The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Resistance Wire

Hello All
Converting my '51 3100 to a 12 volt system. In the process of installing a '57 261 engine and recently aquired a NOS Delco Alternator conversion kit.
My question is the Ignition resistance routing.
The #1 terminal on the alternator has a connection for a "calibrated wire" terminating at the (+) terminal on the ignition coil. I assume that this wire is also known
as the resistance wire. Does hooking this wire up as shown in the instuctions eliminate the need for the cermanic firewall resistor?
Also I have the "R" terminal on the push starter solenoid, would I also run a resistance wire to the coil? My coil states to use external resitance source.

BudWiring Instructions

I don’t know about the #1 terminal on the alternator as mine is a one wire alternator, and maybe another knowledgeable “bolter” can chime in. I do know about the “R” terminal on the starter switch.

If the”R terminal you are referring to the side terminal with about a 3/8” nut on the switch mounted on the starter, the answer is no. That side terminal supply's a full 12 volts to the coil when you start the engine. When you release the floor start button you want it to switch to the ceramic resister or a resistance wire which cuts the voltage and saves the points from burning up too quickly. I have never seen the kit nor am I an electrical guru but I did just make those changes to my 52’ 3100 with a 235’. One of the PO’s didn’t have the resister wired in so I had to figure out how (with the help of this forum) it was supposed to work.

My take on what you have is:
No, a regular copper wire would go from the + side of coil to #1 on alternator. That’s the excitation circuit for the alternator. I replace the ‘resistance’ wire with a ballast resistor as the wire is stiff and hard to work with and the ballast resistor does the same thing. Your not going original so anything goes. Just my opinion, so please be nice.