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Coil Wiring, Ballast Or None Ballast Question


Best Answer cal844 , 13 April 2020 - 04:49 PM

Your coil wiring is bang on, not ballasted and should have a 12v coil to match the Electronic module.

The black wire and can is a condenser to reduce radio frequency squelch.

What colour is the wire arrowed at the starter? Where does it lead to? I might be wrong but It shouldn't be there from factory Go to the full post


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#1 DeanP

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Posted 13 April 2020 - 02:14 PM

Hi all,

 

apologies for this, I've looked everywhere for an answer, but this one has stumped me and i'm aware you get quite a few questions on this topic. I'm not in a position to check the voltage as i'm still putting the car together after an complete strip down and re-build.

 

Now I took a lot of pictures before I stripped her down, but for some stupid reason forgot to take one of the coil! doh!

 

So it's a box standard original 1994, 1275, HIFF carb, electronic ignition, Mini 35 LE  

 

 

First picture is of the coil as I've wired it this morning. Top of the coil is negative, bottom is positive. The solid white cables I have going to the positive at the bottom, one is from the loom, the other (labeled 1 and arrowed) travels down to the module on the side of the dizzy. Now the fact it has solid white cables leads me to think it isn't ballasted, am I right? so no white and yellow cable going to the starter? (see second photo as to why I'm confused). (EDIT) There is also a black earth cable from the positive going to some kind of resistor attached to the block.

 

the black and white cables 'I have put to the negative, one comes from the loom, the other travels down to the module on the side of the dizzy. 

 

Attached File  IMG_0425_LI.jpg   36.26K   4 downloads

 

Now looking at the second photo (this was taken during the strip down), i think i can clearly see a white and yellow cable (arrowed), but for the life of me I can not find this wire in my loom or anywhere for that matter. I've stripped back the tape, it isn't there. Does anyone know what this wire could be? Perhaps it wasn't in the loom and separate and I've simply mislaid it. Should I have a white and yellow cable, I don't have a white and pink cable? I'm very confused .com at the moment.

 

Much appreciated.

 

Dean

 

 

 

Attached File  IMAG0496_LI.jpg   311.72K   4 downloads


Edited by DeanP, 13 April 2020 - 02:19 PM.


#2 cal844

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Posted 13 April 2020 - 04:49 PM   Best Answer

Your coil wiring is bang on, not ballasted and should have a 12v coil to match the Electronic module.

The black wire and can is a condenser to reduce radio frequency squelch.

What colour is the wire arrowed at the starter? Where does it lead to? I might be wrong but It shouldn't be there from factory

Edited by cal844, 13 April 2020 - 04:49 PM.


#3 Its a min

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Posted 13 April 2020 - 05:09 PM

Hi Dean,

 

If I remember rightly, the yellow/white wire gave 12v to the starter on ballast systems to get the engine started. Once started, it would revert to 9v.

 

It will probably be part of the loom as standard. I'm pretty sure that when I converted mine from ballast to 12v, I unplugged the yellow/white wire from the starter eventually but still had it connected for a while before I did. I don't think it made any difference,or caused any damage, but I'm pretty sure mine is no longer connected.



#4 Its a min

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Posted 13 April 2020 - 05:15 PM

Found these two posts which may help and seem to confirm the yellow/white wire isn't needed on 12v system.

 

http://www.theminifo...on#entry2797057

 

http://www.theminifo...d-12v-ignition/


Edited by Its a min, 13 April 2020 - 05:16 PM.


#5 DeanP

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Posted 13 April 2020 - 05:57 PM

What colour is the wire arrowed at the starter? Where does it lead to? I might be wrong but It shouldn't be there from factory

Thanks mate. This is the strange bit, I don't actually know the colour as I can't locate the wire since I've begun putting the car back together, I don't think it's part of the loom as I seem to have lost it. In the photo it appears part of the loom though. 



#6 DeanP

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Posted 13 April 2020 - 06:06 PM

Found these two posts which may help and seem to confirm the yellow/white wire isn't needed on 12v system.

 

http://www.theminifo...on#entry2797057

 

http://www.theminifo...d-12v-ignition/

 

 

Thank you, it's looks like mine could be standard then. Just intrigued as to the wire coming out of the starter.......



#7 cal844

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Posted 13 April 2020 - 07:51 PM

As stated it should be a separate wire, it will be ok without it

#8 DeanP

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Posted 13 April 2020 - 08:07 PM

Thank you



#9 Ethel

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Posted 13 April 2020 - 09:53 PM

The white/yellow in the photo is correct for ballasted ignition. Though, as above, it can be surplus to requirements.

 

To get your head round the subject, it helps to understand the purpose of ballasted ignition...

 

The starter motor is by far the biggest load the battery has to cope with. When it's connected, it diverts most of the available current which causes the voltage in the other circuits to drop. Somebody had the bright idea that if you stuck a resistor in the supply to the ignition you could mimic the effect of starter then specify a coil that's optimised for the lower voltage. Then, when the starter motor really is engaged by the solenoid, you could also use it to switch to a supply that bypasses the "ballast" resistance so the ignition sees the same voltage: with, or without, the starter spinning.

 

A ballast ignition coil has lower resistance (1.5 ohms) so that the coil and ballast combined is the same as a non-ballasted coil (3 ohms).

 

On a ballasted system, operating the starter also switches a supply to the coil that bypasses the ballast resistance. The solenoid usually has a  dedicated extra terminal to do this because it must be isolated to avoid earthing the coil when the starter's not engaged - or turning on the ignition also trying to operate the starter.

 

It doesn't matter if the ballast & bypass are connected to the coil's +v,e or at the dedicated terminal on the starter.

 

Trying to run a "conventional" coil on a ballasted system gives permanently poor ignition performance as if the starter motor was always running. Using a ballast coil without added ballast resistance will result in things overheating and melting, if you're very lucky it'll just be the coil or points.






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