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Registered Member #1643
Joined: Mon Aug 18 2008, 06:10PM
Location:
Posts: 1039
Ok, As a beginner with both HV and ignition coils, I've decided to go with the 12V 555 driven circuit. Please don't bother telling me not to and stuff like that.
My only question, since HV is new to me, Wires. Do the + - input wires to the ignition coil have to be thick? I currently own a 18 gauge solid core wire from radio shack. Can I use this for the + - terminals, and an extension cords wire for the HV output? The thickest wire I can get a hold of around the house is a 12ft extension cord. Which was used a long time ago to cut apart for a Foam hotwire, but Now might serve for a HV output.
Any other suggestions for a beginner at this?
And trust me, I'm not stupid. I already know not to ever use 2 hands around this stuff and how to handle it with care and attention.
While im at it, You all own this stuff. Can someone tell me if Knex is conductive at HV? I wanted to glue/tape one of the HV wires to a series of knex rods as a Small pole to move the wire around. But I was told that some plastics are conductive at HV :(
Registered Member #1806
Joined: Sun Nov 09 2008, 04:58AM
Location: USA
Posts: 136
MOT_man; thanks for the info.
Killa-X; 18 ga is fine for the +,- terminals. Just don't use tens of feet of it, or the voltage drop will become noticeable (you will put 12v in, and will get much less out) You don't need thick wire for the HV terminal. Just about any wire will work; even something close to hair thin will be just fine. Though, 18 ga will be fine too.
I doubt that the knex will be conductive. Even if by some happenstance they are, the resistance would be huge. Just make sure that they're clean and dry. You will have to keep the entire length of the HV wire away from anything you do not want it to arc to. The insulation of the extension cord wire wont be enough to keep the 20kV+ from arcing right through it. Treat the HV wire as if it were bare.
Spark plug wires do not have thick wire, they have thin wire and thick insulation (cut one open sometime). The actual metallic wire is perhaps 20 or 22 ga. Most if not all modern spark plug wires have a highly resistive non-metallic core. Only the old, and modern high performance (racing, off road, etc.) plug wires actually have metallic wire in them. While I'm on the topic, sparkplug wires make great, cheap, HV wire :)
Registered Member #1062
Joined: Tue Oct 16 2007, 02:01AM
Location:
Posts: 1529
If you mean two different sections of cord, then its fine, but you cannot use bot anode and cathode in one cord, it will arc. Any normal wire will work, current out is too low to notice for most wire.
Registered Member #1643
Joined: Mon Aug 18 2008, 06:10PM
Location:
Posts: 1039
Ya, planning to order my Kit, Thermal Paste, Heat sink, and 10 spare sheets of mica in case i break my first.. Heat sink is a good size and is for 50W at 58C
Good sized TO-3 heat sink :D
So is the only Do-Touch area just the High voltage output wire? I'm going to box the driver and have clips to the terminals of the Ignition coil. So is it fine to touch any wires (driver and Driver to ignition coil)? and just bad to touch HV out..
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What type of fun do ignition coils have?
