Voltage regulator?

[waugh621]

I am working on a ford 8n for my boss and am rewiring it to undo a classic cobble job and i found this, what i am assuming is a voltage regulator. I think it runs to the coil but everything was already unhooked and removed before i got here.
Thanks Nate

 

[miner09]

Maybe a resister but never seen one quite like it.

 

[oldproudvet]

Could be resistor that is hooked up thru the headlamp switch to control excess voltage when the headlamps are not on. Pull to the next detent and the resistance is out of the circuit when the lights are one. No regulator on the generator, and it would have a very low output. I know Case in the 40s used this on the VAC models, more expensive tractors used a regulator. It's been a long time since I've seen one of these and I could be wrong on the details, but this is the general idea.

 

[Gambles]

I would call that a voltage reducer instead of a regulator, but the parts book may label it whatever they want.
These are similar to the old Chrysler cars that had them bolted to the firewall.
I don't really like them because they get hot and can start a fire on your tractor, but if kept clean, they worked and did the job....in their day.

 

[waugh621]

I would call that a voltage reducer instead of a regulator, but the parts book may label it whatever they want.
These are similar to the old Chrysler cars that had them bolted to the firewall.
I don't really like them because they get hot and can start a fire on your tractor, but if kept clean, they worked and did the job....in their day.

Is it somthing i need to keep i am putting a 1 wire gm alternator on it

 

[old-9]

Make it easy, buy a new harness right here on this site. They have several 6 volt ,12 volt front or side mount distributor. also new resistor block. Have fun!! joe

 

[Gambles]

Is it somthing i need to keep i am putting a 1 wire gm alternator on it

As Old-9 posted, you can get a replacement coil to eliminate that.
Is everything else on the tractor converted to 12 volt?

 

[M-MAN]

Unique looking ballast resistor. It was put there to be able to use a 6v coil with a 12v system. As long as it's still good you can use it or buy a 12v (no resistor needed) coil.

 

[JMOR]

Is it somthing i need to keep i am putting a 1 wire gm alternator on it

Simple voltage dropping resistor used inline with ign coil primary to reduce coil current.....typically used when a 6v coil is being used on a 12v system. If you switch to a 12v coil with ~3 Ohm primary, such as IC-14sb, you can toss the fixed resistor. If it is a front mount distributor 8N then a resistor will still be needed with the front mount, so called 12v coil:, because its resistance is too low to achieve the needed 4 amp current. There is no front mount coil available that can be used on 12v without a dropping resistor.

 

[wore out]

Unique looking ballast resistor. It was put there to be able to use a 6v coil with a 12v system. As long as it's still good you can use it or buy a 12v (no resistor needed) coil.

FUNNY how everything from years past is "unique" when the younger generation finds it no matter how common the item was "back in the day"!

 

[Janicholson]

FUNNY how everything from years past is "unique" when the younger generation finds it no matter how common the item was "back in the day"!

I have had students that could not read a clock with hands. Woof. Jim

 

[Gambles]

There is no front mount coil available that can be used on 12v without a dropping resistor.

I'm not a Ford tractor man, nor do I claim to be an expert on them. (Although I recently had a 1210 dropped on me, including a tiller and blade )
However, when I made my post above, I based it on my memory of seeing 12-volt conversion coils previously. So, just for giggles, I Googled "12-volt 8N ignition coils" and several came up, the first one on a site that is not this one. (I will not specify the site, but it's the big one that everyone seems to order from nowadays) It specifically says: "This is a 12 Volt coil. If you need a 6 Volt Coil, it is included in another listing"
If none is available, what is this?

 

[Jim.ME]

I'm not a Ford tractor man, nor do I claim to be an expert on them. (Although I recently had a 1210 dropped on me, including a tiller and blade )
However, when I made my post above, I based it on my memory of seeing 12-volt conversion coils previously. So, just for giggles, I Googled "12-volt 8N ignition coils" and several came up, the first one on a site that is not this one. (I will not specify the site, but it's the big one that everyone seems to order from nowadays) It specifically says: "This is a 12 Volt coil. If you need a 6 Volt Coil, it is included in another listing"
If none is available, what is this?

It is a Ford thing with the "12-volt" square, distributor mount coil. I asked the same thing a couple weeks ago. After some lengthy back and forth on the N forum here, it was finally said that past testing of the so called 12-volt coils revealed they are not wound/built correctly to have the internal resistance to limit the amperage to 4 amps, as JMOR mentioned above. They have enough resistance that they don't need an additional ballast resistor as is used with a 6-volt coil, but they still need the resistance of the OEM resistor in the circuit. So that is why most insist the OEM resistor has to be kept in the power circuit to the coil (and giving the background helps explain why).

 

[wore out]

I'm not a Ford tractor man, nor do I claim to be an expert on them. (Although I recently had a 1210 dropped on me, including a tiller and blade )
However, when I made my post above, I based it on my memory of seeing 12-volt conversion coils previously. So, just for giggles, I Googled "12-volt 8N ignition coils" and several came up, the first one on a site that is not this one. (I will not specify the site, but it's the big one that everyone seems to order from nowadays) It specifically says: "This is a 12 Volt coil. If you need a 6 Volt Coil, it is included in another listing"
If none is available, what is this?

These Ford ignition systems are somewhat unique in that a ballast resistor was used from the factory with the 6 Volt electrical system they had and apparently the "12 Volt" aftermarket coils are typically designed with the idea that the OEM resistor will remain in place.

Other 6 Volt systems that also used a ballast resistor that come to mind are the WICO "ignition boxes" on DEERE "pony start" diesels and the WICO distributors that look like magnetos and were sold as replacements for magnetos.