testing coil

[mustang1215]

I acquired a used , coil, to keep as a spare, is their a way to test this coil and condenser off the car, to as i do not want to mess with my car after all the fun getting to run ,after sitting 50 years.

 

[tubman]

A coil can be tested cold with a regular multi-meter. The primary circuit should test in the 5-15 ohm range and the secondary circuit should be 6000 ohms and up. (These are "rough" figures). That's just a beginning; most coils will test good when cold, but fail when they heat up. If you have a heat gun, you can "heat-cycle" the coil while testing, but it's pain in the butt and still won't insure a totally good coil.

Unless you have an expensive meter with a special condenser test function, condenser testing is limited to a technique used with an analog meter. I have access to to "real" condenser tester, so I don't remember exactly what it is. I'm sure it's on the internet somewhere, though.

 

[ndnchf]

For condensers I use this capacitor tester. Its on Amazon for under $20.

For coils, I now use this Herbrand coil tester. It has a heat cycle too, so the coil can be tested cold and hot.

 

[tubman]

For condensers I use this capacitor tester. Its on Amazon for under $20.

For coils, I now use this Herbrand coil tester. It has a heat cycle too, so the coil can be tested cold and hot.

Technology marches on. I checked the Amazon listing and indeed, it looks like a real capacitor tester is now available at a reasonable price.

I assume the coil tester is a vintage piece.

 

[ndnchf]

Technology marches on. I checked the Amazon listing and indeed, it looks like a real capacitor tester is now available at a reasonable price.

I assume the coil tester is a vintage piece.

Yes - 1940s - 1950s era. This what it looked like when I got it. It needed some repairs, but works fine now.

Here is a short video of it in action.
https://youtube.com/shorts/TXQVjB7aUBE?feature=share

 

[JayChicago]

tubman, did you make a mistake here? :
"The primary circuit should test in the 5-15 ohm range"

From your previous posts, I thought a stock coil, on 6 volt with an ignition resistor, should be about .8-1.0 ohm. There will then be about 1.5 ohm thru the whole ignition circuit, and current will be about 4 amps

I thought on a 12 volt system with no resistor, coil should be about 3 ohm. Current will be about 4 amps.

 

[tubman]

Could be; I was "winging it" without checking my references. Suffice it to say that the primary should be low and the secondary should be very high comparatively.

 

[mustang1215]

Thank you everyone

 

[Anteek29]

Wire up coil, battery and switch on the workbench. Stick little finger in center of coil and activate switch...you will know right away if coil is alive or dead!