Thumper Club Forum
Club House => Chatter => Topic started by: JOOLZ on March 13, 2012, 11:56:20 AM
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http://www.smartplugs.com/about.htm Anyone else heard about this?
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Interesting...yes
as the device is self sustaining (after initial power source for cold start) where does the all important timing come into play...
you know... silly things like advance/retard
or have i missed something?
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It says on the site there is an option for advance and retard triggered by a sensor, but I cant work out how it works, did you watch the video of it fitted into a plane, there would have to be an adjustable ignition for that
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diesel spark plug? tell me he doesnt think that deisel engines need a spark plug? its just a glow plug, radio control planes have been using glow plug ignition for years, but i doubt it will work in a modern engine,
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This is all it says on timing control.........
Q: How do you control the timing of a SmartPlug? Back to top
As an engine speeds up and slows down the timing of when ignition takes places must also change. If not, the fuel may ignite too soon causing pinging (that awful noise you hear under your hood). This is very hard on the engine. If the fuel ignites too late, you lose power. This is very inefficient. For engines that run at a constant RPM, a specific SmartPlug is built for optimum performance at whatever the given RPM is. For engines that have variable timing, the SmartPlug system is equipped with a electronic circuit to change the timing. This device is called a timing controller.
There is also a link to a NASA technical paper on the ignition system, and reviews by flight magazine
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It used to be called a holt bulb ignition.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_bulb_engine
Went out of use in about 1910 on anything except the odd canal boat, industrial engine and model planes. If the new materials work better that copper heated from the exhaust I don't know. I'll believe it when Honda etc. launch one.
Andy
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how much are they :-\......tommy
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Sounds like a load of cobblers to me !
Jethro
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It's like PTFE fluid for your gearbox, the theory isn't that stupid, it just isn't something you can nail on to an existing engine.
What happens when you fit the wrong spark plug and it starts to Diesel? As well as having no means to stop it except turning the fuel off, doesn't it cook the rings?
Andy
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Like I said, an interesting ignition system that I cant quite get my head around, there are some features that are similar to a hot bulb ignition, and some that are like a model engine glow plug, and I still cant work out how they alter the timing
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diesel spark plug? tell me he doesnt think that deisel engines need a spark plug? its just a glow plug, radio control planes have been using glow plug ignition for years, but i doubt it will work in a modern engine,
its not going to work like a glow plug in a model engine as the glow wire is a catalyst with the methanol and will glow just from the fact they are in proximity to each other, the starting power just enhances the initial ignition, I have started several model engines when hot without the power supplied to the plug using an electric starter so spin it over faster. There is no automatic reaction between platinum and other fuels, so the same reaction would not happen
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It does seem to be like the aero engines with a glow plug. If I understand this correctly its sensing max cylinder pressure and then firing. I cant see how this could work well. it may run but as said what about correct timing.
Ken
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as they say its ok if you have an aero engine that is run at a constant speed but on a bike where you are varying the throttle position all the time its a bit of a snake oil thing. you have to ask yourself, how its going to be better than a simple spark plug and conventional ignition setup? sounds like a great way to spend a shedload of money to make something run worse than it ran before.
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It's like PTFE fluid for your gearbox, the theory isn't that stupid, it just isn't something you can nail on to an existing engine.
What happens when you fit the wrong spark plug and it starts to Diesel? As well as having no means to stop it except turning the fuel off, doesn't it cook the rings?
Andy
Ah ! The Pixies alter the ignition timing to suit engine speed and load.
And when it starts to Diesel and rev out of control and start to bounce the valves,burn the rings and start to use the oil in the crankcase as a fuel until it finally over revs and/or seizes !
Still think its a load of cobblers ! Bit like the Fuel Cat pills to put in your tank.To improve power and economy whilst allowing you to use unleaded petrol in you old Ford Anglia or BSA Road Rocket with out converting exhaust valve seats and valves for unleaded use.
COBBLERS that wot I say !
Jethro ;) ;D
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i concur, but theres never a shortage of people with money to burn, good intentions and no mechanical or technical knowlege to figure out that theyre getting spanked!!!!
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i concur, but theres never a shortage of people with money to burn, good intentions and no mechanical or technical knowlege to figure out that theyre getting spanked!!!!
I think we should invent one. If needs to be plausible, probably based on old technology and yet if you are lucky at least does no real harm. Better still it has to have a good sales pitch.
The gearbox snake oil has that demo where they file a bit of rod held in a lathe with and without the PTFE. Looks good on the table top, probably does nothing that bad in your gearbox for years. The customer is happy and won't even remember you when something does go bang.
Splitfire plugs have to be better in the customers heads because all their mates are busy drilling holes in their heads to fit a second plug. Platinum and Iridium conduct better than copper alloy so people will believe the picture on the box. By the time the electrode drops into the head or people work out their fuel use the supplier can be well out of the picture.
The lump of lead to drop in your petrol tank came with a brochure about how they were sent to Russia for use in Hurricane fighter aircraft.
Anyone want to buy an MZ power band? :D ;) :-X
Andy
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Do you think the lump of lead would help convert my MZ two stroke for unleaded use then ?
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Of course not, a lump of lead in the tank wont do a thing, I can of course sell you the lead piston conversion for the low low introductory price of $400, this will allow you to go lead free and have the benefit of the extra weight pressing down on the piston which increases the hp by an extra 25%
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;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Two stroke leaded conversion being the equivalent of Splitfire Sparkplugs and Snake Oil.
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diesel spark plug? tell me he doesnt think that deisel engines need a spark plug?
One of my current projects is a spark plug driver for a diesel, the plug doesn't look anything like that though. I'll give you a clue - the spark plug isn't in the cylinder head.
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I know, It's a kit that lets you mount the spark plug in the piston. By having the spark travel up and down with the flame front a more even burn gives more power and better MPG ;D
Having the HT lead going in via the crank case brather also makes it more waterproof ;D
Andy
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Hmmmmm Andy, but dont you think the oil residue when its switched off would foul the plug?? You would also need to make some sort of solenoid operated one way drain valve, just next to it in the piston. In order to stop destroying the sump oil, it could be an idea to have a small port at the bottom of the stroke to alloy this diesel oil residue to drain to a catch can and eventually be reused. you would only need to hand crank the donk a couple of times to allow each cylinder to discharge the waste. Cool Runnings.
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Indeed. Also it will require something we can keep selling, say a special anti fouling oil that can simply be added to the fuel at say a 50:1 ratio?
As it is no longer a plain old spark ignition it needs a better name. How about Super High Intensity Transmission Element or S.H.I.T.E for short?
Andy
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I know, It's a kit that lets you mount the spark plug in the piston. By having the spark travel up and down with the flame front a more even burn gives more power and better MPG ;D
Andy
Lol, no its in the exhaust - used to fire a burner to heat the exhaust gasses up to regenerate the DPF.
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no no no... the answer for correct spark timing and intensity is......
the positive terminal of the plug is in the head... the spark is then created between the +ve terminal and the piston... so care has to be taken to ensure that the HT power is controlled so that the a spark is generated as the piston approaches TDC and a gap of 25thou.
the plug can be adjusted in the head by the use of shims, to get the correct timing/spark intensity
of course there will be a silly thing called spark erosion taking place, which left unchecked could put a hole in the piston... but hey... no gain without pain...... a half pound lump of something on top of the piston... known as a sacrificial anode should do the trick...