20 replies to this topic

[macnavi]

After a breakdown and the following servicing of the AA, I came to understand the installation manual of my newly installed Aldon electronic ignition. They actually say I should use a normal 12V coil, not a electronic ignition coil, which I had bought for it. It says that with the latter I could burn down the unit. Maybe that explains why the coil failed already on its first real tour. According to the manual, we could have used the already fitted ballast coil, which in the manual it actually says it might not be changed in any way. Reading up on it on-line, a ballast coil actually should give better start performances when it's colder. I don't think we have disconnected the cables for the ballasted coil from the power source, so I should be able to link this up myself again.

As usual, these instruction of car parts are home made papers and not very clear, so I hope some one can answer this: "For installations that use a primary ballast resistor, it is preferable to connect the ignitor red wire to the ignition switch side of the resistor rather than the positive (+) terminal of the coil".
1) Is "primary ballast resistor" the same as just "ballast" system or is that something special?
2) Where exactly has the red wire from the ignitor to be connected? Apparently, it is not on the coil, but where is this then? The resistant cable and 12v cable go into a black taped bundle, which disappears in the bulk head.

Model: mini Mayfair
Year: 1989

[lrostoke]

The easiest way to fit the Aldon electronic ignition with a ballast coil is follows.

Leave the coil wiring standard do not touch.

The red wire from the dizzy connect to a new 12v ignition switched feed. I think its the white wire on the fuse box, but check which ever wire is live when ignition switched on thats the one.

The black wire from the dizzy connect to the negative on the coil.

My original instructions showed about 2 or 3 options for wiring depending on coil used.

[macnavi]

Thanks for the answer. One of the three pics is for the setup with ballast coil, but doesn't show the red wire. So that one goes to the fuse box to the contact that only has 12v when ignition is switched on? That makes sense, I'll try that.

[lrostoke]

Yes correct, the non fused side of the fuse though, if that makes sense.

[lrostoke]

Don't see how, the instructions show no need for a fuse. And if used with a non ballast system you wire direct to the coil positive which is unfused !!!!

Just checked wiring diagram

ignition switched wires are White is unfused, green is fused . Take your choice.

[lrostoke]

Check the Haynes wiring diagrams, the positive for the coil is unfused , The white wire is from the ignition switch which is unfused.

And the Instructions for the ignitor show no fuse, so its not BAD advice.

Without causing an argument over this, just what sort of overload would damage the Aldon Ignitor ?? I'm thinking if you really want to fuse it would the standard fuse in the mini fuse box be of a low enough rating to blow before damage was caused ???

Edited by lrostoke, 05 May 2011 - 10:38 AM.

[macnavi]

Running it unfused doesn't seem to be a good idea. Now we have a cable going to the coil that comes from the left top of the fuse box. That one should be the one, I guess.

[Ethel]

Lrostoke is right, the ignition is unfused. You'd also have to consider the consequences of having the fuse blow while you're driving. A sudden lack of ignition could have a bigger brown trouser effect than losing the horn, wipers etc.

[dklawson]

Yes correct, the non fused side of the fuse though, if that makes sense.

You risk blowing the unit if you run it unfused, it should be connected to the top right on the fuse box. Which should only be live with the ignition on.

+1 for Steve. Coil (+) is an unfused white wire.

+1 also for the wiring scheme to allow the Ignitor to work with a ballast coil.

[lrostoke]

No but you said the coil is fused.

What you talking about, the ignition coil is fused.............
To tell someone to run a expensive piece of equipment unfused is bad advice

On a non ballast coil the positive is the WHITE wire, non fused.

On a ballast the resistor wire connects to the White wire, again non fused.

The point is the instructions that come with the unit show no fuse, and the wiring diagrams show no fuse. So claiming its bad advice to follow the fitting instructions is not right.

I guess its personal choice mines fitted non fused as been for 4 years and probably 30,000 plus miles.
The 3 Britpart units of similar design I've also fitted are non fused with no problems.

[dklawson]

What you talking about, the ignition coil is fused.............
To tell someone to run a expensive piece of equipment unfused is bad advice

LMAO No one said the white wire is fused, are you also agreeing that it's advisable to run the delicate switching of the ignitor unfused.........

Don't laugh too loud.

Fuse the supply wire if you want but remember that it was not done that way from the factory nor is it in the Ignitor instructions.

[dklawson]

I ran a Pertronix (Ignitor) in my Mini for a couple of years and I wired it exactly as they said, without a fuse. I still have an Ignitor in our Triumph GT6. Again, wired per the factory instructions without a fuse.

The fuse will only blow when excess current flows through it. The red wire on the Ignitor powers the module's electronics. (This means a low (or fractional) Amp fuse). For a fuse to be effective there you would have to know what the max inrush current of the module would be and select your fuse accordingly. The fuse would only blow when the module draws excessive current or if there were a dead short in the wiring. If there is a dead short in the wiring, the module won't receive the current, the short and wire will. If the module (for some reason) is drawing excess current, the fuse will not protect whatever has already failed inside the module.

However, I do have a friend who was scared about voltage spikes killing his Ignitor module. He installed a TVS which will clamp excess voltage. That will offer more protection than a fuse.

I currently have a Hitachi (Nissan) distributor in my Mini. I put that in as an experiment and liked it enough to leave it. No fuses there either... not on the Mini and not on the donor car it was taken from.

[lrostoke]

Doug's pretty much said what I asked earlier concerning the fuse, and which to even use to be effective.
Would a standard mini fuse even blow before any damage was done ??

[lrostoke]

Im confused now , what as the ballast resistor got to do with the aldon unit ?? The wiring to the Aldon will be seperate so any fuse to that will not be part of the ballast wire ?? You would then need another fuse !!!

[lrostoke]

Its all getting a bit backwards and forwards this topic

The fuse questions started off with the need to fuse the supply to the Aldon Ignitor which on a ballast system will be a totally seperate feed. We now have a fuse being retro fitted to the ballast wire as well, which if that is what your suggesting then pretty much everybody with a mini older than 1984 should be fitting a fuse to there ignition.