| [GMCnet] Never assume anything [message #269782] |
Fri, 16 January 2015 12:20  |
Gerald Work
Messages: 102
Registered: June 2010
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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Since starting to diagnose the effects of reversed polarity at the coil on our Onan, thanks to the PO installing the coil backward, I heard from several knowledgeable posters that coil polarity did not matter. That seems to be the case with the original points ignition, but it does seem to matter when using the Pertronics module. When I first hooked up my system the way Gary Bovee's excellent instructions say to my generator refused to start. I removed the module and put the points system back. It still would not start. Strange, because it always has started for the whole time we have owned the coach - some 13 years now.
I found the 5amp fuse on the board blown. Strange again as it has never blown before. I changed the fuse and it started right up. I hooked the module up again and the fuse blew again. Then I corrected the reversed polarity at the coil, replaced the fuse, jumpered 9-5 to isolate the board and it jumped to life without blowing the fuse. Thinking the board bad (it did have at least one bad solder joint) I ordered a new one from JimK which should come today.
Since that time I have learned of at least one other person who found through hooking up the module with crossed polarity (by mistake) that it caused the fuse to blow. So, while coil polarity may not matter when running on points, it certainly does appear to matter when running on the module.
There should be nothing but the wire to the points on the - side of the coil. The + side will have the noise suppressor, 12vdc and power to the accessories. Either plug wire can go into either high voltage out on the coil as both plugs fire at the same time. When hooking up the module the red wire must go to the + side and the black wire to the -side.
Jerry
Jerry Work
The Dovetail Joint
Fine furniture designed & hand crafted
in the 1907 former Masonic Temple building
in historic Kerby, OR
Http://jerrywork.com
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| Re: [GMCnet] Never assume anything [message #269785 is a reply to message #269782] |
Fri, 16 January 2015 13:02  |
James Hupy
Messages: 6806
Registered: May 2010
Karma: -62
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Senior Member |
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Polarity matters a great deal on solid state components like the pertronix
module and things like led bulbs. Old style stuff like incandescent lights
or points ignition systems don't care as much, BUT IGNITION COILS ARE
POLARITY CONSCIOUS. They will function reversed, but not as efficiently as
when correct polarity is observed. Jerry is right. The minus terminal goes
to the points. Plus to the power source.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Or
78 GMC ROYALE 403
On Jan 16, 2015 10:21 AM, "Gerald Work" wrote:
> Since starting to diagnose the effects of reversed polarity at the coil on
> our Onan, thanks to the PO installing the coil backward, I heard from
> several knowledgeable posters that coil polarity did not matter. That
> seems to be the case with the original points ignition, but it does seem to
> matter when using the Pertronics module. When I first hooked up my system
> the way Gary Bovee's excellent instructions say to my generator refused to
> start. I removed the module and put the points system back. It still
> would not start. Strange, because it always has started for the whole time
> we have owned the coach - some 13 years now.
>
> I found the 5amp fuse on the board blown. Strange again as it has never
> blown before. I changed the fuse and it started right up. I hooked the
> module up again and the fuse blew again. Then I corrected the reversed
> polarity at the coil, replaced the fuse, jumpered 9-5 to isolate the board
> and it jumped to life without blowing the fuse. Thinking the board bad (it
> did have at least one bad solder joint) I ordered a new one from JimK which
> should come today.
>
> Since that time I have learned of at least one other person who found
> through hooking up the module with crossed polarity (by mistake) that it
> caused the fuse to blow. So, while coil polarity may not matter when
> running on points, it certainly does appear to matter when running on the
> module.
>
> There should be nothing but the wire to the points on the - side of the
> coil. The + side will have the noise suppressor, 12vdc and power to the
> accessories. Either plug wire can go into either high voltage out on the
> coil as both plugs fire at the same time. When hooking up the module the
> red wire must go to the + side and the black wire to the -side.
>
> Jerry
>
> Jerry Work
> The Dovetail Joint
> Fine furniture designed & hand crafted
> in the 1907 former Masonic Temple building
> in historic Kerby, OR
> Http://jerrywork.com
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
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