Ignition and Fan Control Box

Boom! The classic potato gun harnesses the combustion of flammable vapor. Show us your combustion spud gun and discuss fuels, ratios, safety, ignition systems, tools, and more.
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mark.f
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Sun May 04, 2008 10:29 pm

Well, this certainly isn't the best. Nothing real fancy like 100 kV output or remote ignition, but I figured for a guy like me who didn't know the difference between series and parallel circuits a few months ago (learned a lot in physics class this year), it's pretty good.

This will be for my next project. Don't ask anything about it because I don't like divulging volatile details.

Anyways, it controls the fan (runs off of 18 volts... only two volts above the maximum rated voltage), and the ignition is mounted in it. I originally was planning to use a small ignition coil and capacitor to produce the spark, but for now I bought a $16 electronic BBQ sparker from Wally World and used that.

Don't have any pictures, but I do have a small video of it working. The jury-rigged spark gap in this video is just one output of the igniter (there are two outputs, one for the main grill and another for the side burner). I will use both outputs to get a total of three gaps in the chamber. The LED was accomplished by wiring a 560-ohm resistor and LED in parallel with the fan, and the switch wired in series before each leg.

Anyways, here's the video.

Here lies a dead YouTube video :(

In the end, current will be transferred to the fan and spark gaps through the screws that hold the box in place on the chamber and some other small #6 brass threaded rod.
Last edited by mark.f on Sun Apr 05, 2020 7:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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biggsauce
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Sun May 04, 2008 10:32 pm

Thats pretty slick mac, should maefor a clean clean cannon.

Whered you get your fan?
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mark.f
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Sun May 04, 2008 10:40 pm

I got it from radioshack.
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biggsauce
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Sun May 04, 2008 10:59 pm

Ah ok, didn't know they had 16v fans... cool
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mark.f
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Mon May 05, 2008 11:39 am

They're not 16v fans, they're 12 volts typical but can go up to 16 volts. Besides, most people run their fans off of 18 volts anyway.
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Blitz
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Mon May 05, 2008 9:23 pm

Nice Mark! Now you gotta run it off an AGM cell like mine. :D
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mark.f
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Tue May 06, 2008 7:03 pm

Nah... 9 volts work fine. At least I actually bought battery clips this time instead of just electrical taping a battery pack together with my patented "bent wire" 9v connectors. :roll:
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Blitz
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Tue May 06, 2008 7:24 pm

Yeah, I decided to buy a few pairs of alligator clips myself. Much more convenient.
TurboSuper
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Tue May 06, 2008 9:32 pm

Lol, I remember when my "battery holders" comprised of film canisters and tin foil.

Good times :D
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