electric choke power source

[bobh67 18]

Where is a good location to pick up (switch on) power ,for an electric choked Holley carb, that I am using on my 69 mustang?

[stangs-R-me 120]

Back in Spring 2012, I Rebuilt my Holley 4150 600 CFM Double Pumper (R4776-2) on my '69 using Holley kit # 37-485 and FINALLY replaced the never hooked up manual choke with Holley’s Electric Choke Kit # 45-224.

 

 

Made a custom O.E. looking harness for electric choke and ran it down to alternator. Connected the ground to an alternator ground stud and the hot to the Stator terminal (just as Ford did in the 70-80’s on factory electric choke equipped cars).

 

 

This Holley had been on this car since the late 80's, so I'd been running it with no choke all these years !! Nice to finally have a functional choke !!

 

Doug

[LindenBruce 27]

I've done the Stator thing in the past as well. It's only energized when the alternator is running. B

[Max Power 74]

Make sure the stator terminal is putting out 12v if you are running a Holley. Ford factory carbs required less and the stator terminals put out less. Holleys require a full 12v.

 

I have mine with a keyed on 12v source, that way if I want to do some work and not have the choke be on, I can just leave the key on for a minute and the choke will be open.

[Midlife 814]

Another source would be the green/red wire at the voltage regulator: it's only hot when the key is in the RUN position.

[Rcodenewf 44]

I agree with Max Power. Normally Ford electric chokes were hooked to the stator which supplied in the neighbourhood of 7.2v whereas, as already stated, Holley carbs require a full 12 volts.

 

John

[redmach69 10]

Max power, where exactly are you drawing the keyed 12v source from?

[danno 128]

Those choke heaters can take several amps of current while on, so a relay is the best option. I have a relay that has the coil hooked up to the ignition switch, and I use it to power my solid state ignition, choke heater, and cruise control.

[TexasEd 188]

Those choke heaters can take several amps of current while on, so a relay is the best option. I have a relay that has the coil hooked up to the ignition switch, and I use it to power my solid state ignition, choke heater, and cruise control.

 

Do you have a diagram and parts specs for this?

 

I don't have the cruise control but I'm going to install Pertronix with a flamethrower coil and I have an electric choke that was hooked up in a really ugly/messy way before tied into the coil.

[LiLMike 42]

Do you have a diagram and parts specs for this?

 

I don't have the cruise control but I'm going to install Pertronix with a flamethrower coil and I have an electric choke that was hooked up in a really ugly/messy way before tied into the coil.

 

I second that Danno. Sure wouold like to have a wiring diagram of the choke circuit with relay.

[LoneWolf2U 136]

:001_unsure:... You want to ADD a relay and more wires to run the choke coil?

A simple 14ga paired wire (one side to STA post and other to grnd post)to the alt will work just fine and can be hidden.

I have been running both a Motorcraft and Holley choke this way for years without a problem.

But when using a switched 12v source to the choke coil, It had a cold run problem of the choke opening before the engine came up in temp.

[stangs-R-me 120]

Make sure the stator terminal is putting out 12v if you are running a Holley. Ford factory carbs required less and the stator terminals put out less. Holleys require a full 12v.

 

I've also heard this from a few people, but the Holley choke is definitely working on my car getting only Stator voltage. And since it is working, I have not felt the need to check and see what kind of voltage I have.

 

Doug

[Max Power 74]

Max power, where exactly are you drawing the keyed 12v source from?

 

From one of the leads off the regulator. I would have to go look to be sure.

[GypsyR 32]

Some years ago another Mustang owner and I got into a discussion about how or why a simple bi-metallic spring would "require" 12 volts over 7 or 8 volts. In the end we did some informal comparison testing. His with relayed 12 volts, mine with the Stator voltage. With the same basic engine setups and the same carbs we timed them from cold. At approximately the same ambient temperature. His choke opened fully an average of six seconds sooner. We agreed that was close enough as to make no practical difference. So either way works fine, no matter what Holley (or Edelbrock) says. For simplicity and reliability you just can't beat a single wire to a Ford's stator post. Notice I said Ford. If you are working on a different brand of vehicle apparently there are good reasons for not using the stator connection because of different designs. Non-Fords aren't really my area though.

