I recently purchased a 1 1/2 HP Economy hit-and-miss engine that has
an igniter. I have read some as to how it works, but I can't seem to
find any information as to how to hook up the battery and coil to it.
I see the point to which the high voltage lead of the coil is attached
as well as that where the negative side of the coil is attached. I can
find no point, however, where the negative battery lead is indicated
to be connected. Is it simply connected to any point on the block or
am I missing something?There is no wiring diagram in the original
manual and I can't find anything specific online.

I would appreciate feedback from someone who is familiar with these
devices. Thanks.

Steve

Steve Mulhollan wrote:
I recently purchased a 1 1/2 HP Economy hit-and-miss engine that has
an igniter. I have read some as to how it works, but I can't seem to
find any information as to how to hook up the battery and coil to it.
I see the point to which the high voltage lead of the coil is attached
as well as that where the negative side of the coil is attached. I can
find no point, however, where the negative battery lead is indicated
to be connected. Is it simply connected to any point on the block or
am I missing something?There is no wiring diagram in the original
manual and I can't find anything specific online.

Ignitors don't use a high voltage coil
in the normal sense of the word. They
use a simple coil with an iron core in
series with a battery, an on/off switch,
and the ignitor points.

When the ignitor points are closed, the
battery current flows throught the coil,
building a magnetic field in the iron.
When the points open, the field collapses
(visualize a spring slowly pulled back
then suddenly released) generating an
arc across the ignitor points and lighting
the fire.

Some ignitors had places for 2 connections
but most used the engine frame as ground.

I don't know if polarity was important.
I doubt it.

Pictures please.

In article ,
Steve Mulhollan wrote:
I recently purchased a 1 1/2 HP Economy hit-and-miss engine that has
an igniter. I have read some as to how it works, but I can't seem to
find any information as to how to hook up the battery and coil to it.
I see the point to which the high voltage lead of the coil is attached
as well as that where the negative side of the coil is attached. I can
find no point, however, where the negative battery lead is indicated
to be connected. Is it simply connected to any point on the block or
am I missing something?There is no wiring diagram in the original
manual and I can't find anything specific online.

I would appreciate feedback from someone who is familiar with these
devices. Thanks.

Steve

An ignitor is a low voltage coil. Some people use a floresent
light ballast for a coil. I think they use one for a small light
not one of the big 40 watters. I bought an ignitor coil from Debolt
for 15 or 18 dollars at Names. My friend chuck kuhn is very
knowledgable about these. He is the one that told me about using
the floresent light ballast. Drop me a line with your email address
in it and I will forward it to him. I will not post his email
address here.

Bob shores wrote a very nice book on model engine ignition systems.
Bob has passed on but his book is still available and reasonabled
priced. I think his web site is still up.

chuck

the other posts say it well. I hae used the primary of a car or
snowmobile ignition coil to run "ignitor" engines. Just the primary in
series with the battery and the ignitor. I suppose that if you get
technical about it, you might want to consider some sort of resistor in
series with it all to keep the ignitor terminals from arcing more than
needed.

Pete Stanaitis
------------------------

Steve Mulhollan wrote:

I recently purchased a 1 1/2 HP Economy hit-and-miss engine that has
an igniter. I have read some as to how it works, but I can't seem to
find any information as to how to hook up the battery and coil to it.
I see the point to which the high voltage lead of the coil is attached
as well as that where the negative side of the coil is attached. I can
find no point, however, where the negative battery lead is indicated
to be connected. Is it simply connected to any point on the block or
am I missing something?There is no wiring diagram in the original
manual and I can't find anything specific online.

I would appreciate feedback from someone who is familiar with these
devices. Thanks.

Steve

spaco wrote:

the other posts say it well. I hae used the primary of a car or
snowmobile ignition coil to run "ignitor" engines. Just the primary
in series with the battery and the ignitor. I suppose that if you get
technical about it, you might want to consider some sort of resistor
in series with it all to keep the ignitor terminals from arcing more
than needed.

Pete Stanaitis
------------------------

The resistor will do is protect the coil and wiring from excessive
current when the contacts are closed.
Also a resistor will allow the use of a higher voltage which can build
up the magnetic field quicker
and allow the engine to run at a higher RPM

Bill K7NOM


Steve Mulhollan wrote:

I recently purchased a 1 1/2 HP Economy hit-and-miss engine that has
an igniter. I have read some as to how it works, but I can't seem to
find any information as to how to hook up the battery and coil to it.
I see the point to which the high voltage lead of the coil is attached
as well as that where the negative side of the coil is attached. I can
find no point, however, where the negative battery lead is indicated
to be connected. Is it simply connected to any point on the block or
am I missing something?There is no wiring diagram in the original
manual and I can't find anything specific online.

I would appreciate feedback from someone who is familiar with these
devices. Thanks.

Steve

Pete,

I know I sound dense, but where do I hook up what when using an
automotive coil? If I run the high voltage lead to the insulated
terminal on the igniter and the nega tive leaad to the uninsulated
terminal on the igniter, how will it discharge without connecting to
the negative battery terminal?

Steve

The igniter setup is illustrated he

http://www.herculesengines.com/hercu...al/page_7.html

Steve