electronic ignitor

What does it use for fuel?

Of course! And, you've come to the right place .

First: what is it? I'm guessing it's like this one:

Bob

Smells like you are looking at an oil-furnace type arc ignitor (perhaps smaller) if it involves a transformer and 12 kilovolts. You might buy the local furnace guy coffee and a doughnut (well, perhaps an apple turnover, being you) and see if he can figure something that will work.

Does an oil furnace ignitor run continuously? This one does.

Karl

I normally use kerosene.

Yes.

Karl, this sounds like the igniters that are used in "torpedo" heaters. They burn continuously and work with kerosene. Check Grainger or similar for a rebuild kit.

Paul Drahn fired this volley in news:intdl4$gvv$1 @dont-email.me:

Without even checking Karl's answer, that sort of igniter is used on atomizing oil burners; so I'd guess diesel fuel or #2 fuel oil.

LLoyd

When I built my now infamous (retired) propane/oxygen/igniter underground gopher killer, I used a cheap stun gun. It was the size of a pack of cigarettes, and I made a box out of one of the blue electrical wall receptacles. Ran two wires to one of those replacement barbecue igniters you can get at the Borg.

Just a thought.

Steve

Heart surgery pending?

When you say the SEM unit doesn't work, could you be more specific? I know that SEM makes ignitors but I couldn't find any specs online. Does it make a spark or arc at the electrodes? Is it getting power? If you connect the ignition module input to 220V and the output to a spark gap of about 3/16", what happens? It should make a spark/arc that "blows" if you blow on it, look almost like an acetylene flame.

As others have said, a place that sells parts for kerosene torpedos or salamanders should have ignitors. Fleet Farm might be able to help. Or, call these guys and see if they can help you:

Be sure to specify that you need continuous duty. Some electronic ignitors are only rated for intermittent duty, will overheat in continuous duty.

Likely mfrs are Beckett and Carlin.

As Gunner noted, most US ignitors will be 110V but you should be able to get 110V from line to neutral in your setup if you have neutral. If you don't have neutral it may be easier to add it rather than find a European ignitor.

SEM makes a lot of ignitors. Some are just spark ignitors, suitable for gas but not for oil or kerosene. I can't find any info on the particular SEM ignitor you have.

I used to design these things but I don't have any samples or examples left in my goodie box. See, e.g.,

The parts guy at Northern is trying again today. He's a real nice fella and it actually bothered him that Northern isn't stocking parts. he's going direct to Aaliddin, the maker of the washer.

If that's no joy, I'll buy an ignitor and have to figure how to clobber in a high voltage run. Here's the most likely source i found:

The 558 half way down the page is for 220 volt. I'll get it. May need your help to figure how to run high voltage wiring

Karl

They have an 800 number:

Tim or Mike look like they could help.

I hooked it up on the bench with two #57 drill bits to make an electrode gap of .1 inch. No spark nothing. That and the burnt smell proved it clear dead.

It is supposed to have a continous arc at the burner electrodes.

Wait a minute ... the wiring is already 220, isn't it? If it isn't, why is the ignitor you have 220? ??? Or did you mean that you'd get a 120 ignitor & try to rewire for it?

Bob

A daytrip to Dassel for a visit on a nice spring day could be quite enjoyable for me and possibly useful to you. Count me in.

Contact nearly every day with people whose company I enjoy is a key part of my recovery plan.

When I was working with oil ignition, I never saw a SEM ignitor that was worth a shit. That was quite a while ago.

I've been trying to recall the best ignitor I found to beat as a competitor back in the late '90's. Finally tumbled: it was Carlin.

My (patented) design was better but strongly influenced by the Carlin design though that was certainly not admitted in the patent app. If Carlin had patented their design I probably still would have won patent for mine but the allowed claims would have been more limited. Mine worked better than thiers, but thiers worked quite sufficiently.

This is a 120V unit so you would need to have a neutral connection if you don't already have one.

HON never quite made it into production, exited the oil biz during the merger with/takover by Allied Signal.

Blush, now I feel special. You are more than welcome ANYTIME.

This Brian at Northern in St. Cloud is one in a million. He went back to Aalidin and found that my machine was only made a short while and the electronic ignitor only on a few units shipped.

I've got another style ignitor on the way that they changed to. Only problem is I'm putting an eight pound ignitor in a one pound box. (The electronic units are far smaller) Now, I'm an ME - I desgn and build brackets quite well.

I need to check calibration on my hole drilling machines. I've got two that drill .223 holes at 100 yards rapidly. Three more that drill .308 holes at 100 yards rapidly. One of these has special enhancements to drill holes accurately at 400 yards with the lights out - It needs a special check out. If you wait a few weeks I will have a 1000 yard .5 inch hole drilling machine. This is all metal work - VBG. I especially want to see how much metal the new .5 inch unit will drill.

I'm curious, how may patents have you been awarded? I remember you mentioning at least one other.

This unit above is FAR smaller and would be easy to fit in the allotted space. But its 110 and I'd have to pull in a nuetral - not that hard. And I'd also have to figure which of the two hots is switched and maybe both are. With no drawings, this would take a while. Nothing that can't be done, just time consuming.

So, I'll try the huge 220 volt unit first.

Karl