Ballast Resistor Voltage

[EJL]

Can anyone help answer if I should be getting voltage to ballast resistor even with key in off position?

I'm installing electronic ignition and instructions specify unhooking wires from ballast, turning on key and checking which wires are feed for voltage, but I noticed I'm getting full voltage regardless if key is on or not.

I'm trying to confirm if I have other issues before moving forward. I read through manual and didn't see anywhere where this is called out.

Thanks in advance for anyone who can help answer.

 

[Ranger16]

Ballast resistor voltage runs through the ignition switch. There should be no voltage at key off. Only in crank and key on positions. Something is wired wrong.

 

[EJL]

Thanks Ranger.

So I have a new wire harness in engine bay for voltage regulator, ballast, alt, etc. I swapped with original to see if maybe there was an issue there, but same result.

I have new starter relay and assuming this is good.

Since this goes through ignition, I disconnected both plug connectors coming from steering column/ignition, but no difference. Still getting 12 volts to feed wire for ballast regardless if key is on or not.

 

[bm02tj]

Disconnect starter relay as in crank mode it powers ignition if that is not it then keep working back till you find power
I may be bad ing switch or pinched wires ??

 

[EJL]

Thanks bm02tj. I just happen to have extra starter relay so I disconnected and swapped out, but same issues.

If I have wire connector to ingnition disconnected on steering column and I'm still getting 12 volts to feed wire at ballast, this would confirm it's not a bad ignition switch, right??

If I'm following wire schematic in manual correctly, Power is fed to bulkhead connector (J) via blue wire with fusible link to starter relay. Same terminal as positive battery cable connection. This J connection also feeds connection A on connector above. Under dash, J connection feeds ammeter and A goes to time delay relay. Not sure what time delay is.

 

[Yatzee]

Ballast resistor voltage runs through the ignition switch. There should be no voltage at key off. Only in crank and key on positions. Something is wired wrong.

Trace the 12 volt feed wire on the ballast resistor back to it's connection point. Obviously it's bypassing the "IGN 1" terminal on the ignition switch so it's source is somewhere else. By systematically removing fuses you will know what circuit it's coming in on. If removing all fuses shows no difference, it's battery source. You will have to correct this and probably find two wires fused together or the power is "back feeding" from an already live source. You could just run a new wire from the ignition switch to the ballast (bypassing the bulk head connector) to determine the state of your ignition switch. Power is live at the ballast in both Ignition1 and momentarily in Ignition2 at the switch but in your case power is there all the time indicating your ignition is constantly on.
How's that battery doing?

 

[EJL]

Thanks Yatzee.

Spent about 6 hours yesterday on this issue and another 3 hours today with my brothers help. Ended up disassembling dash to trace everything. It wasn't till I removed the original electrical tape from dash harness around blue with white tracer splice did it start working properly. The original dash harness didn't look to be ever messed with so I'm still not sure what caused the issue. All I did was use my finger to pull apart the wire bundle around splice so I could see if there was anything out of the ordinary. The fabric insulator tape around splice still looks okay, but for whatever reason that was all it took to eliminate power from running through those wires all the time. I can't see any other suspect areas on the main harness and there hasn't been any homemade splices from what I can see.

Not sure if I can just wrap new tape around splice to insulate it better from the other wires to keep it from acting up again. Something doesn't make sense. Since this harness is nearly 50 years old is it possible the insulation around the wires isn't performing as it should??

 

[bm02tj]

All it takes is two cracks squished together and you have leakage may not be enough to run on but enough to see power with a volt meter

 

[oldbee]

Like 'bm02' said, I've seen wiring with grooves cut into out covering from split-loom just from vibration, course this was on 100,000mile semi's; but I'm thinking maybe a bulkhead connection is bleeding over from adjacent connector? What year would be helpful.

 

[EJL]

It's a 70 Coronet Wagon with only 25K miles.