Dizzy Confusion

[deanostoybox]

DTB, what is vague is I have a 6V system, which begs the question- can I use a 12V coil? and if so what resistance is needed?
Also, and not for nothing but when talking with the Pertronix tech, he did say the primary resistance that is required is in the coil, not the "wire resistance" that you get from the ballast resistor...but that's another can of worms I'm not sure I wanna open.

"I have a 6V system, which begs the question- can I use a 12V coil?" NO.
Total primary resistance needs to be 1.5 Ohms on a 6V system. Your coil measures 1.1 Ohms. The temperature variable OEM ballast resistor is designed to work with the square front mount distributor coil. It provides a lower resistance when the ignition is first turned on to compensate for the voltage drop due to the load on the battery when cranking, then when the engine is running heats up due to current passing through it to provide the required 0.5 - 0.7 Ohms of additional resistance required to maintain a nominal current of 4 Amperes to the coil when the points are closed (or the igniter is conducting). That resistance cannot be measured with an Ohmmeter. You just have to trust that the engineers who developed that system knew what they were doing, after all it has worked now for nearly a century with points. The Pertronix unit is simply a replacement for points and condenser.

 

[olddavid]

"I have a 6V system, which begs the question- can I use a 12V coil?" NO.

This is an interesting question. I'm not sure I know since I have not tried it. If you eliminate the dropping resistor, the coil would be running at 6 volts which is about what it would be running in a typical 12 volt system with dropping resistance for "run". It looks like the 12 volt coil might work assuming that the required resistance is met. If it's a resistor coil, that is one that says "no external resistor needed" I'm not sure how that would work. It would be interesting to experiment with if it was a point type ignition. It might get expensive with the Pertronix.

 

[fOXTOOTH]

I copy you cant measure running tractor ohms, AND some might be happy that Ima get after doing this (and not just asking abuncha questions) just as soon as I have some free time. I MIGHT even begin to trust those Ford engineers...after all, I do w my F150 & '97 F250 HD beast/tank that will pull down your house if you ask nicely.
Olddavid, my experimenting daze are drawing to a close-thank God amighty!

 

[fOXTOOTH]

...forgot to include. Thanx again for all the help I received.
foxtooth out

 

[fOXTOOTH]

Update: Installed
yesterday ('s tractor?) Started right up, took the old girl for a spin around the pasture, seemed to work just fine. Now what was all the fuss about?

 

[Non-farmer]

It seems to me a big fuss about this sort of thing is people who don't believe suppressor wires will work well, because the tractor came equipped with solid core wires. 8 or more years of running great on suppressor wires tells me that's just not the case. I suspect an N will run just fine with points and suppressor wires too. If anyone has such a setup, I'd love to hear about the success, or lack thereof, of it.

 

[zuhnc]

Suppressor wires mitigate the RF emanating from them. Wires act like a small antenna. Static in the AM radio bands Were suppressor wires around when the 9N, 2N or 8N's were designed? Shielded, maybe, for military use.

 

[fOXTOOTH]

IDK enough about loyalties, suppression wires, points vs EI, but I guess I can understand OEM and some people who desire to keep it that way. I can tell you this, working on these tractors is almost as enjoyable as finding things for them to do, because they were built right & you use 5/16- 11/32- 3/8- 1/2-9/16-5/8-11/16... It's like baking a cake and using cup measurements. Something supremely American about it. My tractor is a Fergie TO 30, which is the same way, and is in need of attention always because I'm working on these 75 year old N's. There's Mario's two, neighbor on the other side with an NAA coming up, and trying to figure out what my insurance guy has rebuilt for himself. Oh well, I think those Fergie issues will just have to wait a little bit longer...gotta go make the donuts.