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Registered Member #1643
Joined: Mon Aug 18 2008, 06:10PM
Location:
Posts: 1039
I was thinking of getting a $15 ignition coil and using a 12V driver to power it. I just wanted to know what things you can do with these ignition coils? A friend of mine in a messenger said he show his boss and he (boss) lit his cigar on the spark gap, and then later he connected a 37 inch jacob ladder to it and manage to get 6-8 inch spark arches.
Registered Member #152
Joined: Sun Feb 12 2006, 03:36PM
Location: Czech Rep.
Posts: 3384
Killa-X wrote ...
manage to get 6-8 inch spark arches.
This is absolutely unrealistic if you want your coil to last more than a few seconds. 2-3" sparks are possible, but not "white plasma" (as with continuous, hot power arcs). Maybe 2" but the coil may run hot.
Registered Member #1643
Joined: Mon Aug 18 2008, 06:10PM
Location:
Posts: 1039
Ya but mind the power output is around 40,000 volts and very fined tuned for adjustable spark gaps.. I know a 1cm spark isnt hard at all of due to the power output but still. lol
Registered Member #1127
Joined: Mon Nov 19 2007, 12:08AM
Location:
Posts: 139
Hey hey hey .... guys you can make a power supply very easily with an ignition coil, 600 watt dimmer switch and a 10 uF 330 V motor run cap. I used one at 120 V input to a car ignition coil and produced a 50 kV power sourced. Heck I've done 2 in series for 100 kV.
I can send schematics via email if you like. Very easy build. This device can light a cigar very easily!!!
Registered Member #540
Joined: Mon Feb 19 2007, 07:49PM
Location: MIT
Posts: 969
In series? I think antiparallel would make twice the voltage.
I have made that circuit before and it keeps tripping my GFI prtection outlet when I turn it off. I used a RFI filter on the mains and it stopped the iggy coil from tripping the GFI.
The circuit is just the dimmer, cap, and iggy coil all in series.
EDIT: In series, the iggys will only see 60V each. So the total voltage between the outputs would be 50kV.
Registered Member #1132
Joined: Mon Nov 19 2007, 06:15PM
Location: Slovenia
Posts: 84
Well white hot arcs are completely possible with a ignition coil. I driven a ignition coil with a IGBT H-bridge running off recfitifed mains ( we have 240V mains so rectified its around 300V) But in the end the coil arced over internally to the can and then the can arced to the terminals setting my varnish on fire (That i used to insulate from arcovers on the outside)
So yeah its no way reliable driving a ignition coil at these ridiculous powers.Old flybacks are more up to the job but they can also fail when driven relay hard.
For the highest powers you need to get the biggest ferite core you can get your hands on, make your own HF transformer and dunk it in oil. Or get a pole pig
Registered Member #543
Joined: Tue Feb 20 2007, 04:26PM
Location: UK
Posts: 4992
If you place a piece of photographic film between the electrodes, and fire a single spark through it, you will find, when you develop it, a complex fractal-like pattern extending centiemetres away from the spark impact point - a superb way of illustrating that there is often a lot more to an electric discharge than can be seen with the naked eye.
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What type of fun do ignition coils have?
