<VV> Mortal Coil

[Padgett]

>A standard coil is designed to work on about 8V. That's the reason for the
>resistor- it drops the voltage with the ignition switch in the "run"
>position.
>
>Unless you are using a coil that is specifically designed to run on the full
>12V, a standard coil will overheat and ultimately fail. It's OK to put 12V
>on a standard coil for starting,

Hokay folks. The reason the coil is designed for 8V is so when the voltage 
is drawn down by the starter during a cold start it will still have a good 
spark. The resistor is bypassed when the starter is engaged.

The problem is that people would leave the key on (for the radio) with the 
points closed and the engine stopped. This would flow current through the 
coil constantly and needed to be controlled, when running the coil is 
flowing half current or less. (30 degrees of dwell is a 50% duty cycle).

Now with a reflector-fed (magnet thingie) transistor ignition, if the 
distributer shaft is not rotating, there is no flow through the coil.

Pertronics says different things about the Ignitor and the Ignitor II (I 
have the II)

Ignitor: "First, if you have an external ballast resistor, connect the red 
Ignitor™ wire to the ignition wire
prior to the ballast resistor"
Ignitor II: "Many vehicles came equipped with ballast resistors or 
resistance wires. To
achieve optimum performance we recommended removal of these
components."
(from support documents on http://pertronix.com )

I did have some issue with a hot (175F) running coil until I blocked the 
opening in the shroud under the coil. Now it runs about the same as 
compartment air temperature (also replaced the standard coil with a .6 ohm 
Pertronix FlameThrower II).

So whether to keep the ballast wire/resistor depends on which Ignitor you 
have. YMMV. Notary Sojac.

Padgett