Plasma Ignition | Plasma Jet Ignition

[energyrikard]

Your plug diagram looks a bit odd. Are all the striped lines the threads of the plug or the ceramic insulator?

Other than that, assuming that the ignition coil is really HV + output, and your diodes are good, I think it should work fine.
It would be identical to what I did but I used a different coil that has HV - output so the diode(s) were in the SAME place, just reversed.

If you remove the diode, does it work as a normal CDI if you manually trigger it?

Let me know the answers to the 2 bolded questions first and lets go from there.

My answers are:
1. The striped lines are the threads, and that's where the ground is. I'm not grounding in the white insulator...

2. When I have the diode connected with diode arrow pointing towards HV, there are no sparks at all. When I remove the diode strings, there are CDI sparks. When I reverse the diode string so the diodes are arrowing towards coil+ then there are CDI sparks again.

[energyrikard]

Hi everyone my first post here...
Rikard and Aaron, one detail I caught someplace in the Ignition Secrets info, was using HV wire in construction of the diode string. I haven't even got my diodes yet, but I found an online auction and bought 10 ft. of HV wire rated at 30 KV. Tinned stranded copper wire w/ white silicone insulation, 7/32" O D, rated 30KV. Cost about 20 bucks.
I'm not an electronics guy, I bought this wire for diode strings, thinking to err on side of caution.
I don't know just how important this detail is...?
Here's a couple pics, in case this may help.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]1655[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]1656[/ATTACH]

I finished installing my MSD Streetfire 5520 CDI in my '85 Subaru yesterday, works great. Torquemaster plugs to follow, then zero resist. plug wires/diode strings...
I want to thank Aaron and the other great folks here for all they have and are doing. Important stuff, seems to me!

Subadude

Subadude, have you managed to get any plasma from your system?
I'm using 16AWG wires, if you think I need HV wires, I'll get them ASAP.

One thing I have seen is that the setup I'm using is creating _A LOT_ of EMI/RFI noise. I'm using the MSD spark tester to generate the triggering for the 5520 and there's so much noise that the LED display goes haywire. I called MSD and they confirmed that EMI noise screws up the display... I have it in a tubular shielding but it's not earthed or shielded very well. Not that I care so much about noise now, as I just want to get the phenomenon...

[hh1341]

Hi everyone my first post here...
Rikard and Aaron, one detail I caught someplace in the Ignition Secrets info, was using HV wire in construction of the diode string. I haven't even got my diodes yet, but I found an online auction and bought 10 ft. of HV wire rated at 30 KV. Tinned stranded copper wire w/ white silicone insulation, 7/32" O D, rated 30KV. Cost about 20 bucks.
I'm not an electronics guy, I bought this wire for diode strings, thinking to err on side of caution.
I don't know just how important this detail is...?
Here's a couple pics, in case this may help.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]1655[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]1656[/ATTACH]

I finished installing my MSD Streetfire 5520 CDI in my '85 Subaru yesterday, works great. Torquemaster plugs to follow, then zero resist. plug wires/diode strings...
I want to thank Aaron and the other great folks here for all they have and are doing. Important stuff, seems to me!

Subadude

Subadude.....

Where did you get the wire....it's not so easy to find.

Thanks
Carl

[energyrikard]

Hi Carl,

I just ordered 20ft off of ebay. Search:
High voltage wire
You can sort it on "highest price first". You will see wire ranging from 10kV to 100kV. My coils go up to 45kV so I picked up the 50kV sort.
I don't think the wire will make any difference in my application, but since I have tried almost everything... Why not?
Also picked up a 2a30kV as well to try with...

[subadude]

Subadude.....

Where did you get the wire....it's not so easy to find.

Thanks
Carl

Hi Carl found it on ebay. I just searched for HV wire, and browsed results. good luck! subadude

[Aaron Murakami]

My answers are:
1. The striped lines are the threads, and that's where the ground is. I'm not grounding in the white insulator...

