Electronic Ignition Conversion

[powermax_paul]

Good thinking Dutch! Actually I was thinking along those lines but hadn't gotten a chance to look for an inexpensive automotive module. As for the trigger, I had thought about mounting a magnetic pickup in the points box and trigger the pickup with the same pushrod that operates the points. The oil that sometimes pumps up into the box shouldn't affect a sealed mag pickup. I would just need a pickup with a high temp tolerance cuz these engines run very hot. I'll see what Radio Shack has. Thanks for the research, Dutch. Paul

[LesH]

For those wishing to convert from battery to electronic ignition, the theory is well established, and parts are inexpensive and readily available. Rather than construct a module from scratch, a module used by Chrysler for 20 years will work great and is available new for about $25, or from a salvage yard for about $5 (see the link below for some basic technical info). To trigger the module, Chrysler used a reluctor and a magnetic pick up coil inside the distributor. Since most small engines do not have a distributor, another triggering mechanism must be devised. A trigger can be through a magnet in a flywheel, or by installing a magnetic pick up coil near some engine part that moves commensurate with engine RPM, or using “Hall Effect” theory. Onan’s Magna Arc brochure states, “Magna Arc electronic ignition originates when a permanent magnet triggers a Hall cell.” If you’re interested in how this Onan system works, do some research on “Hall Effect.” “Hall Effect” components are available through electronic supply houses, and usually cost less than $1. “Hall Effect” and magnetic pick up coils are used extensively in office and manufacturing equipment. So check out that old junk copy machine, it may have exactly what you need. Of course, the electrical values of switches and pick up coils vary. The components you select must be compatible. Determining where and how those components will be attached and triggered by the engine is your project. The price for the Onan Magna Arc is reportedly $100. This may seem high considering the unit only contains a few dollars worth of components. But, like the mechanic said when asked to justify charging $100 to turn a screw, “I only charged $5 to turn the screw, the additional $95 was for knowing which screw to turn.”[A href='http://www.fourforty.com/techstuff/ignition.html']http://www.fourforty.com/techstuff/ignition.html[/a]

[Karl_Brandt]

I just put a after market electronic Ignition Module kit on my AC B-210.The engine is runing alright so far. The electronic Ignition Module kit is sold by Laser sales in Canada.Will not work on battery ignition sytems. [A href='http://www.geocities.com/yosemite/falls/5395/index.html']http://www.geocities.com/yosemite/falls/5395/index.html[/a]