C'mon please help
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 122
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From: NE Oregon
C'mon please help
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 22-Jan-02 AT 10:11 PM (EST)]Current doesn't create a spark, voltage does. You typically run 28VDC+ in an arc welder with a lot of current, and the voltage is what get's the arc stream going. If you need to do an emergency repair out on the trail somewhere, you need at least two batteries in series (24VDC) to run an arc, one battery alone wouldn't be enough to make a stable arc. The lower the voltage the more unstable the arc becomes.
Running straight 12VDC from a car battery typically won't make a spark plug work, not enough voltage. The actual amount of current running through a spark plug is something like 100 or 200 milliamps (1/10 ~ 1/5 of an amp) but 15,000 volts. You need voltage to fire a plug.
That being said, I reeeeallllyyyy hope you rethink this project. It'd be bad to have a backfire light off your fuel tank or something. It's just not worth it, imho :-X23
Running straight 12VDC from a car battery typically won't make a spark plug work, not enough voltage. The actual amount of current running through a spark plug is something like 100 or 200 milliamps (1/10 ~ 1/5 of an amp) but 15,000 volts. You need voltage to fire a plug.
That being said, I reeeeallllyyyy hope you rethink this project. It'd be bad to have a backfire light off your fuel tank or something. It's just not worth it, imho :-X23
Logistics Pro
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 3,565
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From: Sun River St. George
C'mon please help
Well I enjoyed a good laugh on this one! It is amazing what some Guys will try. I was a little concerned about the pliers and spark plug circus around a hot battery though. And this 110 volts not being dangerous myth. All of us need to carefully consider the advice we give obviously inexperienced mechanics.
William in Atlanta
William in Atlanta
Tuned
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 466
Likes: 10
From: Albuquerque, NM
C'mon please help
I don't think it is a good idea to be sending flames out the exhaust but... there was a guy at the F100 nationals last year that was cruising down the street and sending flames- drew lots of applause and attention- so I can say that it can be done safely (maybe illegally). I will also say that you have not failed- You have just found lots of ways that don't work! Again, I DO NOT condone this activity- it is not for me - but if you want to figure out how to do it safely I say go for it!
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 158
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C'mon please help
damn... this is one of the funnier threads I've seen on here.
GROUNDED! Holding the plug with metal pliers is not a form of a ground. Take the spark plug, wrap a short bit of your 14g wire around the threads. Attach the other end of the wire to your frame or the - side of the batters. Now touch the tip of the plug that usually goes into plug wires to the + side of the battery. Now you'll see a spark, I guarantee it.
Does the choke thing really work? Is there enough gas left in the exhaust from the engine to ignite? It seems like you'd get much better flames if you rigged up a fuel injector upstream from the exhaust tip. But then again, it'd be even more dangerous.
Why not just attach some orage metallic tape to the exhaust tip so you can watch it flutter around and pretend you did all the work to set up a flaming exhaust?
GROUNDED! Holding the plug with metal pliers is not a form of a ground. Take the spark plug, wrap a short bit of your 14g wire around the threads. Attach the other end of the wire to your frame or the - side of the batters. Now touch the tip of the plug that usually goes into plug wires to the + side of the battery. Now you'll see a spark, I guarantee it.
Does the choke thing really work? Is there enough gas left in the exhaust from the engine to ignite? It seems like you'd get much better flames if you rigged up a fuel injector upstream from the exhaust tip. But then again, it'd be even more dangerous.
Why not just attach some orage metallic tape to the exhaust tip so you can watch it flutter around and pretend you did all the work to set up a flaming exhaust?
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C'mon please help
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 26-Jan-02 AT 00:03 AM (EST)]>damn... this is one of the funnier threads I've seen on
>here.
>
>GROUNDED! Holding the plug with metal pliers is not a form
>of a ground.
Of course it's funny when you miss the Exact wording.
While hold the sparkplug wire on the POSITIVE Post of the battery Hold the sparkplug with pliers (he was worried about getting shocked)
so it TOUCHES the NEGATIVE POST on the Battery*
THUS, GROUNDING the plug on the battery*
You should see a spark from the center electrode to the ground electrode when you do this.
Read closer before flaming ,Funnier Guy! :+
Here's a copy of the original post
20-Jan-02, 09:06 PM (EST)
Did you have the pliers touching the - negative post of the battery when you did this?
Center electrode top of plug to positive post while
touching Threaded part of plug to the negative post.
WATCH FOR A QUICK SPARK everytime you do this!
Dennis
Dennis
Oh....Please Don't Ask Me Any Tough Questions As:
"I'm Saving Up MY Memory For When I Develop Alzheimer's"
https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gallery/displaythumbnail.php?&photoid=144&.jpg
https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gallery/displaythumbnail.php?&photoid=143&.jpg
78 F-150 429CJ C6 ,Silver w/Explorer Pkge
641/2 Mustang,Pre-World's Fair Car #8092
64 Fairlane S/C waiting for a 390-4spd.
68-Mustang.Sunlit Gold 80,000 miles
>here.
>
>GROUNDED! Holding the plug with metal pliers is not a form
>of a ground.
Of course it's funny when you miss the Exact wording.
While hold the sparkplug wire on the POSITIVE Post of the battery Hold the sparkplug with pliers (he was worried about getting shocked)
so it TOUCHES the NEGATIVE POST on the Battery*
THUS, GROUNDING the plug on the battery*
You should see a spark from the center electrode to the ground electrode when you do this.
Read closer before flaming ,Funnier Guy! :+
Here's a copy of the original post
20-Jan-02, 09:06 PM (EST)
Did you have the pliers touching the - negative post of the battery when you did this?
Center electrode top of plug to positive post while
touching Threaded part of plug to the negative post.
WATCH FOR A QUICK SPARK everytime you do this!
Dennis
Dennis
Oh....Please Don't Ask Me Any Tough Questions As:
"I'm Saving Up MY Memory For When I Develop Alzheimer's"
https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gallery/displaythumbnail.php?&photoid=144&.jpg
https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gallery/displaythumbnail.php?&photoid=143&.jpg
78 F-150 429CJ C6 ,Silver w/Explorer Pkge
641/2 Mustang,Pre-World's Fair Car #8092
64 Fairlane S/C waiting for a 390-4spd.
68-Mustang.Sunlit Gold 80,000 miles
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