Tippman C Ignition - possible for spudguns?

[SPG]

I did a bit of googling and found THIS site which has the C3 Ignition Module for $35.



I know you could butcher a camera, or steal your dad's BBQ lighter, but it didn't seem a bad price for an ignition system which works off a single AAA cell, is nice and compact and given that Tippmann have a reasonable reputation to look after should be good quality and reliable.

Anyone got a C3 and considered this? Or anyone good at electronics, able to work out what each component is and replicate it?

Oh and here's the manual if anyone wants a squiz http://www.tippmann.com/pdfs/manuals/c3manual.pdf

[ALIHISGREAT]

Thats a good find, shame you can't buy the whole grip-frame.

[THUNDERLORD]

Looks interesting, but I've no idea myself.

However, in a gas station nearby me, they sell a joke flashlight that shocks you pretty good.
I checked last night and I am pretty sure it uses a aaa battery or aa.
(it was like $3 or $4)
They're probably High voltage to do that(???)

I've even seen a laser pointer lately with a built in joke shocker!!!

Also, on lasers (even very small) work on High Voltage IIRC. (mod the curcuit(???))
BTW, in theory, lasers always shine in straight lines (for sights).
Not seeming very practical except for High pressure,
But Laser ignition anyone(?)(yet?) Seen it work on balloons is all. (Black balloon inside, clear one outside)...

Been wondering about these shockers and also lasers themself, for a while for something similar, but not worthy of a new post IMO.
If anyone has info or thoughts on these, thanks in advance!!!
8)

BTW, I like Austin Power's movie when the villian says,"Laser Beam"

[chenslee]

Holy crap I didn't realize that Tippmann made a propane combustion marker!

[jimmy101]

Or anyone good at electronics, able to work out what each component is and replicate it?

The circuit is probably pretty simple. You could replicate it except for the high voltage step-up transformer. Finding that transformer would be the hard, and expensive, part.

Not too bad for $35. But you should be able to find a BBQ AA sparker for $20 or so.

[SPG]

Yeah Jimmy you probably could, I just thought this was handy as there's nothing to take apart, just connect the spark plug lead and you're away. If it weren't for the fact the tippmann sparkplug is such a werid shape you could even use that.

[jimmy101]

I looked up replacement parts for a Paslode propane fired (combustion) framing nailer... about $80 (ouch). The Tipmann circuit is a lot cheaper.

[ramses]

Looks interesting, but I've no idea myself.

However, in a gas station nearby me, they sell a joke flashlight that shocks you pretty good.
I checked last night and I am pretty sure it uses a aaa battery or aa.
(it was like $3 or $4)
They're probably High voltage to do that(???)

nope, probabally only a few hundred/thousand volts

Also, on lasers (even very small) work on High Voltage IIRC. (mod the curcuit(???))

nope, diode lasers (in laser pointers) work on around 3vdc. anything more than maybe 7V will fry them

Seen it work on balloons is all. (Black balloon inside, clear one outside)...

nope, that was actually just melting a hole in the black balloon. also note that those were high power lasers (~200mw at least) whereas laser pointers are only maybe 5mw. these lasers are either modified from cheap ones(and don't last), made from DVD burners, or bought for obscenely large amounts of money.

[ralphd]

I'm sure something is possible but for less than half that price you can get a good kv stungun that is extremely easy to mod into what ever design you have in mind. Then again, I like bargains.

[SPG]

Yeah, if you're handy with things you could of course mod stuff cheaper, this was more of an out of the box solution for people who aren't that handy/aren't keen to try/aren't allowed to buy stunguns because they're illegal in their part of the world.

[ralphd]

Didn't think of that.

[Hotwired]

Disturbing how many ideas I'm working on eventually just appear of their own accord around here.

I think I can make the equivalent in size, function and input for perhaps a third of that price all of which is the cost of the transformer + shipping.

The rest is free parts and it does not consider the cost of tools/solder.

I think I've found 8 suitable transformers.

If the one I've literally just ordered works I might snaffle the rest too.

[jimmy101]

Hotwired, what kind of transformers are you trying?

The tiny little "10KV" trigger transformers used in photoflashes? They can be had for cheap from many surplus places. Or, have you found something else?

TV flyback's will work of course but they are huge (relatively speaking), pricey and really not designed for this use.

Car ignition coils will also work but they are even bigger than flybacks.

[Hotwired]

No, proper transformers about the same size as that Tippman ignition unit.

I have no idea about the tiny 10KV ones from a flash circuit but there's no way those little buggers can be usable on the same scale. The kind that I was looking for has about a mile of nigh-on microscopic wire for the primary.

Flybacks and ignition coils will work but I'm after a much smaller, minimalist kind of transformer. Suspense is good for you though

Also, I need to wait til it arrives and to be sure it works so I don't open my mouth merely to insert a foot ^^

[TurboSuper]

I have an electric BBQ sparker; they're $10 less, do pretty much the same thing, and have a big red button to boot