Matronics Email Lists :: View topic

Matronics Email Lists
Web Forum Interface to the Matronics Email Lists

Get Email Distribution Too! FAQ Search Memberlist Usergroups Register

Profile Log in to check your private messages Log in

NSI Isolation Module

Matronics Email Lists Forum Index -> Kitfox-List

View previous topic :: View next topic

Author Message

n10pg(at)neo.rr.com
Guest

Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2006 10:30 am Post subject: NSI Isolation Module

Hello NSI Subaru drivers:



Now that NSI is no longer in business, have any of you found a source for

the isolation modules that NSI used to manufacture?  Or do you know of a

person or firm that can and/or will repair them? You do realize that if one

of these units gives up its ghost you are dead in the water.

Peter Graichen

http:/home.neo.rr.com/n10pg/kitfox.htm

morid(at)northland.lib.mi
Guest

Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2006 11:11 am Post subject: NSI Isolation Module

Are you telling us that you're dead in the water Peter?   I doubt that those

units were actually manufactured by NSI.  The first person I'd call would be

Mykal Templeman at Stratus.  As he worked for NSI for quite some time, if

anybody would know where to get one, he would.  Are you sure it's the IM?

What are the symptoms?

Deke



 	  Quote: 	
		  

 Hello NSI Subaru drivers:



 Now that NSI is no longer in business, have any of you found a source for

 the isolation modules that NSI used to manufacture?  Or do you know of a

 person or firm that can and/or will repair them? You do realize that if

one
	


 	  Quote: 	
		   of these units gives up its ghost you are dead in the water.

 Peter Graichen

 http:/home.neo.rr.com/n10pg/kitfox.htm

Michael Logan

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 82

Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2006 2:59 pm Post subject: NSI Isolation Module

The coil joiners or isolation modules are the weak point in the ignition of

the NSI setup.  I have never heard of anyone having their ignition go bad

with the exception of some of us with the early models that had the pickups

go bad.  Right now I am running without the modules on one ignition since my

modules went tango uniform on me.



Mike



--

_________________
Mike Logan
Fredericksburg, VA

smokey_bear_40220(at)yaho
Guest

Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2006 11:11 pm Post subject: NSI Isolation Module

Haven't crossed that bridge yet Peter.  I wonder if

the internal diodes have the manufacturer and

pertinent data stamped on them?  If you are still

operating, leave it alone, but if not, getting at the

insides might be useful.



They are just big diodes, though handling high voltage

as they do must be a challenge for them.  Still, I

haven't heard of any actually being the cause of

failure yet.  I lost one P/U coil, but nothing more.



As far as I remember, you don't fix diodes.  Only a

wire failure into or out of them is repairable.  That

could possible be a problem with burnthru at a contact

point.



Kurt S.



--- Peter Graichen <n10pg(at)neo.rr.com> wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   Hello NSI Subaru drivers:

 

 Now that NSI is no longer in business, have any of

 you found a source for

 the isolation modules that NSI used to manufacture? 

 Or do you know of a

 person or firm that can and/or will repair them? You

 do realize that if one

 of these units gives up its ghost you are dead in

 the water.

 Peter Graichen

 http:/home.neo.rr.com/n10pg/kitfox.htm

Michael Logan

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 82

Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 6:01 am Post subject: NSI Isolation Module

You can no longer get the original diodes that NSI put in the modules. You

can replace them with mouser electronics part number NTE 517 diode.  It is a

higher voltage diode so you only need five rather than the six needed with

the original set-up.  They are almost $6 each and you will need at least 40

of them if you are going to rebuild both modules.



Even rebuilt with new diodes, the module is still the weakest single point

failure point in the ignition system.



Mike Logan



--

_________________
Mike Logan
Fredericksburg, VA

morid(at)northland.lib.mi
Guest

Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 7:01 am Post subject: NSI Isolation Module

I'm a little confused here Mike.  Both modules?  My NSI has only one

isolation module (coil joiner).

Deke



---

Michael Logan

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 82

Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 2:48 pm Post subject: NSI Isolation Module

Mine has two, four wires in and two out on each.  How is yours set up?



Mike



--

_________________
Mike Logan
Fredericksburg, VA

smokey_bear_40220(at)yaho
Guest

Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 10:19 pm Post subject: NSI Isolation Module

Hi Michael,



I haven't dealt with such high tension diodes before,

but it seems to me likely that only one broke down in

the bunch.  Do you know of a way to adequately test

these and replace only the bad one?



Obviously they will have to be seperated first for

testing.  The problem I think is that it may test well

at low voltage or with a meter and only fail under

higher voltages.



This could be a more economical repair.  But then I

wonder if unmatched diodes will cause a weaker one to

break down more quickly?  I've not gone beyond 120

volt diodes in my experience.



Kurt S.



