ballast resistor/circuit breaker questions.
 

1940 set up, the small object is the ballast resistor and the large one is the circuit breaker.

I would like to double check my knowledge of the following.

The ballast resistor function?

The circuit breaker function?

Thanks in advance.

Re: ballast resistor/circuit breaker questions.
 

Ballast resistor reduces current to 4 volts to the points to prevent them from burning out too quickly. The circuit breaker protects the wiring harness in case of a short circuit - the grandfather of the fuse box!

Re: ballast resistor/circuit breaker questions.
 

Ballast resistor is to reduces the voltage/current to the original coil. The Ford coil was designed to operate on the lower voltage. One advantage is the resistance of a ballast resistor changes as it heats up, so there is more voltage at startup. Then the resistor heats up and reduces the voltage/current to the circuit.

The circuit breaker protects the lighting circuits. In the years prior to the introduction of the circuit breaker a fuse was used. Part of the advantage to using a circuit breaker is that the circuit can rest with a minor overload. When a fuse blows that is it until you replace the fuse. A circuit breaker trips when it overheats, once it cools down it will reset.

Re: ballast resistor/circuit breaker questions.
 

Mr. Seery, THANKS for that crystal clear operational description.

Re: ballast resistor/circuit breaker questions.
 

X 2 That was an excellent explanation.