Shelf life of motors?

I'm considering buying some motors from Wildman during the Black Friday sale, since I've heard they're cheap. But with a new baby in the house, and my local club losing their launch field, it's unlikely I'm going to get to launch anything for several months. What kind of shelf life do motors have? Do I need to store them in any particular way (avoid certain temps or humidity?) to maximize shelf life?

It all depends on the storage environment.
Moisture and temperature changes ares your enemy.

While most composite motors can last for years, Black Powder motors may not.
I've flown motors that are over 10 years old with perfect results.
A few weeks ago I flew a Loki J 820 white that was over 9 years old.
It lit of the first try..... I did keep it sealed in the packaging until this year when I loaded it into the casing.

There have been some newer motors that would not light with propane torch!
The propellant type can also play a big role in shelf life.

If you intend to store motors for extended period of time; stay away from:
White Lightening, Red Lines.

JD

Stored in their packages and kept from major temperature changes they will last years. I still have some blue diamond packs of BP Estes motors and no problems with any of them and I burned an AT White Lightining that was 14 years old a few weeks ago as well as a 12 year old Blue Thunder.

I wouldn't worry about storage if you take proper care, not let them get too hot, too cold or wet. You should be good.

One of my friends flew a AT 29mm motor (forgot which one) that had been in his car for 5 months.

I've flown well stored BP motors over 30 years old, and AP motors over 15 years old. For AT propellants, White Lightning is the most prone to degradation (oxidation and grain swelling), but will easily last a few years if stored well. Just keep them in a temperature controlled part of your house (i.e. not a garage or attic), in their sealed packages until shortly before use. Basements are good too, if you have good humidity control.

I have white motors that are 10 years old. I often have to use boron igniters but they light.

I am sorry... But I have to ask. Did you just say "BORON" igniters?

Jerry Seinfeld would like those.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmd63xKvjaA&feature=youtu.be&t=21m53s

blackbrandt said:

I am sorry... But I have to ask. Did you just say "BORON" igniters?

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You really don't need to use exotic igniter comps to get them to light.
I only use an e-match taped with propellant scraps.


JD

blackbrandt said:

I am sorry... But I have to ask. Did you just say "BORON" igniters?

Click to expand...

I just launched an AT G64-10 over the weekend that I purchased in 1995 for a whopping $6.99 at the local Hobby Town. I even used the included copperhead "starter". However, I did replace the delay grain with a new one. It performed flawlessly in my Wildchild.

Dennis

Wow, cool data point. Thanks for sharing.

If you get to use them in a few years, I'm betting you will be fine. Keep them in the packaging until ready for use.

I repackaged some of mine that were not sealed well with a desiccant packet to help prolong the life. I have a pretty large stockpile that is starting to age. I've had mixed results (probably due to various sources - vendors, yard sale, buyouts of people leaving the hobby etc.). Redline and White Lightning I had the most trouble with - mainly single use since they are difficult to clean any oxidation off the grains.

I've flown motors stored in blue tubes within the last few years with date codes between 1967 - 1969 and they performed just fine although the ejection charges were a bit weak but still did the job.

BobH48 said:

I've flown motors stored in blue tubes within the last few years with date codes between 1967 - 1969 and they performed just fine although the ejection charges were a bit weak but still did the job.

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These are BP motors, right?

5 minutes then they expire. Put all your expired motors in a box and I will come pick them up.

I have motors that are 10 years old that still fly fine.

cavecentral said:

These are BP motors, right?

Click to expand...

Yes, BP motors.

cwbullet said:

5 minutes then they expire. Put all your expired motors in a box and I will come pick them up.

.

Click to expand...

I'm closer than chuck, see you soon.

I flew a couple of AT F and G motors today that were at least five or six years old, possibly a lot older. Both were in packages that HAD been sliced open, but re-taped shut (but NOT "sealed"). Both have been stored in a shed outdoors with no heating/cooling, and so have been exposed to way below freezing winters as well as VERY hot summers, although in a very low humidity atmosphere. Both lit and flew just fine. One ignited with the supplied copperhead. The other also came with a copperhead, but IT failed to fire so I used a homemade "starter" that is also a couple of years old, and stored in the same conditions - worked fine.

I have a lot of motors like this, and rarely have any issues.

AP reloads are pretty hardy, it would seem, and while it's never a bad idea to store them in stable environments it does not appear to be that big of and issue. I believe HUMIDITY is more of a concern than temperature.

In fact, I believe ALL the motors I've ever found to be hard to ignite were actually pretty new, and from packages freshly opened just before launching.
hmmmm.


s6

I launched my Estes Bullpup with some 20+ year old Estes C6-5s last month and they still worked fine. Only issue I had is that the paper casing had swelled slightly and made for a tight fit.

At the August MDRA launch, it was raining. I opened two CTI Pro29 motors and prepped my rockets, but then the rain picked up and I never made it to the pad.

I pulled them out of the rockets, but left the motors in the casings. At the January launch (5 months later), I slapped them back in the rockets and let them rip. No problems.

Lets be sure we know what we're talking about before posting such things JD.

While ACPC may react as you posted the NARs Oop motor program has proven without any shadow of doubt that Oop extremely old BP motors work Just FINE.
I regularly fly BP motors from the late 60's & 70's, My Range box and bulk storage trunk still contain motors purchased during that time.

BP motors Unlike APCP do not crust over with oxidation and work perfectly 30-50 years later. The ONLY concern is Heat Cycling, Humidity is generally not considered a problem with BP motors.

. The ONLY concern is Heat Cycling, Humidity is generally not considered a problem with BP motors.

Have BP motors stored in less than controlled environment and they are not going to be very reliable. The propellant can crack resulting in a boom instead of zoom. Kurt