--- Michael Logan <michael.logan(at)cox.net> wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   You can no longer get the original diodes that NSI

 put in the modules. You

 can replace them with mouser electronics part number

 NTE 517 diode.  It is a

 higher voltage diode so you only need five rather

 than the six needed with

 the original set-up.  They are almost $6 each and

 you will need at least 40

 of them if you are going to rebuild both modules.

 

 Even rebuilt with new diodes, the module is still

 the weakest single point

 failure point in the ignition system.

 

 Mike Logan

Michael Logan

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 82

Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 7:51 am Post subject: NSI Isolation Module

We tested all of the diodes in my bad module and they all tested good under

the normal testing.  I have not dealt with these high voltage diodes before

so I am sure there is something that I am missing on the tests.  There is

probably a special high voltage tester out there somewhere.



The old diodes have a rectangular cross section and the new diodes have a

round cross section.  Makes it difficult to mix and match.



Mike Logan



--

_________________
Mike Logan
Fredericksburg, VA

smokey_bear_40220(at)yaho
Guest

Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 8:56 am Post subject: NSI Isolation Module

OK Michael,



I wasn't sure if you were a spark guru or not.



These diodes are probably just like spark plug wires

in that they only show a fault when under high voltage

loads.  There is always some voltage under which each

will break down.  As they age and wear, that voltage

drops until it reaches the operating voltage and then

they fail.  But something lower than that voltage may

still work.



If you were into playing around, you could make a

tester with a spark coil, some spark plug wire, a

little 12 volt wire, a momentary switch, a spark plug,

and a 12 volt battery.  All you need to do is rig the

battery to the coil thru a momentary switch.  Then,

off the high side, center post of the coil, run your

wire to the plug.  Now the plug needs to be grounded

back to the coil with another spark plyug wire.  That

is usually done by your engine block, but must be

added on the tester.



The spark will occur only at the moment you turn the

coil on or off from the battery thru the momentary

switch.  The coil is AC activated and the battery is

DC, so it only blasts a spark as it turns on or off. 

Keeping it on does nothing but run down the battery. 

Test it and make sure it works as is first.



The diode should only allow the spark to go in one

direction.  If it is failed, it will give a spark in

both directions.  To test one, you put it in the line

between the coil and the plug.  Test it both ways.  If

it sparks only one way and not the other, it should be

good.  If you get a spark both ways, it is bad.



Now the problem is that the NSI modules might create a

higher voltage spark than the coil you use, so you

need to get the highest voltage coil you can find. 

Otherwise the test is not good for the modules

voltage.



Does any of that make sense?  Hope it helps,



Kurt S.  S-5/NSI turbo



--- Michael Logan <michael.logan(at)cox.net> wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   We tested all of the diodes in my bad module and

 they all tested good under

 the normal testing.  I have not dealt with these

 high voltage diodes before

 so I am sure there is something that I am missing on

 the tests.  There is

 probably a special high voltage tester out there

 somewhere.

 

 The old diodes have a rectangular cross section and

 the new diodes have a

 round cross section.  Makes it difficult to mix and

 match.

 

 Mike Logan

Michael Logan

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 82

Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 9:59 am Post subject: NSI Isolation Module

Normally when a diode goes bad, it goes bad as an open which is what is

happening on these.  When I was testing originally, I was getting fire on

the number one plug only part of the time which meant it was an open.



Thanks for the test procedure though.  Maybe some day I will get up the

gumption to build a test set.



Mike



--

_________________
Mike Logan
Fredericksburg, VA

morid(at)northland.lib.mi
Guest

Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 1:55 pm Post subject: NSI Isolation Module

OK, my mistake and apologies.  I just went out and had a look and I hadn't

notice before that there were two separate units side by side.  Always

thought it was just one unit.

I'm curious though Mike.  I've been flying my NSI package since 2000 and

some on this list have been flying theirs much longer.  This is the first

I've heard of any failures with the isolation module.  Why do you say that

it's the weakest single failure point in the ignition system?

Also, can these units be dismantled for repair?  They appear to be sealed

units.  If I can expect to eventually have problems with mine I'd like to

know ahead of time what I'd need  to be prepared for.

Thanks,

Deke



[quote] 



 Mine has two, four wires in and two out on each.  How is yours set up?



 Mike



 --

Michael Logan

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 82

Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 4:22 pm Post subject: NSI Isolation Module

Deke,



If an ignition goes bad, you still have one left.  If an isolation module

goes bad, you have no ignition on that plug if only one diode goes bad.

There has not been any failure of any of the ignitions that I know of.



I have had my IM's go bad twice.  The first set cost me over $250 for NSI to

replace each module.



The modules are potted and you can get the potting material out but it is a

pain.  You have to dig it out a little bit at a time.



Mike



--

_________________
Mike Logan
Fredericksburg, VA

Display posts from previous:

	Matronics Email Lists Forum Index -> Kitfox-List	All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Page 1 of 1

Jump to:

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum