Alternator / Voltage Regulator

[davids2toys]

Patrick and Rick,
Turns out there is another No-No in my car. You are never to seal up the case ot mount the box upsidfe down. My box is mounted underneath the glove compartment upside down!
I spoke with the MSD tech dept yesterday about all of this stuff.
He said I could get away with upside down mount provided no exposure to rain or condensation because the moisture will have no where to go and the case will act like a bowl...this will cause corrosion.
For the POS and NEG 12 gage wire, they again recommended going directly to the battery with NO fuses or circuit breakers of any kind.
If lengthening the smaller wires you can run the same gage or step them up to 12 gage. If lengthening the The POS and NEG heavier wires, no option of keeping the same gage, must be stepped up to 10 gage.
Not being an electrical GURU by any stretch of the imagination, one thing I don't understand is that even if I step up to #10 wire, I will still have the original length of # 12 wire that I will be connecting to. Wouldn't this be a weak link now?
I tried to post the General installation Tips but it was to large. Below is page 8 of this PDF called General installation tips:


GENERAL INSTALLATION TIPS

MSD MOUNTING
MSD Ignition Controls are designed to withstand under-hood temperatures but should be mounted away from direct engine heat sources such as headers or manifolds.
The ignition control can be mounted in most positions except upside down. Mounting the unit in an enclosed area such as the glovebox is not recommended.When running, the housing of the MSD will be hot to the touch.When a suitable location is found, make sure the wires and harness will reach the coil and battery. Use the ignition as a template and mark the mounting hole locations. Remove the ignition and drill the mounting hole
locations. If extremely high vibrations and shocks are expected, use a set of MSD Vibration Mounts to help protect the ignition. The mounts come in sets of four;PN 8823 for the Blaster Ignition, MSD 5 and 6 Ignitions,
PN 8800 for MSD 7, 8 or 10 Ignitions.

Sealing MSD Units
While applying some type of sealant between the MSD case and base plate would seem to be smart, it is not recommended. All MSD Ignitions have a special water resistant treatment to prevent water damage. By sealing the base plate to the case the condensation and water that seeps past the cables is trapped in the unit which may result in corrosion. Always allow the unit to drain by not sealing the base plate.

WIRING TIPS
When making permanent electrical connections it is imperative that proper terminals, connectors and soldering be used. Using connectors such as MSD's Weathertight or Deutsch connectors provide positive locking, sealed connections. Never simply "twist and tape" wires together. Faulty wiring will result in ignition and electrical problems.

MSD Power Cables
The Power Cables of the MSD 6, 7, 8 and 10 Ignitions are the heavy (12 gauge) Red and Black wires. The Black wire connects to battery negative (-) or ground and the Red goes to battery positive (+). No switch or fuse
should be used. The Red wire must be connected directly to the battery
positive terminal or to the constant positive side of the starter solenoid.
The Black wire must be connected to the battery negative (-) terminal or to a good engine or chassis ground.
MSD offers a Noise Filter, PN 8830, for the Power Leads. This Filter goes inline on the power cables and will protect the Ignition from voltage spikes or battery failure. The Filter will also help eliminate a major cause of radio noise that may affect engine or other on-vehicle electronics.
NOTE: If you ever need to turn the engine over without starting it, disconnect the small Red wire on the MSD 6, 7, 8 or 10 Series.

Grounds
A poor ground connection can cause many frustrating problems. When a wire is specified to go to ground it should be connected to the battery negative terminal, engine block or a common solid ground on the
chassis. Always connect the ground to a clean, paint free metal surface and always have a ground strap between the engine and the chassis. Do not rely on solid engine mounts as a ground between the chassis and engine.

Wire Length
The power leads and the wires of the MSD can be shortened, however the correct connectors should be properly installed and soldered in place. If the wires of your MSD Ignition are not long enough for your application,
they can be lengthened if properly done. If lengthening the heavy Power Cables, the next size larger (10 gauge) must be used. For the 14 gauge wiring, use the same size or 12 gauge. Always take the time to solder and insulate these connections. Doing it right the first time will save you frustration later!

Ballast Resistors
When using an MSD 5 or Blaster Ignition, if a ballast resistor was originally used in the coil wiring, it should be bypassed. If a ballast resistor was not used, it is not necessary to install one. When an aftermarket coil is used with the Blaster Ignition or MSD 5, follow the coil recommendation for a resistor. A factory ballast resistor does not need to be bypassed with an MSD 6, 7, 8 or10 Ignition.

[DanEC]

I'm beginning to believe that MSD must be an abbreviation for "May Suddenly Destruct" (at any moment). Someone needs to start competing with them and supply a reliable and well engineered ignition system to the aftermarket.

[davids2toys]

Originally Posted by DanEC

I'm beginning to believe that MSD must be an abbreviation for "May Suddenly Destruct" (at any moment). Someone needs to start competing with them and supply a reliable and well engineered ignition system to the aftermarket.

knock on wood here..... no problem with MSD products except corrosion of the module in the distibuter

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by davids2toys

If lengthening the smaller wires you can run the same gage or step them up to 12 gage. If lengthening the The POS and NEG heavier wires, no option of keeping the same gage, must be stepped up to 10 gage.
Not being an electrical GURU by any stretch of the imagination, one thing I don't understand is that even if I step up to #10 wire, I will still have the original length of # 12 wire that I will be connecting to. Wouldn't this be a weak link now?

No matter what gauge wire you add to lengthen the existing MSD lines, even if you add wires as fat as your fist, you will still be adding resistance to the line. But fatter wires will add less resistance than skinny wires. The more resistance a line has, the more voltage drop it will have. It's as simple as that.

Regarding mounting the MSD box upside down under the passenger side foot box, so long as you're not driving through a monsoon, I think you'll be alright. I've had it that way for almost a decade... but I've never gotten it wet.

[davids2toys]

Originally Posted by patrickt

No matter what gauge wire you add to lengthen the existing MSD lines, even if you add wires as fat as your fist, you will still be adding resistance to the line. But fatter wires will add less resistance than skinny wires. The more resistance a line has, the more voltage drop it will have. It's as simple as that.

Regarding mounting the MSD box upside down under the passenger side foot box, so long as you're not driving through a monsoon, I think you'll be alright. I've had it that way for almost a decade... but I've never gotten it wet.

I realize you are adding resistance and fattening up of the wire is the counter, but what about the original skinnier section being a weak link?

Yes, I am not concerned at all about driving in the rain, I am concerned about condensation, especially in the winter when I light off the 180000 BTU salamander heater to work on the car.

Also, you said you have the POS wire going to the CB on the firewall. Same here, but mine is to the top terminal (after the juice goes thru the CB). i think that if we went to the bottom terminal that it would be closer to what MSD had in mind.

That small black ground wire going to the firewall from the engine head is starting to worry me also. I have a bunch of braided straps. What do you think about putting a nice fat one there instead of the black wire?