National Coil question

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KWTownsend
Posts: 1382
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2019 6:51 pm
First Name: Keith
Last Name: Townsend
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: late 1911 touring, 1915 runabout, 1919 touring, brass speedster
Location: Gresham, Orygun
MTFCA Life Member: YES
Board Member Since: 1999

National Coil question

Post by KWTownsend » Sat Feb 11, 2023 6:18 pm

A friend of mine has a 1908 REO one cylinder and it has this National coil on it.

REO coil 1.jpg

I would like to do some diagnostic testing on it. Does anyone have any wiring diagrams for one of these?
I'm going to guess the large contact in the center would be for the spark and is missing a big insulator?
Two of the other contacts would be for two batteries?
And another contact for the "commutator" ?

REO coil 2.jpg

How do I get the coil out of the box?

REO coil 3.jpg

I appreciate all constructive input!

If nothing else, I figure I can modify a Ford coil and make it work.

Thanks!

: ^ )

Keith
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CudaMan
Posts: 2531
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2019 4:17 pm
First Name: Mark
Last Name: Strange
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1924 Cut Off Touring (now a pickup)
Location: Hillsboro, MO
Board Member Since: 2013

Re: National Coil question

Post by CudaMan » Sat Feb 11, 2023 7:46 pm

I agree with your assessment, the large terminal in the middle of the bottom of the box is the high tension lead. Ludwig Gocek (lgocek9@gmail.com) sells the insulator shroud for that connection, along with a bunch of other hardware for old coil boxes. I suspect that two of the low tension connections on the box bottom are for battery banks A and B and the third connection is for ground.

Regarding getting inside the box, on my 1912 Flanders the top of the Splitdorf coil box was attached to the sides via the two screws that the top latch arms pivot on. Unscrew those two screws and you may be able to lift the top plate off (don't pull too far, there will be wires attached inside!).

I looked in the HCFI Library site and found this diagram for a 1908 REO two cylinder car. I didn't see a diagram for a one cylinder car, but I suspect it will be the same as this one, but with the second spark plug and high tension lead removed.

Email me through the forum and I will reply back with copies of the 1908 REO catalog, instruction book, and parts list that I downloaded from the HCFI library. Or, you can go there yourself and download them. You will need to create an account there to be able to download files.

I would also suggest that you contact the REO club, they may prove helpful. https://reoclub.org/

Good luck!
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1908_reo_wiring_diagram.jpg
Mark Strange
Hillsboro, MO
1924 Cut-off Touring (now a pickup)
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