Westerbeke Question

[ATC]

Had a problem with my 7.0 BCG over the weekend (would only run if the Start button was held down).

Culprit wound up being the ballast resistor on the coil. The little resistor "coil" was rusted and had a break in it so no flow through it.
Does anyone know if there is a replacement for this resistor? Westerbeke only sells it with the complete coil pack for $200 or so. I have found many ballast resistors, mostly for under $20.
Anyone know what the ohm range would be?

Thanks,

-Al

 

[fc3]

Ballast resistors are typically just wire wound. You should be able to measure the resistance of the wire by just touching the meter probe to it.

 

[ATC]

Yes but the wire is broken, so i dont think I'd get an accurate reading?

 

[fc3]

if it's broken near the end, close enough. If it's broken in the middle, just measure both parts and add the values together. This isn't a highly tuned circuit that requires a precision resistor. Anything close is good enough

 

[ATC]

Thanks.

 

[Mick & Denise]

I just replaced one about 2 weeks ago on a freinds boat with the same genny. Went to Advance auto and no one knew what a ballast resistor was so i had them look it up for a 1972 Dodge Dart. Then they pulled it up and it has worked fine with that one.