Electronic ignition questions.

[Mtjohnso]

I have a John Deere 1010 gas dozer that has been converted over from 6V positive ground to 12 V negative ground.
It has an alternator on it that works fine.
A electronic ignition module was installed in the distributor. The ignition Module has the p/n NV5 on it and a lot# 12AH on it.
The dozer starts up and runs good but if you touch the coil after it has been running for 15-20 minutes it is hot. 113F hot.
Is that normal for a coil with an electronic ignition module? Do coils normally run warm?
Are there specific coils that are designed to run with electronic ignition modules?
Did a search online for the mfg of the module but no success.
My son has had this dozer for a number of years and it was converted before he got it.
Thoughts, suggestions, tests I should run?

 

[buickanddeere]

Engine was 12 volt positive ground from the factory .
The 6 colt coil in the engine is drawing 8 amps instead of 4 amps . The amount of heat will be 4X more than normal .
Needs a 3.0ohm 12volt coil .
Coil s + needs to be connected to the positive supply . The coil s negative needs to eventually go back to chassis .

 

[JMOR]

(quoted from post at 19:53:35 11/21/23) I have a John Deere 1010 gas dozer that has been converted over from 6V positive ground to 12 V negative ground.
It has an alternator on it that works fine.
A electronic ignition module was installed in the distributor. The ignition Module has the p/n NV5 on it and a lot# 12AH on it.
The dozer starts up and runs good but if you touch the coil after it has been running for 15-20 minutes it is hot. 113F hot.
Is that normal for a coil with an electronic ignition module? Do coils normally run warm?
Are there specific coils that are designed to run with electronic ignition modules?
Did a search online for the mfg of the module but no success.
My son has had this dozer for a number of years and it was converted before he got it.
Thoughts, suggestions, tests I should run?

don't believe that is excessively hot. It has worked several years, you say.....don't change anything.

 

[rustred]

Coils do not run hot. U should be able to wrap your fist around it and it and not say ouch. They will be warmish but not hot. Plus make sure its hooked up
Correctly to the bat. Polarity. Neg ground has the coil neg. Going to distributor. Pos. Ground units have the pos. Going to the distributor. Thats the way the coil should be set up and thats the way its always wired from factory.

 

[ken44520978]

3 ohm 12 volt coil or just add a 1.5 ohm ballast resistor in series with your existing coil.

 

[Hdonly]

The required resistance of the coil depends on the specs of the electronic ignition system. Doesn't sound like your coil is too hot. If it has worked good all this time, I think you are fine. Nothing to worry about.
If you are concerned, you need to track down the specs of the electronic ignition module to find out what they recommend.

 

[M-MAN]

You can keep fixing it until it's broke or you can not fix what isn't broke. Your choice.

First off that isn't too hot for a can type coil. A wrong coil would be much hotter. Secondly having the wrong coil will kill the electronic module pretty quick if it ran at all. Yours has been running
for years. Leave it alone.

 

[JMOR]

(quoted from post at 06:37:23 11/22/23) You can keep fixing it until it's broke or you can not fix what isn't broke. Your choice.

First off that isn't too hot for a can type coil. A wrong coil would be much hotter. Secondly having the wrong coil will kill the electronic module pretty quick if it ran at all. Yours has been running
for years. Leave it alone.

efinitely. Particularly because at least two guys are telling him "how to connect it wrong, most likely"! How can they even put that stuff out there when they don't even have a clue as to what electronic ignition he has installed?!

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

I agree. This has the potential for a serious "fix it until it's broke" situation.

"Warm" is not "HOT." 113F is cooler than your coffee, barley warmer than a good "hot" shower. A hot coil is one you can't touch. Coils are as their name implies, coils of wire, heating elements. They will build up some heat.

One thing the OP did not state is what coil is being used. One thing the OP needs to do, for educational purposes, is trace the power supply wire back from the coil and determine if there is a ballast resistor already installed.

Long story short, if he's been running it without issues, LEAVE IT ALONE. If he's having problems with it dying unexpectedly, that would have been an important detail that should have been expressed initially.

 

[Part Time Pete]

I don't have the answer to your question, but I bought an Allis D-14 that had been converted to 12 volt, and it kept burning up points. Turns out they had left the 6 volt coil in it

 

[John T]

Good questions here are my questions and concerns:

1) Do coils normally run warm?

Subject to their location, ambient temperature, coil current and physical heat sinking IF the correct coil and voltage for the application........

IN GENERAL they may run a bit WARM but usually not so hot you cant keep your hand on them.. NOTE as a coil overheats, high voltage breakdown can happen !!!

2) Are there specific coils that are designed to run with electronic ignition modules?

REGARDLESS if mechanical points control coil current orrrrrrrrr an elec switch controls coil current THEY ARE RATED FOR THE PROPER VOLTAGE AND CURRENT to yield an adequate spark. NOTE HOWEVER elec switches or points HAVE MAXIMUM CURRENT RATINGS so an elec switch, like points, need to use a coil THAT DOES NOT EXCEED X CURRENT (typical 4 amps)....THEREFORE an elec switch might ??? use a specific coil and you will find the answer to that FROM THE MANUFACTURER NOT HERE. That all being said, and assuming an elec switch can handle 4 (typical for points) to 5 Amps A COIL THAT WORKS WITH POINTS SHOULD WORK FINE WITH AN ELEC IGNITION Typically as long as voltage and max current isnt exceeded NO SPECIAL COIL IS REQUIRED (but confirm with manufacturer)...

3) Thoughts, suggestions

If it was converted from 6 to 12 volts and the old 6 volt coil was kept and no external series voltage dropping (12 down to 6) was added THE OLD 6 VOLT COIL RAN AT 12 VOLTS WILL OVERHEAT BAD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BOTTOM LINE on a 12 volt tractor you need to either USE A NEW FULL 12 VOLT RATED COIL orrrrrrrrrr a 6 volt coil PLUS a ballast REGARDLESS if points or Elec

BEST PURE GUESSES NOT THERE Id suspect its the wrong coil versus an elec switch issue as EITHER just turns coil current on or off and coil temp would be near the same

TESTS measure coil current with ignition on and coil conducting current if say 3 to 4 amps I consider that okay (right coil) butttttttt if its like 5 or 6 to 8 amps THATS TOO MUCH IT WILL OVERHEATS MUST BE WRONG COIL such as a 6 volt unballasted coil on a 12 volt tractor REGARDLESS if points or elec ignition

John T See what others think and if they can add to or correct this ?????

 

[MSD]

Is coil laying sideways? The MSD Blaster coils don 't last long if they are not stood up. The oil inside doesn't cool them. Also with Pertroonix brand ignition module's they recommend a certain ohm coil to make them last.

 

[buickanddeere]

Poster should tell us how many amps are flowing through the coil .