I recently read an excellent study of various ways to ignite plugs in a Model T engine. I looked high and low for it this morning but couldn't fined it. Various methods were examined, including 6v w stock timer, 12v with stock timer, plus a number of combinations with voltage variations and distributors.
I was most impressed with the work and was struck by the difference between improvement when stock coils and timer were used with 12 volts instead of 6. Apparently the 12 volt charged the coils faster and improved the performance at rpms above 1000 rpm. (I hope I said that right.)
More recently I read on one of the forums that one could make a comparison by substituting a 12+ volt source for the mag wire connection on the back of the switch. It seems like one could then switch from 6v to 12v as easily as we switch from battery to mag in normal running.
This sounds so simple to do that there must be an unintended consequence that be a concern. Am I missing something, or isn't this advisable? I don't want to damage my coils or any other electrical part.
If the original study on available on the forum, I'd be interested in reprinting it.
Regards,
Larry Pletcher
Your T will run best on MAG if the magneto output is normal. 12 volts is better than 6 volts but no substitute for a functioning magneto system.
Larry,
You wrote:
" Apparently the 12 volt charged the coils faster and improved the performance at rpms above 1000 rpm."
If you believe that, what would you think about getting almost 30 volts? (From a good Mag)?
See:
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/179374/247427.html?1321577816
and the references therein.
Good Luck,
Dave
Have a glance at the thread I started. Maybe it'll answer some questions?
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/257047/289093.html?1337703482
Thank you for your comments. I appreciate the links and now have a copy of Ron's spark timing article. At this point I see no reason to change anything. I use a 6 volt battery and have a mag that performs well. I'll stay with what works.
Regards,
Larry pletcher
Larry, you could do as you said. Just make sure you disconnect the wire running from the hogs head to the coil box (or ignition switch or terminal block or wherever it is on later models) before you hook any battery voltage to the coil box. What you DON'T want to do is get any battery voltage to the mag. So long as you don't do that, you can go 6v and 12v and compare the difference.
Why does the article in the MTFCI magazine show the 12 volt new day timer outperformed the magneto new day timer?
Weren't they very close except at very high rpms?
I would have expected the 30 volt mag to have more performance than the 12 volt battery, but it was not so.
You have to wonder about the results in that article, because they do not even test the best timer available. The original Ford roller timer.
Who ever was orchestrating the testing obviously had one thing in mind - selling electronic gizmos.
My HCCT has a voltmeter. When the coils are adjusted properly the coils fire just fine on 2.5 volts ac.
My HCCT does not check for bad capacitors, like the Strobo-Spark does that John Regan' Fun Projects sells. so far the average is about 1 coil in 10 that has a good capacitor.
They just don't fire as quickly as they do on higher voltage, which effectively retards your timing.
Larry,
I can just say that I'm glad that you're sticking with the magneto and coils. It's a great system! Those electronic coils I'm working on (the ones in the link I posted) are just to get me by until I get my magneto working again!