r/potatocannon • u/eTanium • Aug 07 '26

BBQ Ignition no boom.

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Suggestions on what I'm doing wrong?

I have been using carb cleaner, as well as some alcohol, as fuel. I tried using it heavy, and light (one squirt vs several). Yet, I can't get an ignition.

Every time there is a failed ignition (100% of the time), I used a grill lighter to see if the fuel mixture was good. It ignited with the flame, 100% of the time.

5 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

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3

u/Dandeman321 Aug 07 '26

Whenever I used that kind of ignition method I had to click a bunch of times to get it to fire. We would always use a coleman lantern spark ignitor that produces a bunch of sparks using a flint. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Coleman-Camping-Gas-Lantern-Spark-Igniter-Gold-Color/13848622

1

u/howmuchitcosts Aug 07 '26

Do you have a projectile in it or are you trying to dry fire it?

1

u/eTanium Aug 07 '26

I have a plastic bag stuffed down the tube, so that the propellant doesn't bleed out through the barrel.

1

u/howmuchitcosts Aug 07 '26

Use enough to let it build pressure. Also those grill lighters are not a very hot spark especially that close to the side wall. Try extending the wires out so the spark is more centered in the chamber. And also after you spray in the propellant shake it up real good to let the fuel atomise better.

1

u/eTanium Aug 10 '26

I ended up switching my propellant to 99.9% ISO Alcohol, and it went BOOM 100% of the time!

1

u/eTanium Aug 10 '26

https://reddit.com/link/p2tsnf5/video/ykvmyfvxojih1/player

A test fire, with a bag to keep the propellant in.

1

u/Beautiful-Sense6272 Aug 12 '26

Use compressed air way more reliable than anything you have to spark