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Farmall & IHC Tractors Discussion Forum
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farmall H, 12V resistor smokes after wiring light

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arod

05-20-2005 09:57:46




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Help. Another electrical question. Rewired my H to 12 V, negative ground, alternator with external regulator. Have a 12 V resistor just prior to the 12 V coil. Now, I got this running and working the other day. Last nite I ran a wire from my junction block to the light switch. Now when I pull out the stop/run swith the Resistor starts smoking and burning up... What the heck is going on? What does a smoking resistor mean?

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captaink

05-20-2005 10:44:07




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 Re: farmall H, 12V resistor smokes after wiring l in reply to arod, 05-20-2005 09:57:46  
It sounds like you have somehow grounded the power or are trying to power the lights through the resistor after the switch.

A smoking resistor is not a good thing; usually it means that it is overloaded. Resistors can safely handle up to certain amperage. Exceeding that will cause them to smoke and burn up.



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arod

05-20-2005 11:02:47




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 Re: farmall H, 12V resistor smokes after wiring l in reply to captaink, 05-20-2005 10:44:07  
Well, the junction block that recieves the battery wire from the alternator, and supplies the power to the start/stop switch is where I tapped in to get power to the light switch. This is where I should be grabbing a hot for accesories?



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Bob M

05-20-2005 10:43:42




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 Re: farmall H, 12V resistor smokes after wiring l in reply to arod, 05-20-2005 09:57:46  
Arod - A smoking ballast resistor can mean a couple things:

1 - You somehow got a drop of oil or similar onto the resistor. The smoke is the stuff being burned off by the hot resistor. (Note: It's normal for a new resistor to smoke for a minute or two the first time it is powered up.)

2 - Your new light wiring somehow managed to ground the coil side of the resistor. Now when you pull the ignition switch this fault current passes thru the resistor causing it to heat up.

Suggest this: Temporarily disconnect the wire between the resistor and the ignition coil at the coil terminal. Now turn on the ignition. If the coil doesn't heat up/smoke with the wire disconnected, there is no problem. Reconnect the wire and forget about it.

However if the resistor still smokes with the coil wire disconnected, begin looking for a short somewhere.

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arod

05-20-2005 11:00:12




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 Re: farmall H, 12V resistor smokes after wiring l in reply to Bob M, 05-20-2005 10:43:42  
Well, when I got this running the other day, I did have the valve cover off to adjust valve lash while engine was running, so I know some oil may have sprinkled on the resistor.

Will try your suggestion on disconnecting the wire from the coil and see if the resistor still smokes. Funny, because the lights swtich works just fine, and headlights turn on as intended. But those work without pulling the start/stop switch. When I pull the start/stop switch with no accesories turned on, that darned resistor smokes to beat the band. I appreciate your help, so thank you.

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Bob M

05-20-2005 11:20:39




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 Re: farmall H, 12V resistor smokes after wiring l in reply to arod, 05-20-2005 11:00:12  
Sounds like you simply got a few drops of oil splashed onto the resistor. And a few drops of oil can make a LOT of smoke!

Anyway start the tractor and keep an eye on the resistor - I'll bet that after a few minutes of running the smoke will go away.

Keep in mind also the resistor gets hotter with the ign switch "on" and the engine STOPPED, than it does with the engine running...



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captaink

05-20-2005 12:06:12




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 Re: farmall H, 12V resistor smokes after wiring l in reply to Bob M, 05-20-2005 11:20:39  
Yup, oil will sure do it! If it is oil it might take a few minutes to quit.



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arod

05-20-2005 12:05:41




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 just to be sure.... is this correct ? in reply to Bob M, 05-20-2005 11:20:39  
ok... Hmmm. So should a fella NOT wire up to the junction block where the ignition comes together behind the switched side of the ign switch.

Three wires exist on that junction to be exact:
1) wire from the alternator that reads "TO BAT"
2) wire supplying current to the ign switch
3) wire to the positive battery cable for charging

This is NOT the place to grab a 'hot' for accesories then?

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captaink

05-20-2005 12:10:17




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 Re: just to be sure.... is this correct ? in reply to arod, 05-20-2005 12:05:41  
I don't see a problem with it as long as the wire supplying the junction block from the battery is heavy enough to carry the current.



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arod

05-20-2005 12:15:06




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 Re: just to be sure.... is this correct ? in reply to captaink, 05-20-2005 12:10:17  
well alright! thanks for the review of how I wired the junction. I have a 10 guage wire from the positive battery cable to the junction block. So, cool. That seems to be correct. And you concur that a little oil will smoke like the dickens.

Thanks for your review and comments, helps tremedously to have other peoples wisdom when tackling problems. Thanks captaink



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arod

05-20-2005 11:44:44




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 Re: farmall H, 12V resistor smokes after wiring l in reply to Bob M, 05-20-2005 11:20:39  
Bob,
Good point, as I have been testing wiring circuits without the engine running, I have had the ign switch "on" with the engine stopped. So, yeah, makes sense. This is actually encouraging news that maybe there is no major problem with a grounded wire or such.

Thanks for sharing your wisdom.



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