Search | Car Forums | Gallery | Articles | Helper | AF 350Z | IgorSushko.com | Corporate |
| Latest | 0 Rplys |
|
Engineering/Technical Ask technical questions about cars. Do you know how a car engine works? |
Show Printable Version | Email this Page | Subscribe to this Thread |
|
Thread Tools |
07-04-2010, 01:17 PM | #1 | |
AF Newbie
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Eindhoven
Posts: 9
Thanks: 1
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
|
Ignition Coil
Hi,
I have a not-car-related project, which is probably going to use a Ignition Coil and Spark Plug. Since this is a automotive forums, I thought I could ask some simple questions about that. I know what the result of a Spark-Plug is: a spark But: how can I manually spark the spark plug (with the correct Ignition Coil) I just need to create a spark from that spark plug, where I need the Ignition Coil for (probably). I hope nobody will be irritated about this slightly "off topic" question, but I thought it would fit here best. If it is unwanted: just close (or remove) the topic, and I won't ask these things again. (although I will be posting car related topics in the future, since I am going to buy a new car ) Thanks! |
|
07-04-2010, 09:57 PM | #2 | |
AF Enthusiast
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: canton, Ohio
Posts: 593
Thanks: 1
Thanked 22 Times in 21 Posts
|
Re: Ignition Coil
Hook up a 12v battery to the + and - terminals of the primary side of the coil (doing this for too long may burn out the windings). Using a plug wire, connect the secondary side to the spark plug. Attach a length of wire to the threads of the spark plug and run it to the - terminal of the battery. To make a spark, remove the ground from the primary side. Depending on application, you can run a larger plug gap in open air than you would under the heat and pressure inside an engine.
Is this for a potato cannon by chance? I've been planning to do this when our neon sign transformer burns out. Let me know how it goes. |
|
07-05-2010, 05:48 PM | #3 | |
AF Enthusiast
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: St.Louis, Missouri
Posts: 1,258
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
|
Re: Ignition Coil
A coil runs on 12V. Hook a power wire to the + side of the coil. Ground the threads of the plug back to the battery. Hook up a switch that will alternate between grounding and ungrounding the coil. You have to energize the coil (12V) then ground it to get it to spark. Keeping it grounded will not result in a continuous spark. You get one spark each time you ground it. The faster you can ground and unground the coil the faster you will get sparks. Manually sparking it would probably work best with some sort of switch that is like a distributor or more easily, something like the spinner from the game of life.
|
|
07-06-2010, 11:56 AM | #4 | |
AF Newbie
Thread starter
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Eindhoven
Posts: 9
Thanks: 1
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
|
Re: Ignition Coil
Hi!
Thanks for the answers! So basically (with the information you gave me I could find a little bit more), it's this: http://www.magnet.fsu.edu/education/...oil/index.html (The JAVA applet). And I guess it will work when I replace the switch with a normal button. Since when I press it there will be connection, when I release it it is gone so it fires. And: A spark plug is nothing more as a fancy casing around 2 wires, providing the spark..? In that case I will just use 2 wires instead of an expensive spark plug? It is for something like a potato gun, but just a bit more complicated chemical situation. |
|
07-06-2010, 12:00 PM | #5 |
SHO No Mo
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Posts: 10,951
Thanks: 100
Thanked 350 Times in 344 Posts
|
Re: Ignition Coil
|
07-06-2010, 06:03 PM | #6 | |
AF Enthusiast
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: canton, Ohio
Posts: 593
Thanks: 1
Thanked 22 Times in 21 Posts
|
Re: Ignition Coil
Two nails, wires, screws, etc should work just fine. But a plug is only 2 bucks.
|
|
07-07-2010, 02:29 AM | #7 | ||
AF Newbie
Thread starter
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Eindhoven
Posts: 9
Thanks: 1
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
|
Re: Ignition Coil
Quote:
So on my shopping list is currently: - Switches - Ignition Coil - Spark Plug I was planning to use my lab power supply as battery (with a fuse for safety maybe) |
||
07-10-2010, 08:59 PM | #8 | |
Professional Ninja Killer
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Penn Hills, Pennsylvania
Posts: 3,561
Thanks: 0
Thanked 10 Times in 10 Posts
|
Re: Ignition Coil
A coil is simply an inverter of sorts. It takes 12v and 10A and converts it to 12,000v and .01A.
__________________
Dragging people kicking and screaming into the enlightenment. |
|
07-12-2010, 08:29 AM | #9 | |
The RustBuster
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: La Plata, Maryland
Posts: 2,290
Thanks: 1
Thanked 51 Times in 50 Posts
|
Re: Ignition Coil
Inverters change from DC to AC current. I think you mean a transformer to change the voltage of a DC current.
__________________
Current Garage: 2009 Honda CR-V EX 2006 Mazda 3i 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD 2003 GMC Envoy XL 2000 Honda ST1100 2000 Pontiac Sunfire Vehicle History: 2003 Pontiac Vibe AWD - 1999 Acura Integra GS - 2004 4.7L Dakota Quad Cab 4x4 - 1996 GMC Jimmy 4wd - 1995 Chevrolet C2500 - 1992 Toyota Camry LE 2.2L - 1992 Chevrolet S10 Ext. Cab 4.3L - 1995 Honda ST1100 - 1980 Yamaha XS400 - 1980 Mercury Bobcat. |
|
07-12-2010, 05:38 PM | #10 | |
AF Enthusiast
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: St.Louis, Missouri
Posts: 1,258
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
|
Re: Ignition Coil
Yes, a step up transformer. And it changes it to a bit higher than 12000V, more like 50000+
|
|
|
POST REPLY TO THIS THREAD |
|
|