# 12v Ignition source for ignition



## xconcepts (Jan 4, 2009)

Ok so I moved my wire for the pentronix ignition from directly to the battery last week to my tach, which was getting a constant 12v. Drove it yesterday about 10 miles and then parked it for about 45 mins. When I went to leave she wouldn't start. She would kind of want to but never did. I killed the battery and had to have someone jump me to keep enough power to turn over. Had to put the wire back directly to the batter to get her started again. Nearly flooded the carb. 

So currently I'm wired to a fuse block. The block fuses power from the battery positive to the alternator and from the battery to an amp. I'm actually wired on the alternator side of the fuse block from the battery. I'm not sure if I should try to find another 12v source.


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

There's an easy way to do this. I wish I could take credit for inventing it but I can't - I stole it  I'm running my car this way:

Go down to your local auto parts store and buy a generic headlight relay. Specific type/brand/application doesn't matter. Mount it on the firewall in a place that's conveniently close to the distributor. Run a nice fat wire directly from the battery to the supply side of the relay (through an inline fuse holder if you like), and from there to your distributor. Use the original ignition wire to trigger the relay (ignition wire to one relay coil terminal, connect the other relay coil terminal to a good ground). The beauty of this setup is that you don't have to worry about whether your original ignition wire has a resistor/resistor wire somewhere in it because now you're just using it as a trigger to energize the relay, and also you know you're getting a full, fat, 12v supply to your ignition with all the current it could ever want.
It's also easy to add a hidden 'kill switch' if you want to, and if you ever want to revert the whole system back to stock it's simple.

Bear


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## jmt455 (Mar 26, 2012)

If you are using the first generation (Ignitor) Pertronix unit, you might have damaged it.

I was talking with Pertronix at the Street Rod National last week. The rep told me that the first generation would get destroyed by being left in a "power on" mode with the key on but the engine not running.

The subsequent generations (Ignitor II and Ignitor III) have a built-in protection circuit that shuts the unit down when the engine is not running. Here's the note from the Pertronix site:

*"Senses startup and develops more energy for quicker, easier starting. Built in reverse polarity and over current protection shuts down the system, preventing component damage. "*


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## xconcepts (Jan 4, 2009)

Well its never left with the key on and engine off, either I'm driving it or it sits, nothing else. She ran fine after I changed it back to the fused power. I'll have to wire up a relay as Bear mentioned and go that way


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