MikeR
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| posted on 19/6/06 at 11:16 PM |
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Need Ballast Resistor
Seems sometime ago when i was dismantling my escort i sort of ....... errm ..... lost the ballast resistor
want one, so where do i get it from? can i just get a resistor from maplin? if so what sort / resistance / wattage?
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theconrodkid
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| posted on 20/6/06 at 05:59 AM |
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its a thick grey wire atached to the loom,so may still be there
who cares who wins
pass the pork pies
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Peteff
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| posted on 20/6/06 at 08:45 AM |
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You can get them as a wire as Conrod says which usually runs along the inner wing for cooling or a ceramic block as used in early Transits, looks
like a fuse. I think I have one of each type in the shed.
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
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MikeR
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| posted on 20/6/06 at 12:10 PM |
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Let me check again tonight, as i've got the wire from the coil split in two, with one having a different (black) coloured wire spliced in.
Sure resistance was negligable between the two wires.
If that is the case u2u me how many beer tokens would you be looking for to drop one in the post (or even just measure the resistance & let me
know the wattage of the resistor)
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tks
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| posted on 20/6/06 at 12:36 PM |
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mhh
the resistance isn't much sow often its some 1,5ohms..
the wattage then would be P=U*I
U=I*R
sow I = 12/1,5
P=12 * (12/1,5)
P= 96Watts!!
they destroy allot of energie sow mount it on a good cold place..
Tks
The above comments are always meant to be from the above persons perspective.
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Macbeast
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| posted on 20/6/06 at 02:42 PM |
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Alternatively .... 
All figures approximate ie 12V rather than 13.5V
The dropper drops 12V down to 9V running, ie 3V across the dropper. (not 12)
If as you say, they normally 1.5 Ohms. then coil resistance must be 4.5 Ohms giving total series resistance of 6 Ohms. Current is 12V / 6 Ohms = 2
A
and Power dissipated in dropper is 2A x 3V = 6 watts
Actually, it will be less, because current doesn't flow while contacts are open.
I seem to remember having to replace a dropper on my Escort years ago and got it from Ford agent. It was white ceramic block. and pretty cheap I think
it was mounted on nearside wing under the bonnet but obviously different models may vary. You could try Maplin for 1.5 Ohm 10Watt resistor and check
with voltmeter that it shows correct voltage across the coil (usually marked on coil) when running and if not adjust dropper value to suit.
[Edited on 20/6/06 by Macbeast]
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tks
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| posted on 20/6/06 at 04:21 PM |
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mhh
you have got a point there!
but the total resistance is 1,5 ohm for the resistance while engine is warm.
on BMW they often had 2! one of 1 ohm and the other 1,5ohm.
the coil has 1ohm only sow figures are still higher.
but you are right it in saying that its in series with the coil.
Tks
The above comments are always meant to be from the above persons perspective.
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Peteff
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| posted on 20/6/06 at 04:52 PM |
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Just checked and they give a reading of 2.2 ohms on my meter, whatever that means.
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
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MikeR
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| posted on 20/6/06 at 05:43 PM |
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just checked again and i have got the wire.
rigged it up to the battery, turned around, looked for my multimeter and turned back to find .......
it smoking!
pulled it off and as i was doing so it caught fire........
now got a melted ballast resistor wire 
bum.
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Macbeast
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| posted on 20/6/06 at 05:54 PM |
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Bum indeed
Guess you must somehow have got ballast straight across battery. Hope you didn't damage any other wires in the loom.
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theconrodkid
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| posted on 20/6/06 at 06:12 PM |
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do away with the resistor and use a standard 12v coil
who cares who wins
pass the pork pies
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tks
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| posted on 20/6/06 at 06:24 PM |
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Ballast resistor
on some engines the spark module manages true wich resistor the power is going to the coil.
sow when temperature or vacuum or what ever it can manage a bit the spark power.
(maybe its rpm)
Tks
The above comments are always meant to be from the above persons perspective.
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MikeR
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| posted on 20/6/06 at 10:10 PM |
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realised what i'd done having just had a look. Bit stupid. Rigged up the non ballast wire to the starter solonoid and the ballast wire to the
battery. Except i didn't use a two pole solonoid, so i was feeding 12 volts to the starter via the ballast wire.
Its still giving me a decent reading - guess i caught it just in time, just need to get all the melted insulation off and get a new sleeve for it (and
duel pole solonoid)
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