30 volts at the mag post - engine runs like crap on mag -its gotta be the coils -Right ?

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2014: 30 volts at the mag post - engine runs like crap on mag -its gotta be the coils -Right ?
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David Dare - Just a little South West . on Friday, October 24, 2014 - 06:43 pm:

The title says it all, just in from testing the mag, its a beauty, running at 30 volts on the tester, the 12v 21 w globe did not blow, but boy did it burn bright.
The engine on the road is running far better on the 12 volt battery, wants to get going when switching over to the mag, but just doesn't get there.
Q/ - COILS ?
I'm about to swap my 13 runabout Ford coils over to road test again, but some assistance in the direction could be a time save here.
David


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John F. Regan on Friday, October 24, 2014 - 08:03 pm:

I would have to agree that coils that will run fine on 12V but NOT on magneto when the mag is strong is a classic example of non adjusted coils but I am surprised that your magneto could put out 30V and NOT quickly blow the bulb since that is two and a half times the normal operate voltage of the bulb. Are you sure it is a 21 WATT bulb and not a 21 Candle Power bulb? Was your meter a known accurate analog meter or a digital meter?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David Dare - Just a little South West . on Friday, October 24, 2014 - 08:13 pm:

G'day John, copied your instructions a few years back with an analog meter with 12/21 W globe ( 1125 or what ever it was ).
I am sure that if l had left it running a few more seconds, the filament would now be history.
I can go try again and pop it.
With my runabout coils its far better, they too need adjusting.
The coils l removed from the Tudor prior to the run, were those nasty plastic coils.
The engine is still new and slowly running in, but after this 20mile run l have just completed on the runabout coils, its running 'almost nicely'.
David.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David J. Holland on Friday, October 24, 2014 - 08:40 pm:

Another possibility; Same problem here until I cleaned and fine (600) paper dressed the magneto side of the switch. Poor connection equals erratic coil operation. In addition, I learned on this forum to advance the spark a bit more when running on the mag.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Fred Dimock, Newfields NH, USA on Friday, October 24, 2014 - 09:06 pm:

Time to talk with Ron Patterson


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Charlie B actually in Toms River N.J. on Friday, October 24, 2014 - 09:07 pm:

If your coils haven't be re-habbed it has to be done anyway. You'll be pleasantly surprised.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John F. Regan on Friday, October 24, 2014 - 09:09 pm:

Does anyone there have an HCCT or access to a Strobo-Spark tester. Since the coils do run better on 12V it would seem that with just a bit of touching up you could have a very sweet running motor once it is totally synchronous with the magneto firing the coils.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Peter Borland. Bathurst. NSW. Australia. on Sunday, October 26, 2014 - 02:11 am:

G'day David,
Get rid of those plastic coils. They are crap. I had two sets and they all failed. I got a set of coils from John Regan and have not looked back. I have also rebuilt old coils I had and set them on a Strobo-spark, these too are way better than those plastic coils and perform well with new capacitors and points. The fun part is trying to get that sweet spot where the coil works equally well on both battery and magnito. Has been a learning curve though.

Peter


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Marty Bufalini on Sunday, October 26, 2014 - 08:19 am:

Don't forget about Brent Mize, the Coil Doctor. He does really good work, too.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Jablonski on Sunday, October 26, 2014 - 10:52 am:

David:

If you find a T guy with a HCCT who knows how to properly use, chances are he knows how to properly re-build Model T ignition coils.

There are others who do not advertise here or in the Vintage Ford, who are very capable to help with your coils.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ken Todd on Sunday, October 26, 2014 - 11:57 am:

Peter Borland wrote: "Get rid of those plastic coils. They are crap."

Just because you had trouble w/them doesn't mean they are all crap. I have a set that were weak, put new, good capacitors in them and they work as good as good wood cased coils.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ron Patterson-Nicholasville, Kentucky on Sunday, October 26, 2014 - 12:05 pm:

Ken
Both you and Peter are correct.
There are two different types of plastic coils. One can be made to work well in a Model T and the other will not work on the magneto.
Dave Dare simply needs to get his coils set up on a HCCT or Strobo Spark by, as Bob J. points out, someone who know how to properly use the tool.
Just because you have the tool doesn't mean you know how to use it effectively.
Ron the Coilman


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David Dare - Just a little South West . on Sunday, October 26, 2014 - 03:10 pm:

Already contacted Brent.
a new set of tickets for me.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Les Schubert on Sunday, October 26, 2014 - 05:26 pm:

David
I hope you let us know exactly what you find to be the problem. I have heard of this problem before.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David Dare - Just a little South West . on Sunday, October 26, 2014 - 06:32 pm:

Ok will do, it is running pretty well with my runabout coils, but they are in need of a good adjustment too.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Peter Borland. Bathurst. NSW. Australia. on Wednesday, October 29, 2014 - 04:51 am:

Ken,
I am glad you are not having trouble with your coils, no amount of work trying to get the two sets I have would make them work properly. As I live on the other side of the world from the supplier, it was not convenient or cost effective to return these substandard coils for a refund as the shipping is prohibitive. I wish that there was more information available to me when I first purchased new coils, I would have made a very different choice, and a less costly mistake. I am not alone with these substandard coils that have caused me to have to put a spare set of old untested coils in to get home. I have learned to repair and set up coils, purchased equipment to test and calibrate them and no longer have to worry about the quality of the coils fitted to my car. One should not have to rebuild new coils to make them work or be reliable out of the box.

Peter


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Adam Doleshal on Wednesday, October 29, 2014 - 12:23 pm:

I've been told that the plastic cased coils were the ignition source for the burner of some grain dryers and that they ran on 24 volts. Occasionally you will find a plastic case coil that even has a small round white or yellow 24v sticker on it. The sticker is about the size a paper punch would make. These coils seem to be different enough that it is usually very tough, if not impossible to set up the points so the coil operates correctly on a HCCT. Also, once they are correctly set up, it seems like they generally require "tuning up" about once per season, while properly rebuilt wood coils usually go for years without having to be touched...

Also, for quite a few years, and up till about 3 or 4 years ago, the vendor assembling the plastic coils was using a capacitor that had a comparatively short life span compared to what most "coil-rebuilders/manufacturers that promote themseleves/are promoted on the forum" are now using.

I've been rebuilding coils for local T guys and for customer projects here in the shop for about 12 years now and set them up on a HCCT. By the time I had 3 years under my belt, I had seen several sets of plastic case coils as well as KW coils with date stamps well after the T was out of production and I can say that MOST of the plastic coils were very difficult if not impossible to set up well enough that I knew they would be reliable for some time to come. The KW branded wood coils usually were noticeably much "fussier" on their adjustment than genuine Ford coils, and occasionally you would even get one of them that would not adjust satisfactorily. So about 8 or 9 years ago, in order to make things easier for me AND provide a better quality, more reliable product, I made it a policy that a coil was not a suitable core for rebuilding unless it was a wood cased coil with a FORD script on it.

With that all said, the main exception is that the wood cased KW BRAND coils that are currently being made by FUN PROJECTS in St Charles, IL are properly made because they utilize original FORD coil windings with the multiple cast-iron-rod cores. The also have the proper capacitor and satisfactory points/adjustment. They are essentially a properly rebuilt "Ford-script" coil in a brand new box with new condenser and new terminals & hardware.


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