The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay having to convert to 12 volt on 54 chevy pickup

so i guess i'm going to convert to 12 volt. talked with my parts store in town about converting. they have a 63 amp alternator. what i'm not understanding is what is a (ballast resistor in the line between the ignition switch and the coil). i know about changing all the bulbs and changing the coil to 12 volt. what is a Standard Ignition in line for the fuel gauge. should i be able to get some of these items local? thanks

All 12 volt systems with points need a resister in the circuit. They are available from any parts store. It is a ceramic resister available at any parts store listed for 55 to the early 60's Chevs. You should put a bypass wire on it for quicker starts. If you are useing a selinoid type starter there is a term. on it for that. If you are useing the foot starter you can get a 12 volt one that has a small term. on the side. The best resister for the gas gauge is the Runtz. It is avaiable at most specialty stores. If you are near K.C. we have several in this area.

i will have to order the runtz resister. i have the foot stomp starter from my understanding i can still use the 6 volt starter. so i need to install the resister on the wire going from the key to the coil? what do you mean bypass wire for quick starts? thanks for your help mark

The runtz is for the gas gauge it will go between the ign. switch and the gauge so you don't have 12 volts going to your gas gauge ,also the brand Standard makes a coil that has a internal resister I just put one on mine and it works great engine starts right up ,if you need the # I will look on mine.And yes you can use your 6 volt starter.

Pete

if you can look at yours that would be nice. be nice to be able to get my stuff local stead of having to order all the stuff. that is a pain in the butt.

Yes it is a pain, Standard # 805 12volt with internal resister

Have fun,Pete

here is a picture of the resistor for the ignition"wrenchbender" refers too.
ignition resistor

Standard/Bluestreak ignition coils are UC12 external resistor and UC15 is Internaly resisted. UC14 is the 6v version. A good engine and distributor the high voltage start circut shouldn't be nessisary, but could be used.

Use the internal resistor coil and elimintate the external hassle and wiring. There are better solutions that is old school technology and a fire hazard to boot.

Internal resistor coils will have a greater frequency of hard starting problems, especially if the engine has high compression, or other causes of low cranking speed/high starter current. The reason for the 9V coil primary on non-resistor coils is to allow the ignition to work properly during cranking when the battery voltage is lower than normal. If a coil is internally current limited to prevent point burning when operating at the 14+ volt range of normal 12 volt charging systems, the primary current available during cranking at 9 to 10 volts will be low enough to give a very weak spark.

It's simpler to run a low-voltage coil, insert an external resistor during normal running, and bypass the resistor while cranking. HEI ignition systems do not need the resistor, because there are no points to burn during full-voltage running. Use an internal-resistor coil if you choose, but be aware there might be some spark voltage problems during high-load cranking.
Jerry

Valid points but I have never had a hard start with mine (1954 stock rebuild 235). New wiring, new regulator, coil, and tuned I have heard of the hard start issues but I have not experienced them.

The resistor bypass is a Dodge thing,,,, Chevy's start better and shouldn't need it. LOL But hotrod's 100% right in its use and effect.

The resistor by-pass was also a Chevy thing,,, for both 12v foot starters and solenoid starters. I do not know if it was really needed, but it was originally there for 12v 235s and 261s.

The primary resistance, with either a ceramic resistor or a nichrome wire from the ignition switch to the coil, and the bypass system was on every GM 12 volt ignition system up to the HEI ignition's introduction in the mid-1970's. If it was not needed, General Motors spent a lot of unnecessary time and money developing it, and installing it on millions of cars.

That being said, I'm sure a bunch of internet forum members who were probably filling their diapers when these systems were developed probably know a lot more about it- - - - - -NOT!
Jerry