Basic Ignition Coil System Spark Question

[70rcode]

This may have been answered in a previous posting, but on a traditional Ignition Coil --Distributor system, when the Points (or Ignition Box circuit) electrically Opens & the HV spark juice leaves the Ign coil's High tension terminal, what Single electrical Point in the Entire ignition System is the Spark seeking most to Arc & connect to ?? I can't seem to 100% logic this basic Spark Current circuit flow path out...

 

[eldubb440]

the HV spark juice leaves the Ign coil's High tension terminal, what Single electrical Point in the Entire ignition System is the Spark seeking most to Arc & connect to ?? I can't seem to 100% logic this basic Spark Current circuit flow path out...

pretty sure the logical answer is "ground"...... at the threaded side of the spark plug; unless you're holding the end of the wire and touching the car

 

[rikkitik]

If I understand your question correctly. The voltage spike seeks the path of least resistance (like most things in nature).
When the points are closed, a voltage charges the windings in the coil creating a flux field around the coil. When the the points open, the flux field collapses across the coil windings (creating a step up tranformer) which generates a secondary voltage spike in the coil. The voltage rises until an arc is generated (hopefully across the plug gap). If the insulation on the sparkplug wires is in poor condition, the path of least resistance can be through the side of the wire to whatever conductor/ground point the wire is touching.
So, it seeks "the path of least resistance".

 

[70rcode]

Ok,... Going with "The path of least Resistance" principal theory & assuming Normal, New good electrical condition of All wiring & insulation of All components....What Electrical Point is the Spark trying to connect & arc to ??

 

[rikkitik]

pretty sure the logical answer is "ground"...... at the threaded side of the spark plug; unless you're holding the end of the wire and touching the car

We had some old Fairbanks Morse magnetos in the shop........"snap" a turn on one of those......pretty sure "once" will be enough, lol.

 

[eldubb440]

Ok,... Going with "The path of least Resistance" principal theory & assuming Normal, New good electrical condition of All wiring & insulation of All components....What Electrical Point is the Spark trying to connect & arc to ??

the path of least resistance (to ground) is designed to be the other side of the spark plug gap

 

[70rcode]

The Chassis grounded Points (or Ecu box circuit) is electrically Open at the exact time of HV spark voltage & the Chassis Ground is No longer directly Connected to any part of the Ign coil.....The metallic Chassis ground cannot be the Final Spark Current return circuit End Point as it's Not even connected to the Ign Coil at time of HV spark....So Electrically, the spark Current is hunting for some Other electrically Connected Return Point.....

 

[eldubb440]

 

[RemCharger]

 

[70rcode]

Assuming the HV spark Current is seeking the lowest Resistance Return path back to the Ign coil's electrically Connected point, would that be using the heads/block as a simple Conductor path up thru the battery internals to finally reach the + Ign coil terminal ??

 

[Geoff 2]

Not sure if you are trying to re-invent the wheel here.
'Conventional' current flow is from pos to neg. But actual current flow is the flow of electrons which is neg to pos.

 

[70rcode]

Not really Geoff 2,.... having worked with the Traditional coil & points 60+ yrs & the system just seems to "work" good most times....Was sketching out the basic schematic to my interested
grandson who asked me what Path the --20 kv spark Current took to Efficiently get back to it's Ign coil Source terminal When I noticed the engine block Isn't efficiently Directly wired to the Ign coil !! ...Just seems unexpectedly odd the traditional Kettering Ign design would intentionally route the HV spark Return current backwards thru the battery to get back to the coil terminal.....If anyone can clarify, I'd appreciate.....