We're talking ignition systems.
http://www.sportdevices.com/rpm_readings/CDI_and_TCI.htmCDI (Capacitor Discharge Ignition):
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CDI Ignition makes the spark by discharging a capacitor loaded with high voltage (200 - 450 volt) from the ignition coil (negative pulse) by using a SCR (Thyristor).
CDI coils have low impedance and inductance (XL< 1 ohm) and can reach high RPM. This type of ignition makes high power and short sparks.
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TCI (Transistorized Coil Ignition):
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TCI Ignition charges the coil with a current before the spark is triggered. Spark is triggered when the current is cut suddenly.
TCI coils have high impedance (>1 ohm) and can reach lower RPM. Spark duration may be longer.
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Looking at the wiring diagram, it appears we have a TCI (also known as a Kettering) style ignition (with solid state "points"), since 12V runs straight from the battery's (+) terminal to one of the connections on the primary coil, goes through the primary coil, then goes to pin 12 on the ECU. The ECU then cuts the 12V power to the primary coil on and off to build and collapse the primary coil magnetic field, inducing a voltage in the secondary that then goes to the spark plug.
BUT, the service manual says the primary coil resistance is only 0.57 to 0.66 ohms.
So it appears Kymco used a TCI style ignition in our case, but mismatched it with a CDI (low resistance) coil. It appears to work, though. Perhaps they beefed up the primary coil to take the extra current?
Looking at the coil, it becomes apparent that you have to be careful to put the (+) voltage to the right lug on the coil... reverse it, and once the ECU has triggered the first spark, that ionization path is open and can carry even a voltage as low as 12V (which is how a lot of those "spark enhancers" work... they just inject 12V (through high voltage diodes and an IC circuit to cut off the low-voltage, high amperage spark after a set time) after the high voltage has created the ionization path across the spark plug gap), and you'll quickly burn out your coil's primary windings.
It also becomes apparent that aftermarket CDI coils might not be up to the job in our scooters, since the amperage at 12 V is going to be much higher than the usual CDI voltages of 200 to 400 V. Unless you use an old-style automotive coil for a points-type ignition system, which will handle it just fine.
Yeah, I'm thinking of dropping a 60,000 volt FlameThrower HV 1.5 ohm coil into FrankenYager. Since it's only got to drive one spark plug at 9200 RPM max (which would be equivalent to driving 8 spark plugs at 2300 RPM, due to our waste spark), it should easily be able to handle the high RPMs.
Alternatively, I could use the 60,000 volt FlameThrower HV 0.45 ohm coil and a 0.25 ohm ballast resistor in series.
Then I could open the spark plug gap more, giving a larger spark and quicker flame front spread.
