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remote ignition

Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 6:08 pm
by brian Casey
i have a couple questions on how to run a remote ignition system. I have one of those electronic whoopie cushions. i am not sure how to wire this for a camera flash+ignition coilsetup if anyone knows how to do this that would be great!

Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2006 3:55 am
by GalFisk
Rig the circuit so that it gives a voltage (pretty much any positive voltage) out when activated. Connect the ignition coil in series with the flash tube, keeping the rest of the camera flash circuit intact.
Get a thyristor (SCR) which can take 400 volts, and connect the anode and cathode across the trigger switch on the camera flash (anode to +, cathode to -, either measure the voltage to find the polarity, or trace the connections to the main cap).
Connect the output from the cushion to the gate of the thyristor, and the ground of the circuit to the cathode.

Now, every time the circuit gives off a voltage, it will trigger the thyristor, which triggers the ignition of the flash tube, which then dumps all the voltage across the ignition coil, producing a spark.

The cushion and flash circuits need to be completely separate except for the connection through the thyristor, and both have to use their own batteries. There is a possibility of high voltages between any point in the two circuits (I found out this the hard way in a different setup), so keep them well insulated.

Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2006 5:04 am
by Recruit
Umm diagram please, because that didnt really make sense to me.

Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2006 12:58 pm
by singularity
i have made a very getto'ed remote detenator, it would take to long to explain so ill draw a pic

<img src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j85/i ... otedet.jpg">

an scr is an electronic switch, i used the leads from the r/c cars motor as the trigger it. the switch was wired up to the the camera flashes capacitor so when it hit the foward button on the r/c car it turned on the scr dumping the capacitor creating a spark

Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2006 1:50 pm
by Recruit
Ok now that makes sense, thank you.