Author Topic: Power Box  (Read 8117 times)

Offline Brian Rupnow

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Power Box
« on: January 26, 2014, 01:43:09 PM »
Yes, I know, its a rather strange thread title. While I wait for CNC parts to arrive for my Opposed Piston engine, I am thinking of my collection of i.c. engines. I now have the Webster, the Kerzel hit and miss, the Atkinson engine, the Odds and Ends engine by Philip Duclos, the "Rupnow engine" and the newest, my opposed piston engine. On all except for the Rupnow engine, which I used a CDI ignition, the rest of the engines use conventional 12 volt coil and ignition points. The Kerzel engine is in a category of its own because the 12 volt coil is built into the engine base. This still leaves me with four engines which require that every time I want to run them require a complete wiring up before they are runnable. They all have their own point set and condenser, but the coil has to be changed from engine to engine. Coils are not cheap. I pay $50 each for 12 volt coils at my local auto parts store. Fortunately I have a deep cycle 12 volt battery for my fishing boat, which is a ready (if heavy) power supply. I think I may embark on a small woodworking project.-Basically a small wooden box which will hold a 12 volt coil, an on/off switch, an indicator light to show when the power is on, and a permanently installed high tension lead from the coil. I may make the "power in" lead and the ground lead "plug in" style connectors with alligator clips on the ends which attach to the battery and the ignition points. I may even make it a dual compartment box so that all of the electrical leads can be coiled and stored in the second compartment, so that my "power box" doesn't have a gaggle of wires hanging from it. Has anybody else done something similar?---Brian
« Last Edit: January 26, 2014, 10:16:26 PM by Brian Rupnow »

Offline gbritnell

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Re: Power Box
« Reply #1 on: January 26, 2014, 02:34:21 PM »
Hi Brian,
When I started out I made a wood box with my 12 volt coil and ballast resistor inside. On the outside I have 5 screw posts, 2 for 12 volts in, 2 for the points and ground and another for the HT lead.
When I started using electronic ignitions I did something similar only the boxes were a little smaller. Inside I have the ignition module with a small 4 amp sealed battery. For terminals I made my own mini banana type plugs (1/8 dia.). I have 5 of them, 3 for the Hall sensor or use 2 of them when I'm using points, a separate ground and one for the HT (spark) lead. To keep the battery from banging around inside the box I cut a piece of dense rubber foam and wedged it between the battery and the end of the box. The top cover is hinged and has a mini toggle switch for turning the ignition on and off. I also have pilot light (LED) that tells me when the ignition is on.
gbritnell
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Offline Brian Rupnow

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Re: Power Box
« Reply #2 on: January 26, 2014, 05:31:32 PM »
Aha!!!---Recycling is good!!! I've had this "partial" box setting around for ages. It was originally going to be a base for my Webster, and was built to hold a 12 volt coil. This entire project just got a boost.


« Last Edit: January 26, 2014, 10:17:25 PM by Brian Rupnow »

Offline Doc

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Re: Power Box
« Reply #3 on: January 26, 2014, 05:47:27 PM »

When I started using electronic ignitions I did something similar only the boxes were a little smaller. Inside I have the ignition module with a small 4 amp sealed battery. For terminals I made my own mini banana type plugs (1/8 dia.). I have 5 of them, 3 for the Hall sensor or use 2 of them when I'm using points, a separate ground and one for the HT (spark) lead. To keep the battery from banging around inside the box I cut a piece of dense rubber foam and wedged it between the battery and the end of the box. The top cover is hinged and has a mini toggle switch for turning the ignition on and off. I also have pilot light (LED) that tells me when the ignition is on.
gbritnell

That sound similar to what I did it's a nice small package what I used was 3 AAA rechargeable batteries the current was sufficient to run the setup for quite some time never have timed how long between recharges. I thought I had some pics but not sure where you can see the box in this video. The nice thing is you can move from engine to engine easily and recharge just plug it in.
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUsfIq6Iy_0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUsfIq6Iy_0</a>

Offline metalmudler

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Re: Power Box
« Reply #4 on: January 26, 2014, 05:49:32 PM »
Hi Brian,

That is cool, and looks cool to boot!
I have been interested in IC engines and thought,coils, box... Asthetical containment .. Keep it comming m8 :)  I think my first will be a hit n miss..  I thing there are too few younger people being introduced to this hobby, let alone even have a hobby, beside sitting infront of a screen playing video games ( my 18yo son inclusive)    Shame :( Keep it all commin Brian :)

Paul
It's not done, until it's DONE... Even then there is something else to do to it !..

