[Healeys] Lucas Sports Coil

Bob Spidell bspidell at comcast.net
Sun Feb 22 10:38:11 MST 2009


   OK,  so  ignition  systems  with  ballast--either external resistor or
   internal   to  coil--use  points/condensers  than  can't  handle  12V+
   continuously   (makes   sense--the   bean  counters  can  save  a  few
   shillings)?  Don't Healey points switch 12V+ continuously?
   My  main  point  was  that  Healeys  don't  use any ballast--so that's
   correct?
   Bob
   Richard Ewald wrote:

     You are 1/2 right.
     ...
     If  you  use a coil that requires an external ballast resistor on a
     car  with  no  external  ballast resistor I can assure you that the
     distributor will in fact care.  A lot.  The points are not designed
     to switch full system voltage, and if there is not ballast resistor
     in  the  system (external or internal) the excess voltage will lead
     to  excess  arcing of the points and them burning out very quickly.
     In  the  case  of  an  electronic system will this cause issues?  I
     don't  know  as  I  am  unfamiliar with the particular system being
     discussed.   On  some  electronic  systems,  you  might pop a power
     transistor.
     ...

   On  Sun,  Feb  22, 2009 at 8:31 AM, Bob Spidell <bspidell at comcast.net>
   wrote:

     Don't  ballasted systems require two primary circuits; i.e. one for
     starting  (non-ballasted)  and  one  for  running  (ballasted)? The
     distributor  won't care, as it switches the primary circuit--12V or
     otherwise--to ground.

--
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Bob Spidell           San Jose, CA            bspidell at comcast.net

"Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently." -
Henry Ford
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