Weak ignitor = weak blast?

[v3ngence]

Well i discovered sumtin very puzzleing today, i finally got my mix right so I could test differant ignitors. First I tried a BBQ one and the blasts were strangly weak, big yellow flame. Then I tried an electric one and the blasts were some of the biggest since I built my gun. (They were so big the front end cap came off so I redid the solvent and bolted it)

I din't think that the ignitor could affect the blast this much, any insights as to why?

[julz]

i suppose it could be the oxygen mix. you vented the old fumes right? otherwise i dont know, maybe the spark being smaller means slower combustion and less power.
good luck working it out though.
bye!

[iamthewalrus]

i think ur right, a stronger spark prolly means a fasted combustion makeing it stronger, just like with pnumatics, the faster the air flow the stronger the shot.

[PCGUY]

Some of you that know a bit about cars may get where i'm comming from.

Sometimes people replace the spark plugs with ones that make a "bigger" spark, and they may add a box (forgot what it's called) which does something (adds more power, not sure) to the plug to make hotter spark. It's supposed to help you in a car where there is a combustion, so why not a spudgun?

[v3ngence]

Hmm I guess so, still, if this holds true than, theoretically, you could increase performance a lot simply by buying a more powerful ignitor....

[CS]

Ive noticed that about my gun also. I have a flint sparker and a BBQ sparker. When i use a BBQ sparker it shots way farther then when i use a flint sparker. I thought maybe a bigger spark would help ignite the gas faster therefore giving you a bigger explosion with more force. This is one of those things im going to have to try out or it will bug me not knowing if it is true or not.

[iamthewalrus]

im jstu wondering, what is the strongest igniter?? is it a stungun??

[v3ngence]

i would assume so, in the category of realistic. I think an arc welder would be the best unless your chamber started to melt...

[theexp]

WHAT!!! about an arc welder. There are a couple really good strong ones. There is a flyback, a camera flash with ignition coil and a bunch of others.

[v3ngence]

O yea i dunno if ppl will still read this post but how do u guys get the camera flash ones to spark? 4 me the only way I get anything is to touch the 2 electrodes together, but thats pretty kool when I do lol....

[iamthewalrus]

i hear a camara has a fary small gap margin and the electrods need to be very close together to work.

[julz]

there is a tutorial somewhare on spudtech i looked at yesterday. those sparks go about 10mm.

[iamthewalrus]

then i guess i hurd wrong, sry

[drac]

The size of a spark is no indication of power. Remember, a spark can light a fire just as easily as a propane torch. IT all depends on the oxygen/fuel mix. If it is poor, your ignition will be poor. POwer also depends on the size of your chamber, but I'm assuming that you used the same gun for both.

[p8ntoer]

he's right. All you need is a tiny amount of electrical spark source, and you could have the biggest explosion ever to be recorded. All you're going to need is the best fuel in the world! Good luck with that!