Good wrap-up analysis (I hope it's a wrap) and good conclusion.  //Jack

Date sent:              Mon, 14 Jun 2004 12:59:31 -0400
Send reply to:          "Daniel L. Katz" <katzd54@YAHOO.COM>
From:                   "Daniel L. Katz" <katzd54@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:                Re: vanagon single electrode plugs
To:                     vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM

> list:
>
> not so fast. first, in reality, plug is unlikely to spark to more than one
> ground electrode at a time. but if did spark to all 4 ground electrodes
> simultaneously, the resulting resistance of the plug might actually be
> higher! whereas the resistance might drop from essentially infinity to say a
> thousand ohms as a single spark intensifies, dividing the spark energy
> between 4 simultaneous sparks would lead to reduced ionization, and perhaps a
> much greater resistance(s) per gap because of the lower peak spark currents.
> the coil is not a power supply, and the problem is a complicated transient
> phenomena. initially spark current is limited by gap resistance. at its peak
> spark current is usually limited by secondary circuit resistances.
>
> in any case, there is flat out no mechanism to damage a coil by using
> multi electrode vs single electrode spark plugs. and, there is no obvious
> desgn change even for the purpose of optimizing a coil for one or the other
> plug type.
>
> dan
>
>
>
> On Sat, 12 Jun 2004 11:48:44 -0400, David Brodbeck <gull@GULL.US> wrote:
>
> >On Sat, 12 Jun 2004, Ken Lewis wrote:
> >
> >> Scenario 2(quad tip).
> >> To me, if you provide four paths to ground then the impedance of the
> plug
> >> becomes R/4 since said paths are in parallel. Substituting into above
> >> formula you get Power=4*V^2/R or four times the power is required from
> the
> >> coil.