Guys,
I was just wondering, if someone has every tried electronic ignition on a glow engine ? I searched the internet briefly and could not find any information.
The reason i stumbled upon this was, that while servicing an engine yesterday I thought, that when the piston is going up on the compression stroke, and the glow plug is red hot, the fuel-air mixture might be igniting "before" the TDC , and thereby causing a loss of power and reduced efficiency ?
If there was an electronic ignition, the plug would fire "just" before, or right at the TDC to offer optimum power.

Let me think you know someone has done this, or if this there is a flaw in my thinking above.
-Gaurav

Gaurav ,
we have this electronics ignition for Glow from Assan :
http://cgi.ebay.in/ELECTRONIC-IGNITION_W0QQitemZ110446381446QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_203?hash=item19b71e0986#ht_1322wt_918

Looks basic and simple to use but I have not tried it as I am an electric only flyer.

You can ask gotoyogesh007 ( http://www.rcindia.org/profile/?u=22) from Bangalore  as he has taken one and assume has tried it  and could  give you information.

Sai

hi gurav,
      You are right - adding an EI will definitely help a glow engine with the timing issue - preventing pre - ignition. There is some info on this on RCU - look in the 'engine conversions' forum - people are using it on the bigger glow engines like the ST 2300 os BGX etc with good results -smoother transition and higher top end rpm. I have not tried it as yet but was thinking abt it - methanol being so cheap in india I was planning to convert a couple of chain saw engine in the 30 -50cc range to glow with ignition -or maybe to gas-glow with no ignition.