Original ElectroAir
I saw this system while down at SnF.
www.electroair.net
They aren't newcomers but I don't know of anyone using one. Reports???
CJ
I talked to Jeff, inventor, founder when he had the company years ago. Very nice guy. As was stated above new owner and their web site as lots of info.
http://www.electroair.net/ (they have lots of detailed info on their site)
I have a friend who has dual electroair (original design) on his RV-4 for at least 8 years. The design has changed; How I don't know. The coil pack and electronics where all together (but separate from the trigger). Now the coil pack, electronics and trigger are all separate. They offer crank trigger or trigger mounted in mag hole. I think they use a 60 tooth (minus 2) "reluctor" trigger verses a hall affect design trigger. Reluctor pickups are super simple and reliable and used on OEM auto ignitions a lot. Hall affect uses a semiconductor pickup that senses a magnetic field. Electroair does some boasting on their site there reluctor 60 tooth minus 2 trigger has 1/4 crank resolution. You all can debate if that matters? They both work.
I have heard of almost no complaints of Electroair. One person did have an issue with a manifold transducer "soft" failure causing intermittent rough running problem at altitude in climbs. The problem was found and solved. Electroair is unique in that they do recommend aircraft plugs not auto plugs, but they provide harnesses for both. I don't like how they do their aircraft plug harness connection; there have been no problem; I just don't care for how its set up; there's nothing stopping you from using auto plugs. From Jeff's experiments he found performance improvement with aircraft plugs. Lightspeed recommends auto plugs but can make aircraft plug harness as well. The auto plug connection with typical silicone boot/clip is easy and light, and also apparently lightspeed found with super high spark voltage, arching of the typical spring contact inside aircraft spark plugs can occur.
The other complaint seems to apply to most all EI brands, kick back during start due to low voltage. That is not a common thing but varies. Some have no issue at all. Wire wound starters like the original SkyTec fly-weight starters are current hogs. If you add weak battery and lousy wiring you can have issues. Common fix is a second small aux battery isolated with a schottky diode to keep voltage up during start on the EI. If you have one EI & mag (usually the impulse coupled one) its not an issue, just start on magneto. However EI usually gives better starting. Lightspeed claims their unit (CDI) works with lower voltage than other EI's (induction), thus less susceptible to low volt, kick-back.
I liken the ElectroAir to be in between the Light Speed & E/P-mag in design and configuration with likely performance advantage over the E/P-mag due to larger coils, my opinion.
Lightspeed has probably the best performance and options. Of course trigger, coil and electronics are installed separately. Lightspeed is a CDI ignition system. Plasma II ($1,120-$1,315), *Plasma III ($1,395-$1,590) *MSD - Multi Spark (capacitor) Discharge
E/P-mag has the self powered option and best installation ease (all in one package). Down side is no doubt coil size is a compromise (one smaller coil). It is an "induction ignition". $963-$1365 (plus $115 for gear if needed)
Electro Air, is like E/P-mag in that its an "induction ignition" design like E/P-mag, but has installed separate components like lightspeed. It uses a hall effect trigger in the mag location. I suspect the two large coils performs a little better than E/P-mag? When I say better, I mean more spark. Any EI, any brand is a huge leap beyond the spark of a magneto any way. The electroair like lightspeed has some (or the original did) ability to display advance and turn it off with a toggle I recall. The functional difference between the original and new design electroair I'm not sure of. ($1,275)
I do like the idea of having the electronics in a separate location verses the E/P-mag all in one location. On the other hand the fit/form/function of the E/P-mag is pretty slick being all in one unit. The only thing I don't like is the wire terminal connection strip on the E/P-mag. It's not a great thing for electrical connections on something vibrating.
Cost wise they all cost about the same when you add it all up. Lightspeed has been around the longest. Klaus has been accused of being grumpy but he is sharp. I have heard nothing but good things about the E/P-mag people. Nothing is perfect but the customer service is important. I asked Electoair questions and they got back to me quickly, straight shooters, no bragging, we are the best in the world, just good info. They have what looks like a good product.
Update: I wrote Electoair and they got back to me quickly and answered my questions in full. Their unit does have capability to display timing advance when you wire up a user supplied panel volt meter at your option. You can turn the vacuum advance off if you wire in a toggle switch at your option. They have a mag timing housing that uses the impulse gear which could save you money. When going from mags to dual EI, lightspeed and E/P-mag require you use only a straight gear. When you have two magnetos you only over one straight gear. The impulse gear & couple are different and can't be used. Electroair has mag timing housings that use either straight gear (usually right mag) or impulse gear (usually left mag). This saves you from having to buy a new gear if you have an impulse gear to use in the left position. They also have redesigned and improved their aircraft plug harness connection at the plug. Again they offer both auto or aircraft plug harnesses but recommend the aircraft plugs.