DETERMINING VOLTAGE BY MAXIMUM SPARK GAP


Using my electrical CDI/coil tester (which differs in output voltage from the Grubee stator coil) I obtained the following maximum spark gaps for these ignition systems:

stock CDI/coil .06" (1.5mm which is twice the normal spark plug gap)
my CDI+KX80 coil .19" (4.7mm)
my CDI+CR80 coil .41" (10.3mm)

73% of these spark gaps is what these ignition systems can achieve at sea level according to the chart below because seal level pressure (762 Torr) is 37% higher than the 555 Torr of where I performed these tests at. (762 x .73 = 555 x 1)
Therefore at sea level the maximum gaps are:

stock CDI/coil .04" (1.1mm which is 50% more than the normal spark plug gap)
my CDI+KX80 coil .14" (3.4mm)
my CDI+CR80 coil .30" (7.5mm)

Utilizing the chart relating spark voltage to gap (and figuring in the atmospheric air pressure in Torr which is 555 at my high altitude) I came up with the voltages each ignition system produced. (The chart is a bit tricky to use because it is a logarithmic graph.)

Air pressure in Torr x Inches of spark gap = voltage
.06 x 555=33 = 5,200v (std CDI/coil)
.19 x 555=105 = 10,400v (my CDI+KX80 coil)
.41 x 555=227 = 11,700 (my CDI+CR80 coil)

So, in conclusion, my CDI and motorcycle ignition coil produces at least twice as much voltage as the standard CDI/coil combo. According to the research paper "Devices to improve the performance of a conventional two-stroke spark ignition engine" 2.5% more power is derived from each 33% increase in spark power. That means with a 100% increase (2x normal) there is a 7.5% engine power increase. The power increase would be even more though if there was also an increase in actual electrical current in the spark which I suspect there is. Electrical power is voltage times current.