The Differences Between a 6 Volt and 12 Volt Ignition Coil

Do you have a 6 Volt or 12 Volt Ignition Coil? Can you run a 12 Volt Coil on a 6 Volt System? How do Contact Breaker Distributors work? Why do you need a resistor on a 6 Volt Ignition Coil?
FORD CL340 Skid Steer Restoration Project "Rust Bucket Rehab" Ignition Coil and Distributor Cap
How to tell a 6 volt coil versus a 12 volt coil. A 6 volt ignition coil system generally operates with a ballast resistor and a contact breaker or point distributor. As the distributor spins the contact points touch and release with the timing of your spark plugs causing an arc of energy to ignite the sparks. The resistor ballast retains energy and releases it in timing with the distributor. This build up of energy takes the 6 volt charge of the ignition coil and ramps it up to a 12 volt discharge to fire your plugs. You can remove the resistor ballast and use a 12 volt coil. Using a 12 volt coil will send a continuous flow of energy to the distributor making the timing easier. However over time it will burn out the contact points on the distributor.

[@musbtrump]

You need to do some more research man, your three kinds wrong. Have you never seen points before?

[@slammedhemi331]

Holy shit. DON’T listen to this guy. He is throwing out terminology and doesn’t know what he is doing!!!!! You never keep 12 volts to the coil. It will overheat. Hence the resistor , doesn’t matter 6 volt or 12 volt. The theory is all the same. Positive or negative ground. Doesn’t matter. Airplanes use mags. Times 2. Ugggggg. The ignorance is high with this one

[@TheHermitHacker]

And this guy is promoting Merch. SMFH.

[@ronnieg276]

I think he's talking about a 12v coil that has extra winding in the coil and doesn't need an external resistor. If you have a coil that says to use an external resistor then yes, you would need the resistor. There's a lot of discussion about that subject in tractor forums where a lot of guys convert their old 6 volt systems to 12v.

[@frankd8204]

One thing that is confusing is you said using a 12 volt coil means a constant load to the distributor. In a points (non-electronic) ignition, this is not true. There are 12 volt ignition systems (1960-1970s, early 80s) that use a "points type" distributor, which is what you are describing here. But, simply having a 12 volt coil does not mean you have an electronic ignition, even though all electronic ignition systems are 12 volt. Did I misinterpret what you described? I know nothing of 6 volt systems as they were phased out by the time I started working on cars.

[@YanasaTV]

As I explained you can have a 12 volt coil on a point distributor... in fact, that what I was doing... but you won’t have nor need a resistor with a 12 volt.

[@frankd8204]

@@YanasaTV Understand, thanks for clarifying. Did your project fix work on the old engine?

[@highwatercircutrider]

@@YanasaTV all vehicles run on 5.5-6 volts at the points. With 12 volt systems their are two circuits ( a starting primary 12 volt ). Then when you release the ignition key to the run position or ‘secondary’ ignition circuit your on 5.5-6 volts. The 12 volt coil for a six volt distributor will either have an ‘internal’ resistor or an external 6 volt ‘ballast’ type resister between the coil and the distributor ( other wise you damage the condenser or the points ).

[@arnoldpadilla6471]

If I were you. I'd take this video down and delete. You just confused the best of us. You got it all wrong.

[@AIRMANBEAR]

YOUR NOT USING THE RIGHT TERMS FOR A MECHANIC...THE REASON FOR A RESISTOR IS TO REDUCE THE VOLTAGE OF THE 12 VOLT COIL DOWN TO 6 VOLT ..... ONCE THE MOTOR IS STARTED..THIS MAKES LESS CHANCE OF ARCING IN THE POINTS ..( SO YOUR POINTS WILL LAST LONGER..).THE KEY IN THE START POSITION USES FULL 12VOLT WITHOUT THE RESISTOR FOR A STRONGER STARTING SPARK.ONLY ALSO YOU HAVENT MEASURED AMPS YOU SAY VOLTS............ YOU HAVE NOT MEASURED AMPS IN THIS VIDEO.. BEFORE YOU GO REPLACING EVERYTHING YOU SET THE POINTS ACCORDING TO THE MANUAL ..(MAKE SURE THE POINTS ARE IN THE OPEN POSITION WHEN U DO THIS ..)

[@jhooah1]

Aircraft use Magnetos, no coils in them. Spark is created totally independent of external electrical sources hence reliability. Also redundancy of two magnetos, wires, plugs per motor creating two independent electrical ignition sources. if one Mag fails, the other can carry the load till you land safely (with slight reduction in power) hence the pre-flight rev up and switching (off) between Mag 1 and Mag 2 at the end of the runway area prior to entering the runway for flight to check that both systems are within performance specs.

[@hotajax]

I've landed with one magneto left. Fun. I was ready for some bourbon.

[@auteurfiddler8706]

@@hotajaxReally? I thought the engine runs the same on one Mag as it does on both, unless the one is weak.

[@hotajax]

@@auteurfiddler8706 Make sure you climb into the right seat, ok buddy?

[@hotajax]

@@auteurfiddler8706 Yeah, arthur, please, take off with a bad mag and leave me alone

[@Lyndalewinder]

One of the most unintelligible videos I have seen for a long time

[@AIRMANBEAR]

AGREED HE NEEDS A COURSE IN MECHANICS..

[@GD-mg6pk]

Cap

[@Try2-Imagine]

So many things said wrong. You clearly don't understand what is going on.