Edited April 28, 2013 by GypsyR
typo

[TheRktmn 15]

I've used the stator post to feed my Holley for years. The reason for using the stator post is so that the choke only gets power when the engine is running - not when the key is on or cranking. Remember the old chokes that used the heat from the exhaust manifolds? Same idea - if the engine isn't physically running the choke is not getting heat and will not open.

[Max Power 74]

I just checked and I am running a wire from the I post of my solenoid. I measured the voltage and it is 10.5. Seems to work fine, although I set my choke a little lean.

 

Interesting test Gypsy.

[buening 63]

To add further on what GypsyR was stating, if you do use the stator post of the alternator you just need to adjust the time your choke is on to account for the time difference of 12v vs less. Its a simple bimetallic strip, so the more volts you have the quicker it heats up and the sooner your choke opens. So by using the stator as the power source, the choke setting will just be adjusted to open sooner than what a car using full 12V would be.

[danno 128]

Maxpower, running the electric choke from the I post of the starter solenoid means that you are essentially connecting it to the coil +. It is the same electrical connection. When that choke heater is on, you will be drawing a lot more current through your resistance wire. More current through it means more of a voltage drop. You might find the voltage on your coil is very low while the choke heater is on, then it goes up when teh choke heater is off.

 

The way I did mine is one step more, but about the same. I connected a relay to the I connector on the starter relay. It has 12 volts when the car is starting, plenty to turn the relay on. Then when the motor is running, it has 10 volts, and again this is plenty to keep a relay turned on. Then I ran the contacts of the relay to the +12v terminal of the battery, and the other contact goes to 2 fuses and a circuit breaker. One fuse is for the choke heater, one for the cruise control, and the circuit breaker for the electronic ignition.

 

Another place to connect the relay coil (instead of the solenoid I terminal) is the coil + side or the wire from the key switch.

 

So your choice of where to connect your choke might depend on if you are going to also use electronic ignition. If you are, you could consider the relay option I did. If you are not, hooking to the alternator is certainly a very simple answer.

[ashleesmach1 28]

connect to the coil

[Max Power 74]

Maxpower, running the electric choke from the I post of the starter solenoid means that you are essentially connecting it to the coil +. It is the same electrical connection. When that choke heater is on, you will be drawing a lot more current through your resistance wire. More current through it means more of a voltage drop. You might find the voltage on your coil is very low while the choke heater is on, then it goes up when teh choke heater is off.

 

The way I did mine is one step more, but about the same. I connected a relay to the I connector on the starter relay. It has 12 volts when the car is starting, plenty to turn the relay on. Then when the motor is running, it has 10 volts, and again this is plenty to keep a relay turned on. Then I ran the contacts of the relay to the +12v terminal of the battery, and the other contact goes to 2 fuses and a circuit breaker. One fuse is for the choke heater, one for the cruise control, and the circuit breaker for the electronic ignition.

 

Another place to connect the relay coil (instead of the solenoid I terminal) is the coil + side or the wire from the key switch.

 

So your choice of where to connect your choke might depend on if you are going to also use electronic ignition. If you are, you could consider the relay option I did. If you are not, hooking to the alternator is certainly a very simple answer.

 

I have an MSD box so I believe the coil isn't seeing a drop.

 

After seeing the posts above where people are successfully running less than 12v to a Holley and still having it work, I will switch to the stator terminal next time the alt is out. It will be much cleaner that way from an appearance standpoint. My wires are getting kind of old and dodgy, so at some point I may upgrade to a newer style alt with an internal regulator anyway. It's working now, and I have a couple of motorcycles to get running.

[rangerdoc 22]

FWIW, I run mine from the alt and I get full voltage at the choke.

[RobotMan 264]

Another source would be the green/red wire at the voltage regulator: it's only hot when the key is in the RUN position.

Would this power source be fuse protected? Trying to decide where to connect a Holley electric choke power source.

 

Thanks

Rick

[Midlife 814]

Would this power source be fuse protected? Trying to decide where to connect a Holley electric choke power source.

 

Thanks

Rick

No it is not.  For 1970 only, the only fused RUN-only (can I squeeze in another "only"???) lines are one on the three pin plastic connector near the fuse box and the line going to the carb solenoid.  In 1969, there are no fused RUN-only lines.

[RobotMan 264]

Holley suggests a fused run only 12v source. Hard to use what is not there.

[69RavenConv 286]

You can buy an in-line fuse assembly at Autozone and use that to run the power from the regulator to the choke.