I'm using a 3800 coil on my 2 cylinder waste spark garden tractor.
It uses points to trigger a transistorized ignition circuit that operates at 12v. Before I changed to the transistorized ignition I was using the coil with a ballast resistor and appropriate condenser, the spark was too weak, was hard starting, and still burned up the points over the first year.
With the transistorized ignition I don't have to worry about burning up points, so I can run the coil at the full 12v without the ballast resistor/condensor. Problem is, the coil gets really hot (though it runs really well). The coil basically shorted on the primary windings and took out the transistor that came with the kit after 3 hours of mowing the lawn. So now that I've upgraded the transistor and changed it to active cooling, so it can't also be killed, I need to figure out why the coils are getting so hot.
I guess I thought these coils were designed to work with 12v. So I'm guessing that the ICM is basically doing what a resistor wire on an older car does, supplying full voltage during cranking and supplying a lower operating voltage after the engine starts?
And, no, using the stock ignition coil is not an option. It's discontinued, and doesn't fix the hard starting issue.
It uses points to trigger a transistorized ignition circuit that operates at 12v. Before I changed to the transistorized ignition I was using the coil with a ballast resistor and appropriate condenser, the spark was too weak, was hard starting, and still burned up the points over the first year.
With the transistorized ignition I don't have to worry about burning up points, so I can run the coil at the full 12v without the ballast resistor/condensor. Problem is, the coil gets really hot (though it runs really well). The coil basically shorted on the primary windings and took out the transistor that came with the kit after 3 hours of mowing the lawn. So now that I've upgraded the transistor and changed it to active cooling, so it can't also be killed, I need to figure out why the coils are getting so hot.
I guess I thought these coils were designed to work with 12v. So I'm guessing that the ICM is basically doing what a resistor wire on an older car does, supplying full voltage during cranking and supplying a lower operating voltage after the engine starts?
And, no, using the stock ignition coil is not an option. It's discontinued, and doesn't fix the hard starting issue.