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Triumph TR6 - Pertronix and ballisted ignition.

My 74 runs a ballisted igniton set-up. Can I run a pertronix system as is or do I need to eliminate the ballist wire and change out coils?
JT White

Don't think the Pertronix thinks about that.
Is that what the coil does?
DON KELLY

JT

I think ballisted wire was to reduce sparking across points and reduce NOx emissions. While you could probably run on it, I would eliminate it for the switch to petronix.
Michael Petryschuk

The ballasted coil/ignition set up allows the ignition to still fir under normal energy BUT allows for a hotter spark during the start cycle to allow for quicker/easier starts under normal and cold conditions...it isn't an "emissions" thing or a reduced voltage thing. If anything it's an increased voltage thing during the start. I would prefer to keep the system and the coil as is but am unsure as to how it will affect the pertronix system...I'm going to call them direct and see before I switch out the points..



http://www.vtr.org/maintain/ballast.shtml
JT White

Hi JT

Leave the ballast wire in, its resistance combined with the resistance of the coil gives the correct resistance for the pertronix system. Mine works fine. Take your switched 12 volts from the fuse box. Make sure that its is switched, ie. switches on and off with the ignition.

Colin
C J Norcott

Colin...your saying leave everything alone (coil, ballist wire etc) and run the black Pertronix to the neg side of coil and red Pertronix to ignition switched side of fuse block...correct?
JT White

Hi JT

Correct. My 12 volt supply comes off after the fuse but you could run it before the fuse as long as the 12 volt supply switches off with the ignition. There are some wires on the fuse box that do not switch off.

Colin
C J Norcott

Thanks, I'm tired of fussing with the points....spare points plate/condenser will go in the boot for emergencies.
JT White

Just thought I'd add, I opted for the "PowerSpark" kit from the U.K. Comes with a rivetless red rotor and came in 1 week from the U.K for half the cost of the Pertronix unit. Took all of 5 mins to install.
JT White

Hello,

On pertronix site you have all infos needed. Have a look on attach picture, you will have answer.

Cheers,

Jean G.

Perronix support:

http://www.pertronix.com/support/manuals/default.aspx
J. G. Catford

Those instructions are for an external ballast resistor....TR's do not use an external ballast resistor per say but a resistance wire...not exactly the same set-up as discribed in the Pertronix instructions....that is more for a Chrysler or Jaguar with an actual "block resistor" in line to the coil. With the TR system you just put the + wire from the spark unit to an ignition switched 12V feed and the neg wire to the neg side of the coil as discribed earlier.
JT White

Hello JT,

It is why you have to find an external non-ballasted 12 V source(ignition controlled) for your pertronix. On that instuction's draw it is indicated a 12V source prior to ballast. Which means a 12V on red pertronix wire, A ballast resistor or a resistor wire produce same effect, it is just a different shape resistor. It is that way I installed Pertronix on a Spit. 3 years ago and it is still working fine.

Cheers,

Jean G.

P.S.: It is mentioned that Pertronix could work with as lo as 8V, which means that hook-up with resistor wire could still produce Hall's effect, buy best is 12 V.
J. G. Catford

This thread was discussed between 11/09/2012 and 14/10/2012

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