)

See the COMMON QUESTIONS ... 3rd question ... if you have external 
resistor connect the red wire PRIOR to the resistor or otherwise 
locate a 12 volt source.  It does not get more clear than that.

If you just use their coil and their ignition then the only change in 
wiring you have to make takes a minute, is not permanent, and is easy 
... make a 2 inch wire with small blades (almost points) and each 
side.  Go to the main plug and on the back where the resistor wires 
goes out shove in one blade.  One the side where the resistor wire 
comes back shove in the other blade.  Done.  You can undo it in 1 
second, you butcher nothing, string no extra wires, etc.  You coil 
will be 12 volts.  Your Ignitor will be 12 volts.

Also if you use only their stuff then service from them is easier.  I 
had that Pertronix 1 lying around for years (they could tell by the 
number it was 5 years old) and when I got a new car I made that 
error.  I called Pertronix and complained they did not warn on their 
own coil not to use it with a P1.  They replaced my unit with a free 
P2 ... 5 years old ... because I used exclusively their stuff.

I cannot emphasize enough the value of using matching coil and 
Ignitor and keeping the wiring simple.

Eric

At 10:20 PM 11/8/2011, BobHelt at aol.com wrote:
>Hi Bill,
>I know that I'm coming in here late but your and Mark's comments 
>about needing a full 12 volts concerns me. It is generally not 
>necessary and often is excessive voltage depending on the coil you 
>use. See below.
>.
>The correct connections for a Pertronix depends on several things. 
>If you are going to run an Ignitor I you first need to determine the 
>coil you want to use. If it is one of Pertronix's Flame Thrower 
>coils, you MUST determine which coil you got from them or a vendor. 
>Pertronix's literature will point you to a 3 ohm primary res coil 
>for six cylinder use. But you really want the 1.5 ohm pri res coil 
>for Corvairs and it is listed as an 8 cyl app. So use a good ohmeter 
>and check the pri res.
>
>If you are using the correct 1.5 ohm coil or a stock Corvair coil, 
>then you WANT the ballast resistor to remain in the circuit. But if 
>it's a 3 ohm coil the ballast restistor needs to be removed from the 
>circuit. Then the hookup would be the black Pertronix wire connected 
>to the coil's minus terminal. The plus coil terminal will have the 
>the stock wire going to it and NOT 12 volts, but the voltage from 
>the ballast res. The red Pertronix coil then can either be connected 
>to a switched +12 volt source or the + coil terminal. So the only 
>time you really want the Pertronix connected to +12 volts is for a 3 
>ohm coil or possibly to the red wire.
>
>Running the 1.5 ohm coil on 12 volts (without the ballast res) will 
>overheat it and possibly burn out the ignitor or at least shorten 
>its life. Besides it won't give you a stronger spark since the spark 
>comes from the saturated coil core that saturates on 6-8 volts.
>
>For an Ignitor 2, you should use the 0.6 ohm coil and wire it up the 
>same as the Ignitor I with the ballast resistor per the Pertronix web page.
>
>Regards,
>Bob Helt
>
>In a message dated 11/8/2011 6:19:37 P.M. US Mountain Standard Time, 
>gojoe283 at yahoo.com writes:
>Thanks Eric.  I am aware of the need for a full 12V for 
>Pertronix.  On the 69 I apliced a wire from the engine harness, but 
>did a messy job.


Eric S. Eberhard
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