so it does actually work sometimes then


--
geoff
Yes - it makes a faint whine and you can see a glow inside a cylindrical
component. It is failing to click and make a spark.



looks like this but clear glass ?

http://uk.farnell.com/epcos/b88069x1...ube-90vdc-2-el
ect/dp/1299958

its the spark gap - basically you feed a capacitor until the voltage
reaches the discharge voltage of the spark gap which then discharges at a
high dv/dt which induces that spark at the secondary




--
geoff

That is very similar. It glows inside when I press the switch. Earlier a
lose connection was causing nothing to happen - until I gained access -
moved the input spade and then it worked until my wife next used it. Will
try a new battery today - although the last one lasted for about 10 years
and this has only been in for a few months.