super simple ignition coil drivers

Step 1 Lets start with the bacics

OK, an ignition coil (or spark coil) is a type of induction coil similar to a Tesla coil . it's used in combustion engines. and produces up to 50,000 volts (a 4.9 CM spark) at a lethal current of 25ma.

to power it, you need a square wave. you cant use standard AC because the coil WILL EXPLODE ! with absolutely NO output AT ALL .

Comments

[R.A.T.M]

couldnt you use this for a fly back

[-max-]

which circuit, some of them (like a modified version of the 555 driver) would drive flybacks, but some (like the relay-based ones) wont drive a flyback. flybacks require much higher switching speeds.

[R.A.T.M]

okay thanks man

[freenergyfuture]

I can't quite tell which direction the power flows, and where the battery would connect.....

[-max-]

looking at this schematic i see the coil connected backwards...

answering your question (i hope i understand what you mean) power (electrons) go from the negitive to positive. when building the circuit, one way perseve this on a breadboard is to split the schematic into 3 parts;

the timer circuit (555, resistors, capacitors, etc it flips on and off a current going to the base of the transistor), so build this and test it with a speaker or oscilloscope. 

the amp (the transistor that picks up the small signals from the timer and out comes large signals to the coil, [flipping on and off the power to the coil many times a second])

the coil ( that turning that pulsed DC into a high voltage)

oh, and the ground (3 or 4 lines at the bottom edge) is the - side on a battery and the +12V 6A is the + side of a battery.

so when building, make the first part, then second, then third. as you make it have parts go to the plus side and ground, (minus side)

[bswt]

relay did not last that long

[-max-]

if you can pop it open, sand the crap off the contacts, and test. if it still doesn't work, your coil burnt up and you need a higher power relay.

[The MadScientist]

Did you actually test the shock I've shocked myself with HV a lot more than I should have but I would never do it intentionally? Camera flash systems really hurt as well as HV capacitor discharge. My worst with ignition coils was a direct strike from this ignition coil driver.

[-max-]

it doesn't look like it would hurt nearly as much as this page... the circuitry looks similar to page 5... just with a voltage regulator and a high voltage muffler.
anyways, no. i never even built this circuit, though others that did say it really hurt. and examining the circuitry, i don't blame them. also, just look at the second picture, to me that is a death spark!

[spark light]

Actually, that is not a high voltage muffler so much as it is a gate drive shaping circuit. It limits the current between the 555 and mosfet during turn-on which momentarily takes it into it's linear region. Then, it gives it a hard, quick turnoff, but still protects the 555 from mosfet failure by current limiting.

[The MadScientist]

That does look pretty high Amp the flash circuit hurts enough.

[Kirbsome!]

I've been looking for something like this, can the first driver use a 9v battery?

[-max-]

i tryed with a more powerful 9V driver recently (wall-wart) and it work! but with less epic sparks :( i found the 24V works the best but the relay will need to be modified with a bigger spring in it so it doesn't lock up.

[-max-]

i don't know for sure. i tried with my model, and it produced tearable results (400 volts the first second or so, then died out. but again the battery was probably half dead.

also,the circuit actes like a VCO (voltage controlled oscillator) more voltage, lower freq.

[Kirbsome!]

So, I need low voltage high amps?

[Gujkil]

what parts i need for the driver?

[-max-]

depends which circuit your talking about.

[migsters]

Will a OMRON SPST 10 AMP Relay work? If so, how would i go about hooking it up?

[-max-]

Never heard of it. I'm predy sure any relay shoud work but I don't gurentee. As long as its capale of working on the power that comes out power-source. And has the same contacts as the schematics have.

[one8877]

how the diagram if I use a motorcycle coil

[-max-]

the same diagram should work for any coil.

[Jimmy Proton]

are you saying you can make an oscillater with a relay?

[-max-]

yes. its like a hing transistor except it has a delay in it before it switches. giving it a resident freq.

[Jimmy Proton]

is there an instrucable on how to make one cuz i didnt c 1

[-max-]

sorry, forgot to upload the pic. here it is.

[-max-]

well there's 2 self oscillators i know of you can use one works on the principle of shorting itself out, the other, turning itself off. the first kind is easier to build, and with the addition of a cap, it drives the coil efficiently(like in the instructable). (the first pic is a emf generator the NE2 bulb glows faintly.)and the second is wired the directly to the battery AND the normally OFF switch part on the relay (no pic, sorry)

[rimar2000]

Forgive my ignorance, would serve this device to generate ignition sparks at a rate of tens per second? I need something so for an experiment...

[-max-]

don't quit understand the question, i think you meant you need a coil driver with a rep rate of 10 HZ (cycles per second) the relay will hit about 100HZ and the 555 timer driver is variable.