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Ballast Resistor- hot to touch?

my2monkeys

NAXJA Member
Is it normal for the Ballast Resistor to feel hot to the touch, after a few minutes of idling from a cold start? 89 4.0 renix. I just happened to touch it while checking vaccum lines and the like, and it was really hot. I'll bet it is normal for a resistor to be hot,( hense the name.) thanks for any insght.:wow:
 
my2monkeys said:
Is it normal for the Ballast Resistor to feel hot to the touch, after a few minutes of idling from a cold start? 89 4.0 renix. I just happened to touch it while checking vaccum lines and the like, and it was really hot. I'll bet it is normal for a resistor to be hot,( hense the name.) thanks for any insght.:wow:

Yep - anytime you introduce an impediment to the flow of something-or-other, you'll generate heat as a result. That's why hydraulic hoses also get hot (hence, power steering coolers.) That's why there's a minimum recommended wire gage for a given current load carried over a given distance - smaller wires get hotter faster, and it becomes possible to melt the insulation right off of the conductor.

I'd not worry about it.
 
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