BJ REPLACEMENT GLOW PLUG CONTROLLER COIL. (1 Viewer)

[fjfjfj]

Hello you guys,,,,,,,,I am sure many of you already know this but I could not find a posting on MUD so here is my information and research results in case you need it.////////////////// 12 VOLT / 1980 BJ40 REPLACEMENT GLOW PLUG CONTROLLER COIL = 1.68 mm steel wire / 3 loops @ 8 mm inner diameter each loop = Heats in 15 seconds and does not fuse with normal glow plug load. Wire will fuse if need be as we shorted it twice while testing just to make sure. We also held the wire under torch for several minutes with no negative results. This result took a few hours of trial and error and running around Home Depot and the garage snipping different wire samples and then trying each to see which one would duplicate OEM. This above solution worked very well. I realize that perhaps the OEM coil or after market coil can be had easily in some parts of the world but not the United States, at least not that I could find. The above solution works perfect. Regards, fjfjfj

 

[bj40green]

@lostmarbles , Tom, did you see this posting?

Rudi

 

[Mr Cimarron]

Nice. The replacement I got from Australia starts glowing around 6 seconds which I'm not real satisfied with.

 

[lostmarbles]

@lostmarbles , Tom, did you see this posting?

Rudi

Yes. Thanks Rudi. I do recall discussing this with fjfjfj around the time he posted it

 

[Baf-fj44]

I wonder if you guys know of anyone experimenting with the same thing for a 24V controller. I may just try the same as you fjfjfj.... maybe use the same wire size and work on number of coils.
Does the wire need to be a special type of steel? Any idea?
Thanks

 

[bj40green]

Does the wire need to be a special type of steel?

Bump @fjfjfj

Rudi

 

[Baf-fj44]

Well. I did some experimenting with the wire element of the controller.

Here the controller is, all dissected. You can see the two pieces of coil that of course, should be one piece.

I figured I would just measure it up, and replicate it. Here you can see, just over 1mm thickness. Look that up on a gauge thickness chart and it you'll see it's 18ga. I also measured the inside diameter of the coils and it was around 7mm. Turned out to be about the diameter of a standard wooden pencil!

Here is the coil I made. At the time I did this, I could only find Galvanized steel wire (or aluminum which wouldn't work), so that's what I used. I did get a piece of 18ga stainless from a buddy that I haven't tried out yet.

And what do you know!!!! It works. I think it has a slight delay on it from my original. I think my original glowed in 11-12 sec and this one is maybe 12-13.

 

[bj40green]

Good job

Just to be sure..... this for a 24V system?

Rudi

 

[Mr Cimarron]

Nice work.

 

[Baf-fj44]

Good job

Just to be sure..... this for a 24V system?

Rudi

Ya you bet. 24V

 

[Mr Cimarron]

Does it have to be a certain length to start with before making the loops?

 

[Baf-fj44]

Does it have to be a certain length to start with before making the loops?

No. I just made the coils with the right diameter and the right number of them. Then cut the two ends at the right length to make the two loops to go around the bolts/posts. But I guess the science is.... it has to be the right length and thickness to provide the right resistance

 

[bj40green]

But I guess the science is.... it has to be the right length and thickness to provide the right resistance

YEP !

The real science is this (remember.... we're in the 60's / 70's):
You need an indicator that tells you that the glow plugs are hot enough to start the engine.
(Think about a light bulb) There is a wire that lights up but doesn't burn.
Use this principle for a glow plug indicator.
OK, the wire in the light bulb is in a vacuum, so there is no oxygen which is needed to burn it but a light bulb is made for hours, days, weeks, months, years.
A glow plug indicator is made for seconds with a margin up to several minutes or maybe longer.
Solution:
A piece of stainless steel wire that starts glowing after 15 seconds and comes to a full glow after 20 seconds.
Problem: That causes a voltage drop (3.5V) in the electrical circuit.
Solution: Use 8.5V glow plugs instead of 12V glow plugs.
Life span: Probably 2 decades, maybe more but in the end (20+ years) the controller will burn up and needs replacement.

Rudi

 

[Mr Cimarron]

I ordered some 14 and 15 gauge heater wire off Amazon to make some prototypes this weekend.

 

[OGBeno]

Nice work guys. Really solid.

 

[Mr Cimarron]

Well I had no luck with 14 or 15 gauge heater wire. No matter how many loops I made it would glow at around 2-4 seconds. Next up is 12 and 13 gauge.

 

[Wes]

I am no expert on this, but I do know that heating elements and resistors are typically made from Nichrome, which can withstand high temperatures in open air without oxidizing. It is readily available online, and is old technology. My guess is this is what Toyota would have used to make the glow controllers.

 

[Mr Cimarron]

The heater wire didn't work in all gauges I tried. Today I attempted 14 and 16 gauge galvanized wire. 16 glowed at 9 seconds but wouldn't get the plugs to the proper 8.5v. 14g wouldn't glow at all. Both attempts were using 3-5 loops made using a 9.68 dowel. 15 gauge is my next attempt if I can find it. I think I am up to 14 attempts now and am getting real good at making them. Even made a jig to make them fast.

 

[peteinjp]

The coil acts both as an indicator as well as a resistor. It is expected to drop the voltage. That is why a 24v truck with a coil system uses 20.5v plugs.

And yes nichrome wire is the way to go.


Pete

 

[fjfjfj]

Hey Baf-fj44,,,,,,,,,,,Thanks for knocking out the 24 volt version. fjfjfj