The Ford Barn

fordwife · 11-09-2021, 03:00 PM

Heres a question for some of you gurus to ponder: all of the 6v fords, from abou 32 and up use an ignition resistor in the primary side of the ignition so the points won't burn. Why doesn't Model A and most other 6v cars of that era use one?

petehoovie · 11-09-2021, 03:23 PM

They have an internal resistor - inside the coil?....

JSeery · 11-09-2021, 08:19 PM

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The resistors on the 6v ignitions is a ballast resistor, which means it changes resistance as it heats up. It is more a factor of how the system is designed, you can use a "can" coil with a 6v and it does not require a ballast resistor. Ford designed to coil to work at a lower voltage combined with a ballast resistor. This has the advantage of increased voltage at start-up (cold ballast resistor) and then reduced current to the point after warmed up (hot ballast resistor). It is just the design Ford went with.

Note: Because of the meds I am currently on, my responses may or may not be totally coherent!!

11-09-2021, 03:00 PM	#1
fordwife Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 287	Ignition resistors Heres a question for some of you gurus to ponder: all of the 6v fords, from abou 32 and up use an ignition resistor in the primary side of the ignition so the points won't burn. Why doesn't Model A and most other 6v cars of that era use one?

11-09-2021, 03:23 PM	#2
petehoovie Senior Member Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 8,076	Re: Ignition resistors They have an internal resistor - inside the coil?.... __________________ The only thing nice about being imperfect is the joy it brings to others.... *"Silver rings, your butt! Them's washers!"* "We shot our way out of that town for a dollar's worth of steel holes!" - from 'The Wild Bunch' - 1969 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NReUd2_0u0

11-09-2021, 08:19 PM	#3
JSeery Member Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Wichita KS Posts: 16,132	Re: Ignition resistors Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) The resistors on the 6v ignitions is a ballast resistor, which means it changes resistance as it heats up. It is more a factor of how the system is designed, you can use a "can" coil with a 6v and it does not require a ballast resistor. Ford designed to coil to work at a lower voltage combined with a ballast resistor. This has the advantage of increased voltage at start-up (cold ballast resistor) and then reduced current to the point after warmed up (hot ballast resistor). It is just the design Ford went with. Note: Because of the meds I am currently on, my responses may or may not be totally coherent!!