ignition: Battery Ignition Systems

A battery ignition system has a 6- or 12-volt battery charged by an engine-driven generator to supply electricity, an ignition coil to increase the voltage, a device to interrupt current from the coil, a distributor to direct current to the correct cylinder, and a spark plug projecting into each cylinder. Current goes from the battery through the primary winding of the coil, through the interrupting device, and back to the battery.

Sections in this article:

• Introduction
• Magneto and Diesel Ignition Systems
• The Spark Plug
• The Ignition Coil and Distributor
• Interrupting the Current
• Battery Ignition Systems

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