Are you talking about the Nology Hot Wires with a capacitor built into the plug wires?

Actually, the "capacitor" is formed by adding a ground cable alonside the plug wire. The ground cable forms one plate of the cap, the plug wire is the other plate, while the plug wire insulator is the dielectric.

COP, so no wire, you must mean a high voltage cap right on top of the plug. Seems like I've seen this, tested by Sandia Labs.

*******

I showed the unit to Steve at Powertrain Dynamics last week. He instantly grasped the concept, and he said "I'll call Richard (Holdener) right now."

So, waiting for a call from him to set up a test, but artwork goes in for production boards tomorrow. No pool tonight. arg.

Ah, production boards next week, product two weeks later, note to self: order wheel barrows...

 

Yes it is the same principle.
Find the SAE paper on Automotive Ignition Tranfer Efficiency.
Sandia Labs did indeed play a part in the development work on the capacitor material.
One, L. Camilli at Combustion Labs has the rights and sells the hardware.
He would be glad to talk with your people about this.
Another paper on COP analysis by Mac VandenBrink may be usefull to take a look at.
There are now patented, electronics and software to about completely diagnos an ignition system almost solely within PCM hardware program by analysis of every part of the circuit reaction cycle from beginning to end and tell exactly what is not working correctly within defined limits and report it. Now that's getting close to a machine telling you exactly what is wrong without much qustion.
I did run onto this information but didn't bookmark or take any printed info.
Reviewing the VandenBrink article would enable you to see how this can be done in that manner.
They show you the differences in coil rise times, effects of duration, leakage, plug faults, primay faults, etc. All good reading.
Hope there is something there for you.

 

Actually, I found your reply on the other forum this morning, and looked up the VandenBrink file. Don't know why I didn't see your post 'til now. Sorry I left it hanging.

His troubleshooting logic is very good, and I learned some things about the ignition waveform. Hopefully, I won't be concerned with the spark problems, though. My goal is to control timing, and see the modest increase in spark energy as an unintended byproduct.

I can take measurements later this morning, but my calculations show that at 3000 RPM and 10° retard (more dwell), coil current would rise from 6 to 7.8 amps.

7.8/6=1.3 or 30% increase in coil current. The energy formula for a coil says it goes up with the square of current.

1.3**=1.69, or 69% more energy stored in the coil.

At 6000 RPM, the current would rise from 6 to 6.9 amps, resulting in 32% increase in coil energy.

All good, considering the intended goal is preventing broken pistons and holes in the side of the block. A further goal is to (safely) allow each cylinder as much timing as it wants, increasing efficiency and power. Go to my page and type "Ian" after the slash.

To compare my detector against AEM, type "Giles" after the slash.

Company employees (minus the cat) at picnic:
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showth...680#post196680

 

Bluegrass: Update posted on another forum:
http://www.modularfords.com/forums/923458-post50.html

 

Bluegrass & John should get a hotel room