Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (June 2004, week 3)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Sat, 19 Jun 2004 11:03:05 -0700
Reply-To:     LOREN BUSCH <labusch@VERIZON.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         LOREN BUSCH <labusch@VERIZON.NET>
Subject:      Re: vanagon single electrode plugs
In-Reply-To:  <20040619162333.SOMT10700.mta002.verizon.net@gerry.vanagon.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

I've stayed out of this till now but have to jump in. Two points that seem to have been missed in the discussion. First, the emergence (I didn't' say origin, I don't know when they were first used or by who) of the multi electrode spark plug was at the end of WW2. They were in use in aircraft to try to keep aircraft engines running when there was oil fouling in high time engines. They were effective, if one electrode was fouling and resistance went up then the spark would appear at another electrode. But still to just ONE ground point! No change in 'load' on the system. And that is the second point. The spark is provided by the back EMF from a collapsing field induced into the secondary winding of the coil. It is a collapsing field because the circuit has been opened. Any attempt to analyze the circuit using Ohm's or Kirkoffs (sp?) law will be wrong, there is no closed circuit at the time of the spark. The load on the system is solely a function of the characteristics of the primary winding on the coil (and resistance up to that point) and has nothing to do with whether or not the secondary is shorted to ground (through the spark plug) or not. The result is that the coil couldn't care less how many paths to ground are available as long as it is discharging into the resistance it was designed for and that is controlled by the SINGLE plug wire much more than the configuration of the electrodes on the spark plug. BTW, do I use multi electrode plugs? Yes, because they should last a little longer before needing replacement. Do I expect better performance? No and no reason that I should.


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.