2. When I have the diode connected with diode arrow pointing towards HV, there are no sparks at all. When I remove the diode strings, there are CDI sparks. When I reverse the diode string so the diodes are arrowing towards coil+ then there are CDI sparks again.

I do understand that you're not grounding the insulator but if those are the threads, that makes it look like you're connecting the HV output from the coil to the center electrode coming out of the threaded end of the plug when it should be going to the HV input at the ceramic end. You are probably doing that so is the plug diagram just not drawn accurately - that is what is confusing.

When you manually trigger the CDI, are you doing it quick then letting go or holding it on there to ground?

One thing that 'could' be an issue, but I really haven't seen it be necessary, is to have the output of the coil go through diodes before the diode from the cdi connects to it. If you already have a string, try that. HV output through diodes, then connect cdi diodes to that instead of direct to the coil.

[hh1341]

Thanks for the wire info guys

Carl

[subadude]

Hello Rikard. No plasma yet I'm not that far along yet. Just the 5520 Streetfire MSD and the MSD 8910EIS Tach adapter to make the MSD and my ECM get along.

But the MSD has made a noticible difference, engine starts better, seems torque-ier, and I believe better MPG, though no proper measurements yet. Next will be Torquemaster non resistor plugs from Extreme Spark. Then 0 resistance plug wires, then the attempt for Plasma Jet...
I am here to both follow/learn and to share anything that may help those of us who seek to extend the frontiers.

Onward. Subadude

[Aaron Murakami]

Rikard, please try this. Diode from the HV output as recommended.

IF the coil you have is really hv+, then there is no reason this won't work.

[energyrikard]

Hi fellow tinkerers,

I have taken several looks at your diagram and talked to some friends about it. We are a bit confused as there are several wires missing that are going out from the 5520... I know it's a true newbie question, but can you help me relate your diagram to mine? I have cleaned mine up so it's more clear to exactly how I have connected each wire. Could you specify the wire colours that belongs to the 5520 so that it's clear?

My cleaned up diagram is here: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8248/8...b4112f70_b.jpg

I know Aaron is quite busy so if anyone else wanna try to explain how I should alter my diagram to look like his, that would be so great!

Heaps of thanks!
And also........ Happy Easter!!!

[krisskool]

I think your diodes should be on the coil negative and in the opposite sense

[nyemi]

Hi
The solution.
Links to the link.:Plasma Spark 1 (Loud!) - YouTube

Regards nyemi

[energyrikard]

Krisskool, is that how I should interpret Aaron's diagram? Cool, I'll have a crack at it and do it like that. From coil- to hv, and reverse the string direction. Thanks! I'll post here once done. Perhaps the Easter bunny will come with more than chocolate this year!

[Aaron Murakami]

Rikard, I looked at your diagram and it is correct.

The only difference with mine is that the diode is still in the same place but reversed since the HV output is negative.

I have my white wire connected to a collector on a transistor and the emitter goes to ground. There is a magnetic reed switch between the collector and base so when the magnet on the timing wheel triggers that, it sends the white trigger to ground. That is the generator setup anyway. Jet engine is same except it is a 555 circuit triggering a mosfet to drop white wire to ground.

Can you put a HV diode from the HV output like this and REMOVE the diode from the cdi orange wire completely: ?

If it fires fine, then you know the HV output is positive. If it doesn't and it has to be reversed, then you know the coil HV output is negative. I know what you said the company claimed and I don't doubt it but I'd test this anyway.

If it fires fine in the forward direction like shown in the diagram, leave it and then add another diode string between the orange wire and HV output on the far side of the diode as shown. If it still doesn't work - diodes are bad or they have some goofy setup in that coil that it just won't work with. All I know is that every single coil I've used all work.

Try that and see what happens.

[Aaron Murakami]

Krisskool, is that how I should interpret Aaron's diagram? Cool, I'll have a crack at it and do it like that. From coil- to hv, and reverse the string direction. Thanks! I'll post here once done. Perhaps the Easter bunny will come with more than chocolate this year!

The coil on my generator is HV - output and I have the diode in the SAME position as my diagram except it is just flipped in the opposite direction.