Trident Mk. II Build Log

[saefroch]

Thermostat keeps it usually close to 65F

[Gun Freak]

That's wierd... it should be curing at that temp.

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

That's wierd... it should be curing at that temp.

... so there are some other things that might have gove wrong:

- insufficient mixing of the two components

- components were not dispensed in the right proportions

[saefroch]

I think it may be that they weren't dispensed in the right proportion, but I can't be sure. My spark plug does appear to be properly cured (not sticky and very hard), but that's probably because it spend about half an hour at 300F. It left some residue behind, which may have been a factor...

[saefroch]

Bore hawg curing for use on the inside of my piston. May take a day or two since it's clamped in a cold vise and I can't exactly pop it into the toaster oven.

[mark.f]

I still say you could have used some .25" ID tubing. A good retort I didn't think of quick enough in chat last night was that even if there wasn't enough epoxy around the tubing to fully cut your o-ring grooves, you could always cut them into the outside of the tubing as well. If you were to cut through the tubing I think you would have a problem no matter what method you used.

But whatever gets it done. Can't wait to see the first hybrid QDV...

[saefroch]

I'm just a little concerned about having a thin piece of tubing or epoxy supporting all the impact stress of stopping the piston. I think what I'm trying now will work... I think

I can't wait either. This one step has had me stalled for so long.

[saefroch]

Battery connections curing atm, should be fully operational by tomorrow:

Sadly I don't think the LED is illuminating, but it does make that highly intimidating whine!
Nearly scared the pants off a friend

EDIT:

Turns out the intimidating whine is >18kHz, i.e. fully matured people can't hear it. I do still have a problem though... I only got it to arc through a loop of the trigger wire, which was really cool, but unreproducible and not compatible with my current spark plug. Is it possible to put the trigger wire in series with one of the sides of the capacitor? I tried once and I only got a sort of half-arsed spark, was that because my gap was too large?

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

Nearly scared the pants off a friend

....Turns out the intimidating whine is >18kHz, i.e. fully matured people can't hear it.

Does that mean you'll be appearing on Dateline soon

Seriously though, it looks great. How big is your spark gap?

[saefroch]

I only once managed to trigger a spark with the trigger wire (gap probably 2mm), all other sparks have simply been by moving the leads closer an closer together, until they are almost touching and it arcs. Sadly, this always temporarily welds them together.

There are now two photoflash capacitors in parallel inside the box.

Is there any chance of replacing the triggering mechanism with a piezoelectric igniter in parallel with the spark gap? I'm thinking it might be possible to ionize the air with the voltage output of the piezo, then let the current from the capacitors follow it... Or would that just fry the piezo...

[Fnord]

Now, wait, you're using a camera flash ignitor, or something else?
I thought originally you were using a peizo...

The spark you'll get from a flash circuit will be very hot, but not that high in voltage which is what you need for a hybrid. I'd expect it's something in the 2-3kv range (You need about 10kv to arc through 1 cm of air).

[saefroch]

I am NOW attempting to use a camera flash ignitor, since I stalled on the rest of the build, I decided to convert the two disposable cameras I bought a while back for this purpose.

Just demonstrating deadshorting the capacitors, not practical without the trigger function. I'm going to try to make another spark plug and connect this all up correctly.
[youtube][/youtube]

[saefroch]

Double posting, but I feel it's justified...

I upgraded my spark plug so it now has three leads, and configured them so that they should work, but they aren't. I've verified that the circuit is charging, and the solder should be ensuring good electrical contact, right? So... help?


The wires are connected to the right leads, though it may not appear so.

[Zeus]

Squash the ring so it's closer to the electrodes, and push the two electrodes as close as possible, if you'd risk it charge them first.

Once they arc, just open them up a tiny bit, then it should work. Expect to readjust them quite a a lot, they'll wear quickly.

[saefroch]

I'll close the loop tighter, but that spark is so shocking I jump every time.

EDIT:
[youtube][/youtube]

It isn't all discharging in the spark... is that normal?