Need Advice on Bulkhead Connector

[dpcd67]

Here is the situation on a 73 Cuda; 12 volts going into the bulkhead connector through the red wire ; 4.5 volts coming out on the brown wire (to the ballast resistor and coil), with key in the run position.  Blue wire is 10 volts.
Any recommendations on what I should do?  I have cleaned and greased the male and female connectors.  I assume the coil input needs to be 12 volts.

[dodj]

First, check the column connector with the large gauge wires. Make sure you are making good, low resistance connections.
After that it will be the ign switch. Tough to get at.

[dpcd67]

I didn't grease the inside, column connectors with dialectric grease but I will and see what happens.

[Chryco Psycho]

brown wire & blue wire should be the same 12v + , to the ballast anyway , the brown wire bypasses the ballast giving 12v for starting but coil voltage is usually 6-7v when running

[dpcd67]

Yeah, after I greased the dash connector, I am getting 5.5 volts at the brown wire (and coil); I found a scorched place in the red wire in the under dash connection; today I will see if that is causing the problem; I hope it is not in the switch.

[dodj]

Red feeds the whole ign system so you likely found the problem.  It is commonly overheated at the column connector or bulkhead connector

[dpcd67]

Thanks for all the help; I, stupidly, had the ballast resistor wired backwards. It runs fine now, although the ammeter shows a full charge all the time and the black wire is getting quite hot; I will change the voltage regulator.  I probably should hot wire up my ammeter too, right?  Everyone tells me that it is not good to leave them in the system.  I will so some checking with my voltmeter; I would rather work all day on mechanical problems than work on one electrical one.

[dodj]

  I probably should hot wire up my ammeter too, right?  Everyone tells me that it is not good to leave them in the system. 

It is best to remove it from the circuitry. Install a voltmeter. Even in parallel with an alt to battery bypass they can still cause an issue, although much less likely.

[Chryco Psycho]

he simple fix is to connect both wires to one post on the ammeter

[dpcd67]

Yes, thanks; that is what I was going to do until I get around to installing a volt meter in it's place.