Again, I'll say that I understand the concerns with using a whip - what I don't understand is folks taking that a little too far and thinking along the lines of "I
never use them". I get that a whip is "one more thing" in the chain, and therefore one more thing to fail, but it's not all that difficult to ensure a good connection. I also get that in situations like say having two BP motors right next to each, it's easier/cheaper/more reliable to just twist the igniters together.
But there ARE situations where a whip is better. And there really isn't all that much to go wrong with them - ensuring full continuity is no big deal.
Take this example (and refer to the pic in this post):
(and Bob, I don't intend to pick on you, but it illustrates a point)
I never use clip whips. I just add extentions to Estes igniters. I use 2 colors to make it easier keep the correct leads twisted together.
Quest G2Q2 igniters would work also but since they have the same color leads on both sides, you need to be a little more careful hooking them up.
- If Bob is trying to save money, then his solution works great. It makes perfect sense. Why buy a whip if you can simply do this?
- But if he is trying to avoid the potential failure of a whip, then this arrangement makes no sense at all. A clip whip would be far more likely to provide full continuity than this. If this was a 3 or 4 motor cluster, the chances of one of those little twists being faulty is MUCH higher than the solid, soldered connections of a well made whip.
- And if he is trying to make it easier, the whip would still win out. Again, in a 3-4 motor cluster, twisting extensions onto 6 or 8 igniter ends, and then twisting all those together (while "being careful" as he points out) is kind of a pain. Or you could just use those clips to hook it up in seconds.
2 or maybe 3 BP motors right next to each other? - forget the whip and simply twist the igniters together.
3 or 4 canted motors with a boat tail in the way? - I'd use my whip every time.
Every situation is different, and there is no one way that is best.
s6