Spark from Arduino?

[Nater]

I want to make a wireless remote controlled potato mortar, is it possible to somehow trigger a small arc with Arduino or similar? My other idea was using a hair dryer coil but I think that would be damaging to my contraption.

 

 

Edit: Not sure why I didn't google "wireless firework igniter"... one blueprint looked pretty simple, but I'll probably have a friend make it and I'll do the programming for it.

[Xanthe_2871]

15 minutes ago, Nater said:

I want to make a wireless remote controlled potato mortar, is it possible to somehow trigger a small arc with Arduino or similar? My other idea was using a hair dryer coil but I think that would be damaging to my contraption.

 

 

Edit: Not sure why I didn't google "wireless firework igniter"... one blueprint looked pretty simple, but I'll probably have a friend make it and I'll do the programming for it.

I think it should be. Maybe a tiny motor that when on makes a small connection on two wires powered by a 9 volt battery.

[psycoUSA]

in my robotics club they made a little pc and attached a router to it and boom with magic you control the robot from pc (im a freshman so im stupid obviously)

[Hackentosher]

I think an RC solution would be simpler, use a brushed ESC to provide a few volts to arc some bolts. I used a grill igniter on my manual potato RPG, but I think you should be able to do it wirelessly.

[r4tch3t]

Rf transceiver like the nrf24l01 connected to an arduino switches a relay to turn the ignition source on. As for the spark maybe use one of those high voltage supplies from eBay. 

[bob345]

Your best bet would be to use a flyback transformer circuit(probably overkill) or a grill igniter like @Hackentosher stated.

[Huntsman]

imo simplest way is to drive a step up transformer using the Arduino pwm..

[Hackentosher]

Wait a sec, @iamdarkyoshi Bought some transformer or something that made many volts and many sparks, pretty sure with a low input voltage. 

[straight_stewie]

On 10/25/2016 at 0:53 AM, Nater said:

I want to make a wireless remote controlled potato mortar, is it possible to somehow trigger a small arc with Arduino or similar? My other idea was using a hair dryer coil but I think that would be damaging to my contraption.

As discussed, there are many ways to do this. With the arduino, what you will want to do is have a button, that when pushed, causes the arduino to output "high" on a wire that enables a relay (the power for the spark coming from the relay). You can easily do that without an arduino, it's a relatively simple circuit. You can even use a capacitor (or many to increase the output, if necessary).

The other way is to use RC components, there are many ways in which this could work, but you're going to want to do it in a way that cannot damage the components, so again we go back to relays: You can use the output of an RC receiver to activate a relay, then tie that output to a switch on a controller. 

The basic sparking circuit for all the options is the same, but the control circuit differs pretty significantly from option to option. My question is, what kind of components do you have already lying around? Any logic gates? An arduino? A spare capacitor? any relays? Any transformers? Any RC cars?