Re: Ballast resistor & resistance wire, aftermarket ignitions

[Doug Rasmussen <76075.2276@domain.elided>]

Tom H wrote:
>Only problem with your theory of more voltage in, more voltage out is:
It's really more voltage in, more potential voltage out. Your coil only
generates as much voltage as is necessary to complete the circuit. i.e.
it's really the resistance of the secondary system that determines the
output voltage. And, most of that resistance is probably the spark plug
gap.

So, even if you have a "Super Hercules 100,000 volt coil", if it can
jump the spark plug gap at 20,000 volts, that is all the voltage your
going to be firing.

This is of course not to say that you didn't notice a performance change
in your engine. It's possible that due to the lower primary feed with
the resistance wire, you may have not been getting consistent, 100% fire
at speeds, whereas with the replacement wire perhaps you were. Hence, it
seemed like more power.<

Tom,

  Hmmmm.  Food for thought.  But you misinterpreted what I wrote.  My
assumption is the higher input voltage gives some characteristics that
result in "hotter" spark.  ("hotter", in this case meaning any spark
situation that results in better combustion).   Such as a possibly faster
rise time of the spark, possibly a longer duration, etc.   I'm not sure
exactly what's going on,  I am fairly sure I've gotten a performance
increase.

  When I originally installed the Jacob's 2 years ago, I may have
unknowingly shot myself in the foot.   I didn't realize the resistance wire
existed, so of course I left it in the circuit.  I also regapped the plugs
to the .055" gap recommended.  That gap may have been too wide considering
the less than battery voltage I was inputting to the Jacob's.  

  The resistance wire is still in place, it's just been bypassed.  I left
it there to switch back to a stock coil ignition if the Jacob's ever bites
the bullet.  I may do some input switching back and forth to verify my
apparent performance increase.  This might be the incentive I need to buy
an inductive pickup for my Fluke #97 scope to really see what's happening
with the ignition.

Doug