[4beers4me]

Another previous owner gift. The HEI is running off of the ballast resistor. From my understanding, nothing else runs off of it so I am thinking about eliminating it. Since I have things that are not hooked up, I may not see the result of disconnecting something that needs it. That is until 8 months from now when I will have forgotten that I deleted it.

 

[classicman55]

If you are using an HEI you do not need the balast. It is a voltage reducer
for points on the old unit. :anim_25:

 

[MikeB]

The answer to your question is "no". Its only mission is to limit current through the points. Without it, the contacts would probably melt together.

 

[Jim '57]

The answer to your question is "no". Its only mission is to limit current through the points. Without it, the contacts would probably melt together.

Not entirely correct, the electric windshield wipers picks up power on the front side of the ballast.
Jim

 

[Rick_L]

The wipers run off the 12V side of the ballast resistor. In that regard it is equivalent to a terminal strip.

Only the points run off the reduced voltage side of the resistor.

 

[fiddlerpin]

The windshield wiper motor does not get it's voltage reduced by the ballast resister. They simply wired them there as power was convienant at that location. I recommend moving the power wire from the wiper motor to a fused location in the fusebox. If the wiper motor shorts out the car will die too! Jim

 

[4beers4me]

Thanks guys. Better to check before rewiring things. ALWAYS.

I must have a short somewhere, too. The ballast is heating up, 465F on the IR thermometer. Even with the distributor going to another source. That is what lead me to investigate the HEI to begin with.

I think I have it licked now 3:

 

[acardon]

Thanks guys. Better to check before rewiring things. ALWAYS.

I must have a short somewhere, too. The ballast is heating up, 465F on the IR thermometer. Even with the distributor going to another source. That is what lead me to investigate the HEI to begin with.

I think I have it licked now 3:

Removeing the ballest resistor should keep it from heating up too much, although it will still be hot in this weather.
With a large body HEI, I would run a larger gauge wire from the ign terminal of the switch directly to the bat terminal of the HEI. Stock wiring is too small for the HEI.

 

[mickeywestsr]

Not mine.......:gba:
bowtie-trifive