DirectHits ... ?

[Larry C Leung]

Yup, 

The modern auto/bike capacitor charging plug systems work to lower
switching currents, but if there's no source of charging current to each
cap, (which is the case with a standard distributor) then no such benefit
is obtained. If you go for 12V supply to charge the caps (probably not
enough voltage to move enough charge to fill the caps in the time
availible in the average motor at say, 6K RPM), and use individual coils,
you must program for the time lag to, 1) charge the caps, 2) charge and
discharge the coils, 3) reduce the NOx emmisions for the longer spark
duration, though if you could reduce the temp of the spark (since there
is longer duration, it'll probably work) you may not have too much
increase in NOx. Sounds like a case for a programmable ECU to me.

LL - NY

On Tue, 31 Jul 2001 20:13:22 -0700 "Alan Pritchard"
<Alanthecelt at Alanthecelt.screaming.net> writes:
>hmm, sounds familiar, dont a lot of bikes run an individual capacitor 
>on
>each plug? also a lot of modern cars ive seen,  it allows you to only 
>have
>to switch low currents, ie. no distributor, so maybe something like 
>this
>would be useful to make a fully mappable ignition system,  or maybe 
>your
>better off just ignoring them.  but seriously what larry says is 
>right,
>without currant being passed to them, they cant charge, hmm, now if 
>you
>charged them from a 12v source and switched them with the dizzy, that 
>would
>work i think. i toyed with the idea of using 5 coils once, in theory 
>it
>would work, and youd never have a problem with spark on a high
>compression/boost motor.  Although  saying that anything that can give 
>a
>longer spark is extremely useful to promote an even burn, and in our 
>low
>compression motors this would be an asset i believe.  dunno,  the 
>ramblings
>of a mad man...............
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Larry C Leung" <l.leung at juno.com>
>To: <gerard at poboxes.com>
>Cc: <quattro at audifans.com>
>Sent: Tuesday, July 31, 2001 6:14 AM
>Subject: Re: DirectHits ... ?
>
>
>> I always wondered on these. A capacitor will delay the spark to the
>> cylinder (in a predictable fashion, mind you) compared to when the
>> distributor THINKS it fired. At the least, the timing MUST be bumped 
>to
>> start firing at the correct time. It is potentially (bad 
>electrician's
>> joke) capable of giving a more powerful spark of longer duration,
>> assuming there is enough time and energy (when the wire is not 
>charging,
>> i.e. NOT) for the capacitor to charge between sparks. Since there is 
>no
>> current flowing into the capacitor when the rotor is not at the
>> particular plug wire, I don't see how the capacitor could charge, 
>i.e.,
>> as far as I can tell, all these do is delay the spark, AND due to 
>losses
>> in the charge, discharge process, probably give less spark energy! 
>If you
>> could modify the distributor so that it ONLY serves as a timing 
>device,
>> and NOT the charge energy delivery device, THEN you could actually
>> achieve the benefits of capacitor charged spark plugs. (i.e. 
>continous
>> lower energy lower voltage trickle charges applied to the spark 
>plug
>> wire, capacitor is charged waiting for a signal from the 
>distributor,
>> then BAM, big spark!). Otherwise, I think it's a waste of money.
>>
>>
>> the Physics Teacher
>>
>> On Tue, 31 Jul 2001 09:25:52 +0200 Gerard <gerard at poboxes.com> 
>writes:
>> >Hi!
>> >
>> >I saw these mentioned in a British magazine a few months ago and 
>now
>> >I've come across them while searching AskJeeves. They claim a 
>larger
>> >spark, similar to running a ignition amplifier. These seem to be
>> >capacitors fitted on the plugs and then the plug wire fitted to 
>the
>> >capacitor. Pretty much sounds like the old Nology wires concept.
>> >
>> >The url is: http://www.directhits.com
>> >
>> >I'm looking for opinions on the idea. The website sounds like a
>> >infomercial. Pricey stuff too.
>> >
>> >Thanks.
>> >
>> >G.
>> >--
>> >1989 Audi 200 (minus engine...)
>> >
>