Technical > Spud Miller's Cave

Video: Measuring and Comparing Magneto Generators

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coupemerc:
Cool video. Very informative. Have you ever measured how much power it takes to spin the various different Magneto types?

alkyal:
Now I fully understand what you have been telling me over time. Sounds like MSD did one xxxx of a marketing job! Is there such a thing as TOO much Spark Energy for a given fuel ? You have removed the mystery of Avg. vs Peak energy. Thanks for your clear explanation.

Spud Miller:

 Thanks for the good words! It was fun to make...I did everything myself and learned a lot!

 Interestingly, the load on the ignition changes the power required to drive it. As I crank the handle out on the variable gap load tester, the machine lugs down and draws more current to maintain speed. I can read amps of current draw on the machine motor and figured out once that a heavily loaded 44 amp mag needs a little over 5 HP to drive it.

 Yes, if you could simply measure your product in a way that appeared to yield 3-4X more output than the competition, the marketing department would faint from joy wouldn't they? :) Whoever came up with the idea to rate based on peak vs. RMS current probably got a big slap on the back.

 Nothing bad about having too much spark except the power to drive it and the cost to purchase and maintain it. Some guys have gone back from the 44 because they eat coil wires, plug wires, points boxes, etc. and they didn't see any performance improvement from the extra spark.

Spud

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