Page 1 of 1

insulating spark plug from chamber?

Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 9:03 pm
by JDP12
obviously, i need a way to insulate my homemade spark plug from the steel chamber so that the charge does not get dispersed to my hand. (don't want a camera capacitor dumped into me) do you use teflon tape? if so, how much do you normally use?? I don't want to experiment with this... sorry guys. do you use anything else to insulate it??

Thanks guys,

ILTBTU

Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 9:04 pm
by SpudUke5
Shrink tube or electrical tape should work.

Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 9:07 pm
by JDP12
but it threads into the chamber, so that won't work. I need a way to keep the spark plug insulated from the female thread in the chamber.

Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 9:10 pm
by SpudUke5
Ahh, hmm well can you give me diagram or a picture? There are many sparkplugs that are different so a picture would help.

Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 10:12 pm
by mopherman
dude, don't worry about it. the spark wont go through your hand. It'll use the entire chamber as an electrode1 and the other part the spark gap as electrode2. ( If I am not mistaken)

Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 10:23 pm
by bigbob12345
Edit:Info was incorrect

Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 10:33 pm
by MrCrowley
bigbob12345 wrote:Mopherman:you are mistaken
It mite work if your power source was large enough voltage but not with a camera campacitor. It will spark toyour hand no matter what if you dont have insulation.

ok the easiest way that to do it in my opinion is to get a small diameter plug and dill two holes in it, but the two wires in the two holes and then fil the inside of the plug with epoxy.
I'm sure i've seen hybrids that do what Mopherman just described... :?


And what if he wants to use a spark plug? I'm not sure if your solution is with one or not, but I don't think it is.

Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2008 12:15 am
by bigbob12345
I'm sure i've seen hybrids that do what Mopherman just described...
send a link my way and i will be proven wrong

And my solution is just a suggestion to him

Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2008 1:11 am
by MrCrowley
Well here's one that use piezo's connected to sparkplugs with one wire connected to the chamber:
http://www.spudfiles.com/forums/stinger-mkii-t9723.html

I just realised I may of mis-read what Mopherman said, so before continuing my search I would just like to point out...

Are we talking about one wire connected to the chamber and one to the top of the spark plug, so when the ignition is triggered, it goes through the chamber and the sparkplug and jumps at the sparkplug's two electrodes?

Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2008 6:48 am
by Hotwired
There isn't much of an issue with a sparkplug threaded into a steel chamber...

The only way you could have a problem is if the wiring BEFORE the sparkplug, specifically the wire to the central terminal was disconnected and put in contact with you as you held the chamber.

As long as you're not using bare wires held on by hope it's fine.

Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2008 7:44 am
by jrrdw
mopherman wrote:dude, don't worry about it. the spark wont go through your hand. It'll use the entire chamber as an electrode1 and the other part the spark gap as electrode2. ( If I am not mistaken)
No, your not mistaken. Using the entire cannon as the ground is more then enough as a clear path for the 'electric' to travel through. Just like water, electricity takes the easiest path. The porcelain in the spark plug will do all the insulating.

This is a hybrid rite? Your going to hold it in your hands while firing?

Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2008 9:01 am
by bigbob12345
Well then my entire post was wrong :lol:
I have to learn my stuff

Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2008 9:16 am
by SpudFarm
http://www.spudfiles.com/forums/handhel ... 13257.html

this use the chamber as a electrode and i hold it just fine..

Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2008 12:52 pm
by JDP12
k thanks for the information guys