High Charging Rate. Found Voltage Drop Need Guidance Please

Mattax said
If I'm understanding correctly:
With the battery hooked up, I have no idea what will happen. If the meter is set to measure resistance and is placed across voltage, somehting often goes up in smoke. One meter lead is on a ground, and the other on a wire that's switched off?? If it was on, then the meter may be damaged.
If the battery positive is disconnected, then the meter is indicating a fairly low reistance connection between the run circuit and ground. That's a short to ground!

I was assuming that there would not normally be power at that connection with key off and the ignition side of the ballast disconnected. Is that correct? I will try again tomorrow with the positive batt cable off.

Sorry to be such a challenge. I'm pretty good mechanically but electrical is pretty much zilch. I'm concerned about a short (fire), aren't we all. In your experience, all things being good, approx. how long would you expect a new ballast to emit smoke?