Choke wiring question.

jmbass98 · Jul 6, 2021

I have an Edelbrock carb w/ an electric choke. Going to run a wire to right side of ballast. Does this need to be fused? 16 gauge live wire and 16 gauge ground wire good, or different?

Thank you.

RGAZ · Jul 6, 2021

Don't do it. Run a single fused wire from an ignition source to the electric choke. I recommend a hard tap from the fuse box if you could.

The reason you do not want a tap at the ballast is that it gets very hot and you would be adding to that heat with your tap. Sure it can work, but for how long?

16 gauge pure-copper is fine. Don't use the cheapo copper-clad crap you can get on amazon (anywhere on the car). It will corrode fast and is not for outdoor use.

RGAZ

pnora · Jul 6, 2021

What year car are you working on?

jmbass98 · Jul 7, 2021

Could I use wiper feed then?

1966 Charger.

Nacho-RT74 · Jul 7, 2021

Ballast or regulator would be the only engine bay source able to feed the choke.

Since 73 the choke control unit ( part of the factory equipment ) was feeded with this same source, but since post 70 cars got a dual field alt, factory spliced the power for the choke control unit on the run to the alt field which takes EXACTLY the same source but just spliced down the tape.

So, yes, go ahead with confidence taking the power from the ballast blue wire coming from cab ( not the brown wire side ), but maybe a cleaner provision could be the blue wire side of regulator.

I can't see any reason why a choke unit which barelly sucks power ( allmost similar than the cluster gauges ), will add heat on the tap. At least to really get worried about.

Now about the fuse. Yes you can. Is not usually made, but you can. Sure just for the choke leg and not inserted in the middle of the ign system wiring.

Wiper gets also a constant source with key in RUN or ACC while in park/off, but just while in park, but wouldn't be the propper source. When you activate the wipers, this power is cut and changes to another wire.

jmbass98 · Jul 7, 2021

Okay. Sweet. Thank you guys.

Just to clarify. 16 gauge ground and lead wire is fine? No fuse needed?

Nacho-RT74 · Jul 7, 2021

you can even use 18 gauge for it. And as mentioned, fuse is not needed, but if you want!... couple of amps fuse will be enough. The regular load of them barelly gets half of an amp. Even less on some.

a 18 gauge wire will be allmost a fuse by itself. Or you could even use a 20 gauge fuse link to feed the choke on the positive side!

stock choking setup on 73 and lates used a 16 gauge wire to feed the alt field AND the choke... and the manifold mounted choke sucks a lot more of power than the newer mounted on carb chokes.

qkcuda · Jul 24, 2021

I just wired up my electric choke on a 66 Charger. It was very hard to tell the wire colour, but the brown wire was on the drivers side of the ballast resistor, so I plugged in to the other side. I also couldn't tell which wires were leading to the voltage regulator since they were all wrapped in the harness. Does this look correct?

pnora · Jul 24, 2021

What does your voltmeter say?

qkcuda · Jul 24, 2021

I am electrically challenged. A test light is more my speed.

72sunroof · Jul 25, 2021

Run a wire 18 gauge from the field like Mopar did in 72 and up. You only want power when the car is running not in Run.

qkcuda · Jul 25, 2021

72sunroof said:
Run a wire 18 gauge from the field like Mopar did in 72 and up. You only want power when the car is running not in Run.

To be clear that would be the left lug on the voltage regulator, correct? That would be better as it would be screwed on.

qkcuda · Jul 25, 2021

Switched it over. The Fld side was clearly marked.

RJRENTON · Jul 25, 2021

Nacho-RT74 said:
Ballast or regulator would be the only engine bay source able to feed the choke.

Since 73 the choke control unit ( part of the factory equipment ) was feeded with this same source, but since post 70 cars got a dual field alt, factory spliced the power for the choke control unit on the run to the alt field which takes EXACTLY the same source but just spliced down the tape.

So, yes, go ahead with confidence taking the power from the ballast blue wire coming from cab ( not the brown wire side ), but maybe a cleaner provision could be the blue wire side of regulator.

I can't see any reason why a choke unit which barelly sucks power ( allmost similar than the cluster gauges ), will add heat on the tap. At least to really get worried about.

Now about the fuse. Yes you can. Is not usually made, but you can. Sure just for the choke leg and not inserted in the middle of the ign system wiring.

Wiper gets also a constant source with key in RUN or ACC while in park/off, but just while in park, but wouldn't be the propper source. When you activate the wipers, this power is cut and changes to another wire.

Regarding the following comment:
I can't see any reason why a choke unit which barelly sucks power ( allmost similar than the cluster gauges ), will add heat on the tap. At least to really get worried about.

HOW MUCH POWER IS BEING CONSUMED? Quantify your statment in terms of amperage or watts. "Barely sucks power" means nothing. The OP is asking about wire size for the choke coil; without knowing about current consumption, it is difficult to determine exactly what wire size, or, as suggested by others, what fuse size is required.
BOB RENTON

Nacho-RT74 · Jul 25, 2021

jeeeeezzz

qkcuda · Jul 25, 2021

Ended up switching back to the ballast resistor. I drove to a car cruise with it hooked up to the Fld side of the voltage regulator, and the ammeter fluttered constantly. On the same drive back home hooked up to the ballast resistor the ammeter was rock steady. Why I have no idea.

OzCharger69 · Jul 25, 2021

I wired mine to the wiper assembly, no issues.

Nacho-RT74 · Jul 26, 2021

qkcuda said:
Ended up switching back to the ballast resistor. I drove to a car cruise with it hooked up to the Fld side of the voltage regulator, and the ammeter fluttered constantly. On the same drive back home hooked up to the ballast resistor the ammeter was rock steady. Why I have no idea.

The field side of the regulator is a pulsating positive signal ( internal relay closing and opening to regulate the field to the alt ) on single field/mech regulator.

It would need to be hooked up into the ign side. Which is the same source than the ballast blue wire side. So if you already made it into the ballast at the blue wire side, you are set.

( never into the brown wire side of the ballast )

On electric reg/dual field, factory hooked the electrical choke assistant power into the wire running to alt field but on the CONSTANT POSITIVE side, which comes straight from ing switch throught also a blue wire. On these, the regulation it happens on the other wire closing in/out the circuit to ground

On both systems the regulated source runs throught the green wire BUT, they work diff.

Nacho-RT74 · Jul 26, 2021

OzCharger69 said:
I wired mine to the wiper assembly, no issues.

When you turn on the wipers, the power for it is being cut. Sure is not a HUGE deal as far is not raining OR if your choke is a divorced/manifold mounted choke ( electrical assisted ) because the manifold crossover will keep it open.

However if is a mounted on carb choke and you are driving for quite sometime down the rain, the choke begins to cool down and close slowly. Aside the extra load added to the wiper switch and its fuse. Not a lot but some.

OzCharger69 · Jul 26, 2021

Nacho-RT74 said:
When you turn on the wipers, the power for it is being cut. Sure is not a HUGE deal as far is not raining OR if your choke is a divorced/manifold mounted choke ( electrical assisted ) because the manifold crossover will keep it open.

However if is a mounted on carb choke and you are driving for quite sometime down the rain, the choke begins to cool down and close slowly. Aside the extra load added to the wiper switch and its fuse. Not a lot but some.

Thanks for that! I never thought of that, I thought it was a continuous +ve on ignition. It doesn't really matter because the new motor will have a Quickfuel 1050 with no choke.

Choke wiring question.

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