Which ignition coil can handle constant 12V: UPDATE - car running

[JG71B]

Spewing all that info and still won't answer the question. (Would make a GREAT politician!)

 

[RJRENTON]

So basically just another one of your long drawn out responses using technical descriptive terms to answer a question no one asked ?

My original comment was correct. Pick it apart if you want. Using 1.5ohm ballast and 1.5 coil is going to give more resistance than he wants and lower the voltage. PLAIN and SIMPLE.

I was writing to answer his question and help problem solve his situation . Not a response to try and show off my knowledge and be graded by an electronic engineer.

I guess if depends if you understand the fundamental differences between resistance, inductive reactance and capacitive reactance ......if you don't understand....that's OK.....and if you do.....great.....enquiring minds want to know about many things ..... or not.....your choice.....
BOB RENTON

 

[Sinitro]

In my opinion..
The biggest issue about ignition systems, is the mismatch that can happen when different brand OE and aftermarket components are mixed together. My preference is to stick with 1 brand and their specific recommendations for the distributor, ECU, coil and ballast resistor... Intermixing different source ignition components will often result in the complaints posted on this forum frequently..

Just my $0.02...

 

[Geoff 2]

You ^^^make an excellent point.....

 

[70rcode]

Hey C1968,.... Your before & after Volt & Current measurements are Very interesting !!! Don't ya just love it when the simple numbers logic Doesn't add up ?? ....The before measurement of 4.5 amps @ 13.4 volt battery would indicate a reasonable Total 3.0 ohms Resistance circuit, yours being 1.5 ohm coil & 1.5 ohm ballast resistor.....The HEI Module without resistor Should pull More amps but it's Low rpm Auto dwell Reduction logic is likely Messing with your Indicated Current amps by causing your meter to read a Shortened dwell time Averaged reading ....The HEI module usually self current limits at 4.5 amps anyway but you likely need a fast scope to see the Real dwell pulsed current amperage.....The HEI tends to protect most any stock type coil...

 

[Canadian1968]

I never was able to get the HEI setup to work properly. I never really drove the car with accell coil installed. I got a summit e-coil and tried with that. The car ran great until it would randomly miss and stall. But then fire right back up. ( I started another thread all about it ) . I wanted to drive the car so just threw the orange ecu , ballast and coil back on. And it has not skipped a beat since.

The HEI swap was a random idea I saw one day and thought I would try it out because of it low cost and apparently easy install. I did start reading about the dwell that different HEI modules have. It's a really interesting setup and the ability to get a HEI module with Rev limiters built in was another big draw for me . I should go back and figure out why it wasn't working .

The whole system is sitting in the bottom of my tool bench. That was the nice part that I could change between the two in a matter of minutes.

I see the shot you took at me to. That's fine...

 

[Canadian1968]

Hey C1968,.... Your before & after Volt & Current measurements are Very interesting !!! Don't ya just love it when the simple numbers logic Doesn't add up ?? ....The before measurement of 4.5 amps @ 13.4 volt battery would indicate a reasonable Total 3.0 ohms Resistance circuit, yours being 1.5 ohm coil & 1.5 ohm ballast resistor.....The HEI Module without resistor Should pull More amps but it's Low rpm Auto dwell Reduction logic is likely Messing with your Indicated Current amps by causing your meter to read a Shortened dwell time Averaged reading ....The HEI module usually self current limits at 4.5 amps anyway but you likely need a fast scope to see the Real dwell pulsed current amperage.....The HEI tends to protect most any stock type coil...

Also forgot to mention ( sorry this is a pretty old post brought back from the dead. )

Your a little mixed up on your numbers . BUT I also didn't clearly explain the tested setups in my post. So how are you supposed to know?

The test that gave me 9.4-10v and 4.5 Amp draw was with a MSD street fire coil ( hence the MSD reference at the start of the post) and a .8ohm blast. So there was never 3ohm in that circuit. ( your getting post mixed up , this thread turned into 2 complete different convos) . The test that resulted in 2.2amps was an HEI module running off the super stock coil ( 1.4 ohms ) . Chase those numbers if want ?
But thanks for the info on the HEI dwell.

 

[70rcode]

I'm planning to try same setup as it's been reported to work good with no issues....To further clarify,.....was that HEI directly wired to Points or to the Electronic distributor with Reluctor & Pickup sensor ??

 

[Canadian1968]

The setup was run off the Mopar electronic conversion distributor ( Mallory style.) So yes reluctor/ pickup style.

I went and gutted an old orange box and did the stealth install. Hence the reason I was originally looking for a canister style coil. I don't know if maybe that added to my problems ? Perhaps as poor connection somewhere in the harness or somewhere else in the conversion? Interested to hear what you go with .

I've read examples of this working like it should and others that can't seem to get it to work like me lol.

 

[Bee1971]

Doesn’t the HEI Module require a very low ohm coil , something in the .3 - .5 OHM range Primary
No ballast resistor

So when talking E Core / Epoxy or Oil filled Canister coils - They come in all flavors and OHM Ratings

Perfect example

Pertronix 40011 1.5 OHM Oil Filled Canister
Pertronix 40111 1.5 OHM Epoxy Canister

In theory both should require a ballast resistor when using with the Factory type Mopar ignition modules

In theory , neither would bee correct for the HEI conversion module , but probably would still work , but how well

Now look at the Pertronix 111 #44011 Canister Coil oil filled
Its not an E Core design but has an low ohm rating of .32 OHMs / Igniter 111 Module
Does not require a ballast resistor

Then you still have E Core design , low ohm primary type coils for the HEI Conversion Module

 

[70rcode]

Between the Mopar & HEI boxes, I believe the HEI has more adaptive Dwell Logic primary jazz going on.....E-core coils have been around electrical & electronic circuits for a Long time before modern auto ignition systems....Closed E-- core coils handle AC & pulsed discharge applications very Efficiently But saturate easily in DC battery Dwell applications....The open core Rod type core coil handles dwelled battery current better in non--cdi ignitions.... Generally the intelligent HEI shortens the idle /low speed dwell by 50 % compared to Chrysler Ecu box & makes current amp measurements read funny lower than expected....

 

[Geoff 2]

[1] The GM HEI switches 5.5 amps [ not 4.5 ] & is internally current limited.
[2] It also has variable dwell, so that at low rpm where the coil does not need to be switched on for a long time to saturate, the dwell is reduced.
[3] The Mopar ECU has fixed dwell. That is why you will see on the ECU application that low resistance coils should not operate at long periods below 2000 rpm [ in other words, street use ]. That is because both the ECU & coil will heat up excessively from the long dwell [ coil on-time ].
[4] A great HEI upgrade is the MSD #83647 module which switches 7.5 amp & has an adj rev limiter.
[5] If using a coil with HEI that normally uses a ballast res, then the bal res must be used or you risk burning up the coil. In this aspect of ign operation, the HEI is merely an electronic on/off switch replacing a mechanical switch, the points.