Simplest battery-powered sparker PLEASE

[bourreau]

I'm making a potato cannon and I want to use an electrical igniter. I'm mostly a novice in circuit design, but I've gotten my feet wet by reading several books and web sites over the years. Some help would really be appreciated. Lying around, I have 9 volt batteries, two electrolytic capacitors, some resistors, a push button (for a trigger), and two pnp transistors. I'm willing to buy more parts if I have to, but if it's possible, I'd rather just use what I have (though I doubt I can). Thanks for the help,


Bourreau

 

[Screech]

I use model rocket igniters, 9 volt battery(brand name), and a switch.

 

[HiTech]

what r u using for the fuel ... hairspray? I seem to recall using a standard piezo igniter element ... the type often used to light propane bbq grills. Very simple and provided the fuel chamber is gas and not liquid, the piezo ignitor should do the job very simple like.

 

[moody07747]

what r u using for the fuel ... hairspray? I seem to recall using a standard piezo igniter element ... the type often used to light propane bbq grills. Very simple and provided the fuel chamber is gas and not liquid, the piezo ignitor should do the job very simple like.

yep i used plenty of those piezo sparkers seen here

**broken link removed**

Just solder the lead wire on the terminals and what i used to do is use two Sheetrock screws and put the wires under that....that way when the object is put in the barrel there's no copper wires to bend making the spark gap too big.

hairspray is one fuel, i make these in mini with a film canister and i just use the fuel from the line of a fireplace lighter.

https://www.sci-toys.com/scitoys/scitoys/thermo/thermo2.html

 

[Oznog]

The parts you have on hand won't do it. There are 2 routes, piezo ignition- which is quite practical- and electronic ignition which would require an ignition coil and driver. The magneto out of a lawnmower engine would do it, but you'll probably still need to build a driver which would require more parts than you have.

 

[Screech]

I tried those piezo sparkers and they were unreliable for me. Worked 1 in 10 times.

I even made a coild driver and that was unreliable too.
Worked once in 10 times.


I gave up on those two, and went for the ROCKET IGNITER/ELECTRIC MATCH.
100% reliable.

 

[Screech]

Hey, No batteries required.

Try these little beauties.
Just pull the string and BANG!

 

[Hero999]

Screech,
Good idea, I know piezos can be unrelianble but the coil driver shouldnt't be, it sounds like you used crappy cable and not the proper HT stuff.

 

[HiTech]

This style of piezo igniter is reliable due to its better construction.

**broken link removed**

They are available at hardware stores, and department stores that sell outdoor propane bbq grills. Or you can join us dumpster divers and locate a discarded grill at the curb, then scavenge the igniter from it!

 

[moody07747]

Hey, No batteries required.

Try these little beauties.
Just pull the string and BANG!

LOL,

[start of a story]
...OK Johnny, you hold the potato cannon while I go up front and pull the cord...

Breaking news story, potato cannons gone wrong...

[end story]

I cant see that being any good at all LMAO

but really, those things are fun but also expensive where i get them locally

 

[moody07747]

This style of piezo igniter is reliable due to its better construction.

**broken link removed**

They are available at hardware stores, and department stores that sell outdoor propane BBQ grills. Or you can join us dumpster divers and locate a discarded grill at the curb, then scavenge the igniter from it!

yep those are better than the small ones i posted but even the small ones always work for me..i get about 1,,000 clicks from one of them

i went on eBay and got a pack of 15 refillable fireplace lighters for about $7 total and took the sparkers out of them ...all but one that my dad uses to start the grill...