Offline Jasonb

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Re: Power Box
« Reply #5 on: January 26, 2014, 06:29:59 PM »
I also tend to go for the small sealed lead/acid batteries or four 1.2V nicads and a smaller coil or ignition. A lot less cumbersom than a full size auto coil and 12V battery.

Just knocked up this box today for my Galloway that will easily take the 4" long sealed battery and LT coil with room to spare.

J

Offline metalmudler

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Re: Power Box
« Reply #6 on: January 26, 2014, 07:58:01 PM »
Yeah J, i was thinkin about tabbin up some rechargable cells i have laying around here. I am learning the small IC engines dont need a huge auto type coil. What do you think is a cool scale sized coil, that we can scab outta the rubbish?

Paul
It's not done, until it's DONE... Even then there is something else to do to it !..

Offline Brian Rupnow

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Re: Power Box
« Reply #7 on: January 26, 2014, 08:12:56 PM »
Oh Yeah!! Now we're rockin'!!! I found a piece of .085" aluminum plate to make a bottom for the box. I also dug  out a piece of 1"plate that is destined to be a coil mounting bracket. That piece (with the purple layout dye on it) used to be part of the Doodlebug.--How many of you remember the Doodlebug???


« Last Edit: January 26, 2014, 10:17:55 PM by Brian Rupnow »

Offline Brian Rupnow

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Re: Power Box
« Reply #8 on: January 26, 2014, 08:13:54 PM »
Yeah J, i was thinkin about tabbin up some rechargable cells i have laying around here. I am learning the small IC engines dont need a huge auto type coil. What do you think is a cool scale sized coil, that we can scab outta the rubbish?

Paul

Motorcycle coil---or some of the newer cars have a mini-coil for each sparkplug.---Brian

Offline Brian Rupnow

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Re: Power Box
« Reply #9 on: January 26, 2014, 10:12:10 PM »
So---Nobody remembers the Doodlebug?? Well, it was almost 5 years ago. Anyways---I now have a coil mounting bracket. about half way thru this I was wishing I had set it up in the 4 jaw chuck in my lathe, because I can bore much faster with deeper cuts in my lathe. I opened out the existing hole with a one inch endmill, but then had to take about a thousand passes because the maximum depth of cut I can take on my small mill is about .025". I was originally going to split the one inch thick block into two 1/2" blocks and position one at each end of the coil, but it seems very stable just as it is, so I will find a balance point and epoxy the mount to the coil.






« Last Edit: January 26, 2014, 10:18:36 PM by Brian Rupnow »

Offline Brian Rupnow

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Re: Power Box
« Reply #10 on: January 26, 2014, 10:15:56 PM »
JasonB--Please tell me more about the LT coil. Where can I buy one, what does it cost, and how big is it--I can do inches or millimeters--whatever is easiest for you.---Brian

Offline Barry L

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Re: Power Box
« Reply #11 on: January 27, 2014, 02:30:33 AM »
Brian you can get a coil for a snowmobile from Canadian Tire for about $30.00. It's 2.5" x 2.5" x2".

Barry

Offline Pete49

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Re: Power Box
« Reply #12 on: January 27, 2014, 03:00:53 AM »
So---Nobody remembers the Doodlebug?? Well, it was almost 5 years ago.?
bit cheeky Brian I'm battling to remember yesterday.....don't forget I had a sleep or 2 since than :lolb:
Have you tried the old go to the junkyard? Should be able to get them way cheaper.
Pete
I used to have a friend.....but the rope broke and he ran away :(....Good news everybody I have another friend...I used chain this time :)

Offline Jasonb

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Re: Power Box
« Reply #13 on: January 27, 2014, 07:39:16 AM »
I got Minimag to make me the LT coil, they have done a few different windings for testing and then hope to sell one as a regular item once we find what works best. It will be a couple of weeks until I test them but keep a look out in my galloway thread.

The low tension coil is the same size as their "Novus" HT coils 1.375"dia x 2.0" Nice and small and a lot neater than using the chock out of a strip light. These are also designed for 6V opperation so the small sealed batteries are ideal

J

Offline Brian Rupnow

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Re: Power Box
« Reply #14 on: January 27, 2014, 04:30:24 PM »
Ongoing scrounging thru my cupboards and cabinets has yielded a treasure trove of switches, alligator clips, and one real prize--A red light. (I don't know if it works or not yet). The box now has the bottom bolted on and the coil mounting bracket bolted into place. There is a blizzard here today. Highways are shut down, school-busses are all cancelled. I have two public school age grand daughters here for the day--their mom and dad both had to go to work. We have 23" of snow on the ground and another 4 to 6" forecast before the end of today.



 

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