RE: IML: Ballast Resistors

["Dick Benjamin" <dickb@xxxxxxxxx>]

Yes, you're right about that.  Usually, the nichrome wire from which they
are made is very durable, and permanently spot welded to the electrical tab
on the end, what loosens up is the screw receiving threaded part, but it can
indeed develop some crud that can foul up the resistance.  Since we're
dealing with less than an Ohm here, very little crud can cause a big change.

Note that I made another of my all too common errors regarding starting woes
caused by ballast resistors. As Bob Merritt pointed out, a bad one will
cause the car to fail to start in 1956.  Mea Culpa!

Dick

-----Original Message-----
From: mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Eric
Sent: Wednesday, June 01, 2005 10:31 PM
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: IML: Ballast Resistors

It's been my experience that the terminal connectors start to fit more 
loosely than they should after 30-40 years of use. I take a small metal pick

to release the holding tab inside the female connector to remove the plastic

terminal holder, recrimp the rolled sides of the terminal connector, and 
then brighten up the male connector tab on the ballast resistor. This 
tightens the connectors and while not I'm not an electrical engineer, it 
seems logical that this keeps the ballast resistor's rated resistance true. 
I'm thinking that loosened connectors increase the resistance. Can any EE's 
confirm this theory? The only other way that these ballasts would fail is if

the resistance wire breaks in two, to my knowledge.

Eric
Portland, Oregon
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