[SEL] solid state ignition

[Ed stoller]

I have been playing with ignition systems for a long time, even built a 
Capacitance Discharge Ignition for my Kohler 321. When all is said and done 
and one needs to replace an ignition system on a small air cooled engine, 
the least expensive way is to convert it to an automotive transistor type. 
The Wells CR 109 controller costs $16 to $20 at most auto parts stores. One 
needs a conventional coil with a built in resistor ( Tecumseh,  Kohler or 
aftermarket) or a ballast resistor and a trigger coil. I make the trigger 
coils, but the instructions for making them are on my web site 
http://home.earthlink.net/~edstoller/  .

A recent project was to make an ignition system for Ron Frosts model of a 
1895 Mery engine. Here we wanted to keep the trigger coil as small as 
possible. We wound up with a salvaged coil on a 10-24 screw with the magnet 
on the head. It is about the size of a pencil eraser. Ron is still working 
on this and has not got to the point of stack music yet. I hope he could 
bring it to the Coolspring show. The Mery has two combustion chambers, so we 
are using a coil from a 1996 Bonneville to fire both plugs at the same time. 
Ron's engine has the trigger mounted on a lever to control the spark 
advance.

If I ever get my STOVER CT_2 together, I will probably use some thing like 
to above until I get a Wyco EK.

Ed Stoller
New Fairfield, CT
http://home.earthlink.net/~edstoller/


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Hall" <jthall at worldnet.att.net>
To: "The SEL email discussion list" <sel at lists.stationary-engine.com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 19, 2006 11:00 PM
Subject: Re: [SEL] solid state ignition


> Was what he was selling modern? I would say my info from Fairbanks is at 
> least 30 years old---I'll try to look again tomorrow and see if I can find 
> a date on the literature.
>
> John
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "George & Norma Armstrong" <gnarmstrong at netnitco.net>
> To: "The SEL email discussion list" <sel at lists.stationary-engine.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, September 19, 2006 10:27 PM
> Subject: Re: [SEL] solid state ignition
>
>
>> John,
>>    Walt Sappington of MI. told me that solid state was the way to go on 
>> the
>> Fairbanks---they run better, start better and there was a guy selling the
>> system at Portland this past show.  The extent of my knowledge.    George
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: John Hall <jthall at worldnet.att.net>
>> To: sel at lists.stationary-engine.com <sel at lists.stationary-engine.com>
>> Date: Tuesday, September 19, 2006 8:57 PM
>> Subject: [SEL] solid state ignition
>>
>>
>>>Didn't have time to read all of it but while looking through the 
>>>Fairbanks
>>>mag parts books at the shop tonight, I saw where they made Solid State
>>>conversions for flywheel engines. The engines listed were Ajax, Climax,
>>>Witte, and Fairbanks. I'm guessing these were oilfield units? Anybody 
>>>ever
>>>run across an engine with this conversion on it? The engine pictured
>>>appeared to have been an enclosed crankcase model.
>>>
>>>John
>>>
>
>
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