Z-man

Member
I just installed a 12 volt conversion and now I have no spark, I got a one wire alternator and I'm sure why I don't have spark, should I run a piece of 12 gauge wire directly from the battery to the ignition toggle switch to give the coil constant power. as I have it now the power for the coil comes from the one post on the ammeter and I think the starter is taken all the current and not giving the wire for the coil enough to make the spark in need to start the engine. Is this sound thinking
 
(quoted from post at 17:05:31 10/03/14) I just installed a 12 volt conversion and now I have no spark, I got a one wire alternator and I'm sure why I don't have spark, should I run a piece of 12 gauge wire directly from the battery to the ignition toggle switch to give the coil constant power. as I have it now the power for the coil comes from the one post on the ammeter and I think the starter is taken all the current and not giving the wire for the coil enough to make the spark in need to start the engine. Is this sound thinking
"Is this sound thinking"? No, it isn't. Post a diagram of current wiring & I can straighten you out.
 
Z-man........would it surprize you to learn I flunked mind reading? just ask my ex-wife of 32-yrs. I can't guess what type of dizzy you have.

There are 2-types of ignition systems used on N-Tractors. The weird 4-nipple front mount and the more common 5-nipple side mount. You can count nipples, can't you?

The 12-volt conversion is slightly different depending upon your dizzy. I'm NOT fond of the 1-wire alternator scheme as it can output as much as 17-volts. This can KILL common solid state transistorized ignitions. It doesn't bother real ignition points and condensers 'cuz they're good fer about 200-volts.

As fer yer current dilemma, HOW do you think yer ignition switch gitts its power??? From 1-side of the AMP meter. Surprizingly enuff, it doesn't really matter which side. One side will "pulse" when you are starting the tractor, the other side don't. moxx-nixx

A 12-volt battery hazz enuff hair-on-its chest so the 6-volt starter motor don't effect enny of yer sparkies.

BIGGEST problem with nuebee shadetree mechanics wanna-bees is FLOODING their sparkies. When that happens, you gotta take yer FLOODED sparkies out and put new clean'n'dry sparkies in. We recommend AutoLite 437's gapped 0.025". Don't throw yer FLOODED sparkies away, just clean'n'dry them, one-atta-time in HOT running engine and save'um fer the NEXT time. (and there will be a NEXT time)

Now we haffta take up the "issue" of ignition coil. The N-Tractor was originally 6-volt positive ground. There are some obscure advantages for positive ground...but...yer 12-volt alternator DEMANDS negative (-) ground else you will let the smoke outta yer alternator.

The weird 4-nipple squarecan ignition coil requires the MANDATORY "infamous ballast resistor", NO ARGUE!!!.....And iff'n yer 12-volt conversion was done by "BUBBA", he probably used a 12-to-6 volt converting resistor. You can now buy 12-volt squarecan coils but they STILL need the infamous ballast resistor.

The more common 5-nipple dizzy, uses a roundcan ignition coil. We recommend a NAPA IC-14SB. NO resistor needed.......Dell, yer self-appointed sparkie-meister
 
ditto what the others said.

help us help you.

as a TEST you could hotwire the coil.. but that is a test.. not a fix.
 
what do you mean hot wire?, I'm running a 12 volt battery and coil with internal resister. I guess you mean straight from the battery
 
thanks Dell, I'm working with all 12 volt here, coil, battery, alternator, but I have no spark at the center wire on coil which goes to the distributor. I thought if I would run a 12 wire from battery to the two prong toggle ignition switch that I'm using to kill the spark that would be enough
 
you might be right!


hotwiring it will take out all the guessing of the wires, resistors and switches betweent he battery and coil.
 
I'm not sure exactly how to do that or wire a tractor it would seem, but I can explain how it is wired. starting at the alternator one wire to ammeter from other side of meter to a two prong relay switch one side of relay goes to the starter and the other up to the 12 volt battery.
now coming from the same side of the ammeter to the two prong toggle ignition switch I'm using to turn on and off the ignition. then from the toggle to the plus side of the coil. I have no spark a center wire on coil the one the goes to distributor keep in mind everything is 12 volt. hope this will help if not I understand and thank you for trying
 
I don't think I would need any resisters for a 12 volt coil that has a built in resister now if I was using a 6 volt I would say yes a resister is need so next time I go to work on the tractor I will wire it straight from the battery and see what happens thank you
 
Hot wiring eliminates the ignition switch and the existing wires as a problem. This is for test purposes only.
 
Z-man.........ok, no spark at the center coil terminal means you have a 3-terminal round coil sparkie coil. (ps...the weird 4-nipple squarecan coil does NOT have a center nipple) The center roundcan coil terminal goes to the center nipple of the 5-nipple sparkie dizzy cap, where the ROTOR distributes the sparkies to the correct nipple (1,2,4,3 CCW)

Here's the deal, you only gitt sparkies when the points OPEN. (0.025") Many shadetree mechanics are semi-careless when installing the points to the insulated feed-thru screw in the side of the 5-nipple dizzy. They inadvertently SHORT out the insulated feed-thru and you will NEVER make enny sparkies.........HTH, Dell
 
thank you, I know how the system is to work it just fingering out the issue with the coil not giving spark to the cap
 
what makes you think so?

coils are would with a certain length and gauge wire to build primary resistance.

coils made for use on 12v with no external resistors are wound as such without inclusion of a power disipating resistive element inside.

so what coil ya got?
 
Tell us how you know it has an internal resistor.

My guess is that it says "no external resistor needed", correct?

That does not mean it has an internal resistor.
75 Tips
 
I believe your right and that does make sense, and what your saying is that I may still need a resister.
 
"...and what your saying is that I may still need a resister. "

No.

That's not what I'm saying.

I was simply correcting your assertion that the coil had an internal resistor.

The absence of a resistor has nothing to do w/ your no spark problem.

Chances are you have a 12v coil & no resistor is needed. But worry about that later after you fix the no spark problem.

Let's confirm, first that you have a round coil. You've been asked that question twice & haven't replied directly. By referring to the center wire on the coil, it appears you have a round coil.

Yes or no?

The most likely cause of your problem, given that you just installed a 12v conversion, is that you wired wrong.

Google "wiring diagrams JMOR", find the correct diagram for your tractor & trace the ignition circuit.

Post back w/ results or more questions.
75 Tips
 
sorry I didn't realize that I hadn't answered that question. And yes it is a 12 volt round can style coil with three prongs, one negative, one positive and one that goes to the distributor new from the box and I'm guessing it is a ford type coil. I do have spark now and I think it my have been the points on the tractor, it may also have been were the current was coming from. I now have a wire direct from the battery and it seems to be working using the ignition toggle to break the circuit thanks for the help and I may still have question in the future
 

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