GL1000 coil curiosity

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kenai
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GL1000 coil curiosity

#1

Post by kenai »

Hi All - basic question is what is the factory spec (if any) for voltage at the yellow/blue wire (at points hookup) with the key turned on (start button not depressed). Currently I am getting 4.7 volts each side. Pic shows a coil I am pondering installing. I plugged it in and the voltage was 6.7 vac each side.

Notice the electrical piece bridging the white piece in the pic. Old timers will probably recognize this mod.

78-9 GL's have a wire harness used to plug in the coils. Earlier GLs had bullet connectors on these wires that would loosen and would drop power to the yellow/blue wires at the points. Now that's a clue!
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desertrefugee
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Re: GL1000 coil curiosity

#2

Post by desertrefugee »

If memory serves… which is certainly debatable… the coil primaries draw about an amp after the drop across the ballast resistor. Again, going off memory from some years back, the voltage level you’re reading is pretty close (on either example). I complained about it, but that’s roughly the expected primary voltage after the ballast on the old four-cylinder gold wings – specifically the 1000s.

I happily removed the ballast on my 78 when I installed Dyna green coils.m

Totally “winging” it here, but the capacitor in parallel with the resistor creates an RC circuit. Commonly used for filtering, I suspect it’s to help prevent radio interference in grandpa’s 67 Fury at the stoplight next to you…in case the resistor caps don’t do an adequate job.
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Re: GL1000 coil curiosity

#3

Post by pjlogue »

If I remember correctly, I recall the resistor being in circuit during running conditions and bypassed during starting. This provided more power to the plugs when trying to start the bike. Running full time with stock coil resistance without the resistor, draws too much current and can burn out the coils primary windings. I replaced my coils with greater resistance primary wire coils and then could remove the resister.

If the component in parallel with the resister is a capacitor, desertrefugee is correct and it is for RF noise suppression. However, it appears to be a wire wound ceramic resister in parallel with the other (stock) resister which could have been to either replace a burned out stock resister without removing the old or to give a little more "oomph" to the bikes spark without overloading the coils.

-P.
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Re: GL1000 coil curiosity

#4

Post by Whiskerfish »

4.7 seems a bit low. Good battery?? Check the static battery charge and also pull the Headlight fuse to eliminate that draw while doing your testing. Yes the extra Cap serves several functions. Spark shaping, EMI reduction and additional protection for the points from the EMI surge. Some voltages shown here viewtopic.php?f=52&t=60469#p667397
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Re: GL1000 coil curiosity

#5

Post by pidjones »

The brown add-on seemingly in parallel with the ballast resistor is a 2 ohm resistor, which would give about 1.25 ohm for the total (normal ballast being 3 ohm), but this doesn't agree with your measured voltage. If it is in series, then the total would be ~5 ohm, which agrees pretty well with your measured voltage. I cannot figure why anyone would do either with stock coils. And, this is all on the LV primary side of the coils, not effecting RF discharges.
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