Uploaded June 2017 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago

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See how to make a super simple circuit to drive an ignition coil from any 12V DC power source using the classic 555 timer as the brains of the board. This driver will produce large and hot sparks, which are seriously dangerous! Parts List Below

To produce the circuit board, the simple toner transfer method was used. The schematic and PCB design were both found on the Chemelec website (chemelec.com/Projects/Car-Coil/Car-Coil.htm)

Parts List:
-Ignition Coil - Old can type
-single or double sided circuit board
- 555 timer: goo.gl/kovroa
- 8 pin IC socket
- 100k ohm potentiometer - Good assortment here: goo.gl/7mQn1d
- 56 ohm fixed resistor - Resistor assortment here: goo.gl/bsFa4i
- 100 ohm fixed resistor
- 620 ohm resistor
- 6.8k ohm resistor
- 82k ohm resistor
- 1N5400 or 1N5400X diode (1N5400 through 1N5408 should work)
- 1N4005 (1N4006 or 1N4007 will also work)
- 2X 1N4148
- IRF640 MOSFET: goo.gl/3xKSkM
- Heatsink for MOSFET
- 1uF Tantalum Capacitor
- 0.1uF Tantalum Capacitor
- 0.01uF Tantalum Capacitor
- Add some ferric chloride, or your etchant of choice!