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Help with an ignition coil?

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LAN_403

HazzWold 1993

Mon Dec 21 2009, 10:29AM

Registered Member #2563 Joined: Mon Dec 21 2009, 10:17AM
Location: Australia
Posts: 280

Hey im new to this site, not so much new to high voltage as ive been doing it for a while. kind of.. made a tesla coil, done some mot work and flybacks ect, but ive never made any ignition coil drivers besides the crude method of using a dimmer switch, which does indeed make 50kv approx from a standard can type coil but very very low current, as i have contacted it and not died. but i recently aquired a small ignitoin coil, which is similair to another one i have, but it has 4 input looking plugs instead of two, and the one large insulated tower output and to get to my question i was just wondering if anyone new how this would work on regular drivers, or if its better or worse, or just what i should do with it, im not asking for any spoon feeding, just some feedback , i will attach a photo for an example, sorry its from my webcam. it also appears to be filled with some sort of epoxy resin type insulator. thankyou all for any help

Download

Mon Dec 21 2009, 11:14AM

Registered Member #561 Joined: Sat Mar 03 2007, 02:46AM
Location: Adelaide Australia
Posts: 230

You look 12, congratulations

I'm hoping you've got a multimeter, use it to find which pins connect to each other then experiment with the driver on each set of pins

Pretty much all modern ignition coils are filled with epoxy instead of oil like you find in the can type coils

This coil will probably less powerful than the can types as some modern cars use multiple coils. 1 coil for 2 cylinders

HazzWold 1993

Mon Dec 21 2009, 12:18PM

Registered Member #2563 Joined: Mon Dec 21 2009, 10:17AM
Location: Australia
Posts: 280

Im 16, You can only see my arm, what does that have to do with anything related to the topic?
Yes i have a multimeter, okay. And cheers.

HazzWold 1993

Mon Dec 21 2009, 12:19PM

Registered Member #2563 Joined: Mon Dec 21 2009, 10:17AM
Location: Australia
Posts: 280

I guess ill stick with the other types then

Myke

Mon Dec 21 2009, 06:38PM

Registered Member #540 Joined: Mon Feb 19 2007, 07:49PM
Location: MIT
Posts: 969

IIRC, there are some high efficiency coils that don't have oil in them. This might be one of them but I'm not sure (as I have only seen the oil filled ones). Connect it up to the driver and compare the output with an oil filled one at low powers. I would think you can't push the epoxy filled ones as hard because oil is a better thermal conductor but they might be built to compensate for the decreased thermal conduction. Before connecting it, make sure that it is an ignition coil otherwise things might burn up.

Zeus

Thu Dec 24 2009, 05:08AM

Registered Member #2316 Joined: Tue Aug 25 2009, 03:04AM
Location: Bendigo, Australia
Posts: 107

Just try your standard relay wired as an oscillator and ballast it with a 50w headlight globe so it does not combust. If you like I will pm you some info.

HazzWold 1993

Thu Dec 24 2009, 05:47AM

Registered Member #2563 Joined: Mon Dec 21 2009, 10:17AM
Location: Australia
Posts: 280

Please do, thatd be great

Zeus

Thu Dec 24 2009, 06:57AM

Registered Member #2316 Joined: Tue Aug 25 2009, 03:04AM
Location: Bendigo, Australia
Posts: 107

I'll pm you by boxing day, tomorrow I'm busy.

3l3ctrici7y

Thu Dec 24 2009, 07:08AM

Registered Member #1806 Joined: Sun Nov 09 2008, 04:58AM
Location: USA
Posts: 136

The relay as oscillator trick was how I got my first iggy going :)
Zeus; I like how you said "so it does not combust" :)

To do this you will need a relay with at least two sets of contacts, one of which must be normally closed. You connect relay power through the contacts so that when the relay is not energized, the coil will be connected. When power is applied, and the contacts are switched, it will open the circuit that powers the coil and it will switch back to the normal condition, and then power itself again, and repeat.

To reduce contact burning, you can connect a diode ACROSS the relay coil in reverse bias. The band on the diode will be toward the positive side.

For connecting the iggy to the relay, you will want to connect it to the power supply THROUGH the contacts that touch when the relay is fully energized. This will cause the iggy to get a very brief connection to power, and then a comparatively long time w/o power. This is how they operate best.

I have done this with the old oil filled can style, a GM HEI, and also some Chrysler potted coils vaguely similar to what you have. The best performance was achieved when I used an about 100n/1kv (it's not especially critical) cap across the ignition coil.

If you can touch the relay armature, you can apply force to it to adjust the speed and duty cycle (over a very small window), and this will also affect output.
Be careful not to touch the contacts.. both the contacts running the relay, and the iggy will shock you if you touch them.

Have fun!

Dr. Dark Current

Thu Dec 24 2009, 08:59AM

Registered Member #152 Joined: Sun Feb 12 2006, 03:36PM
Location: Czech Rep.
Posts: 3384

This also works with a relay with single NC contact, you connect the ignition coil (along with the 100nF cap already mentioned) across the relay coil. It MIGHT burn up, but probably will not.

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