Need a spark

I need to generate a spark to ignite butane - I've been using a piezo barbeque lighter, which works well, but now I need to automate the ignition. I tried using an Oatley plasma display board based around a TV flyback transformer, but the spark, which will only occur when the gap is about 2mm, seems too small to ignite the gas consistently.

I only need one strong spark - does anyone know of anything suitable?

Reply to
Poxy
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get a 240v to 3v ac adaptor, gut the unit for the transformer.

with 1.5 - 3 volt as a source connected to the 3v side, everytime the source is disconnected (with a relay) you should get a spark at the other end if the terminals are close enough, want more spark, use higher voltage at the low voltage end (3v will give 240 9v will give ~600 etc)

Reply to
Matt2 - Amstereo

Cheers for the suggestion, but I don't think that magnitude of voltage is enough to make a spark jump a decent distance. The whole lot would be running off a 12v gell cell. That said, it makes me think that a flyback driven by a voltage multiplier might do something.

Reply to
Poxy

Car ignition coil might be the go, possibly driven by a relay applying

12v to it momentarily. These seem sufficient to make a decent size spark for Jacob's ladders and such.

maybe an automotive spark plug would be ideal for the purpose of igniting the gas too, as that is what its designed to do ? (I dont know if petrol vapour is easier or harder to ignite than methane though)

All "off the shelf" and mass produced items too.

Reply to
KLR

V = L*dI/dt

so for big V, 3 options exist:

1) lots of L

2) lots of I (and hence dI when you open the switch)

3) bugger all dt (ie *fast* switch)

for a given coil, you dont have control over L, and I will be limited. But you can make bigger sparks by reducing dt

a FET with a wicked fast turn off is the go here

Cheers Terry

Reply to
Terry Given

"Poxy" wrote in news:5Xc_d.1412$ snipped-for-privacy@news-server.bigpond.net.au:

Reece plumbing have a 240vac igniter. Outputs enough volts to jump 1/2 to 1 inch in air IIRC. It is designed I believe for some types of gas heaters. We use them at work for a different purpose. Costs us about $21.

Reply to
Geoff C

hi, errr u would be making a orange canon , would you ?

mark k

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Reply to
mark krawczuk

Kind of, but no projectile. It's a gas gun for making a loud bang for scaring birds off an orchard. The idea is to set it up for automatic operation.

Reply to
Poxy

hi, dont really know if this would work : ( got a bit of idea on electronics.....) car ignition coil and a 555 timer driving a powertransistor to turn the coil of n on real fast... wouldnt this generate good spark ??? any other thoughts ??

mark k

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Reply to
mark krawczuk

use the flash unit out of a disposable camera you can pick them up from film developers for nicks

work off 1.5v

Reply to
Ed ()

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