i am planing on making my first combustion so i was looking at the sticky in the forum about ignition sources and when i scrolled down to the neon sign transformer i realized i had my ignition source =D
[youtube][/youtube]
Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 9:53 pm
by kjjohn
That would be a very sufficient ignition source, however I would advise against it. Neon sign transforms usually wear out eventually, and most, if not all of them require an AC power source, which means you would either have to bring a generator with you wherever you fired the cannon, or you would have to be near a wall outlet. Instead, I suggest an ignition coil, stun gun, or some of the commercial ignition circuits, like the ones from Sureshot.
Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 10:06 pm
by spikerbond
actually this one runs off of a 12v transformer
so i could probably hook it up to a battery
Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 11:09 pm
by spudtyrrant
spikerbond wrote:actually this one runs off of a 12v transformer
so i could probably hook it up to a battery
even so this ignition is extremely bulky, i would go with a stungun ignition, or if you really want a spark that fat a marx generator both of which can be build much smaller and produce more than adequate sparks.
Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 11:37 pm
by spikerbond
i would buy a stungun if i could but i doubt i could buy one at the age of 16...
Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 4:05 am
by deathbyDWV
I got one when I was fourteen off the Internet...
Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 4:43 am
by rna_duelers
Good old flint twister style,what I wouldn't do for one of them over here in Aus.
Reliable,cheap and easy to replace parts.All the things you want in a first launcher.
Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 10:13 am
by ramses
what are the specs on that NST?
I assume it's the high-frequency type, not one of the 50/60 hz monsters.
Do you know where your uncle got the desktop neon sign?
Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 11:21 am
by spikerbond
ramses wrote:what are the specs on that NST?
i am not sure, it does not say
ramses wrote:Do you know where your uncle got the desktop neon sign?
all i know is that he did not get it online, but i have seen some signs like the one i took this from online
Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 6:40 pm
by spikerbond
ive decided to use this instead for my ignition. it is the circuitry out of an old flatbed scanners external light thingy (i think the light was florescent).
[youtube][/youtube]
Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 6:49 pm
by Gun Freak
Haha I like how you dropped it at the end of the video
That's a very small gap... is that as big as it can get or can you unscrew the screws a bit to make the tips further? You get a bigger spark that way...
Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 7:54 pm
by Technician1002
The cold cathode power supplies are relatively low voltage so the very small gap is required. They provide a strike voltage of about 1500 volts.
Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2010 5:16 pm
by mark.f
I'm thinking power supply > rectifier diode > HV capacitor > tiny spark gap > ignition coil.
Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2010 5:39 pm
by Hotwired
What's that little spark like for ignition anyway?
Reliable?
Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2010 10:05 pm
by ramses
SIDACs are effectively solid-state, low voltage spark gaps.
My next plan for ignition involves pretty much exactly what you describe. I just need to figure out how to fit it into a handgun size, without using the grip/handle.