Sinsui Electronic Ignition PGI12KV

[Jutte]

Came across this little unit on the internet.
It was been sold here as a Potato Gun Ignition system.
It uses a AA 1.5 volt battery - and kicks it up to 12,000 volts -of course very little
amperage but enough to give you a good bite.
It seems to start my Pulse Jets OK - the LPG Pulse Jet and the Bike Pulse Jet started
no problem at all.
I have been given a heap of old LPG ( propane ) tanks - one of which had a fair bit of gas left.
Instead of venting the gas to the atmosphere - I have been very "green" and have been protecting the
environment by using the LPG in my Pulse Jets

[Mark]

Of course that's what they are made for, igniting propane - in gas grills. I've a couple of them. For methanol or gasoline starting, they aren't as good as a buzz coil as when the mixture is rich or lean or the spark plug "wet" with these fuels. The battery powered gas grill ignitors are nice though for their small size.

Here's a few eBay devices I bought that are kind of small for review/old news. I'm still looking for the perfect ignition for all occasions, smallish and hot without being too hot to present a hazard to the operator. That first one often tricks me because it holds a charge even after you disconnect the battery. You have to short it to be able to touch the clips connected to the spark plug. Funny on the second one how the camera doesn't always capture the spark, but only the sound.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d33_Fhgy5Dg

One other tidbit, in very cold weather methanol is especially difficult to light with a spark. I have read gasoline sold in winter months may contain up to 10% butane. So that must help when spark starting in chilly weather. Sometimes I spray methanol over the whole jet and then light it when it is cold out to warm it up before starting. Or you can use a hand-held propane torch and quickly warm the pulsejet that way too. Propane is nice but the tank is kind of heavy and more complex in some respects for certain applications.