Jolly Logic Chute release

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sunderll

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Hi all,

At last month's launch, I saw several of the new JL Chute Releases in operation. I was very impressed and bought one. They are a great solution to small simple rockets where you don't want to add the weight and complexity of a typical DD. Every one of them worked perfectly and resulted in recovery distances identical to DD.

I'm about to go launch with one, and one thing the instructions didn't clarify was if any static pressure holes need to be drilled in the BT to sense ambient pressure. Does anyone know if they are required?

Thanks!!
 
No, it is not designed to need them. The designer, John Beans, has mentioned that the only potential source of trouble is if you have an extremely airtight rocket and slowly pull out the nose cone (creating a vacuum) before flight, but that he worked at filtering that out. I think it basically just takes the pressure at power on as "ground level" and waits till it detects a >200 ft change in altitude to declare " I'm flying" and start sampling for descent and the release altitude.

As as a data point, I flew it 3 times last month on totally unmodified / unvented rockets and it functioned as designed each time.
 
Thank you both!! Great info. I've used many of JL altimeters and really like them. They are a great solution to many issues. I agree that a small hole will dampen the sudden changes that happen unintentionally when fiddling with things prior to launch. I am very anxious to try this very soon... Les
 
How small would appropriate for a 2.6" diamtere fiber glass tube with an interior compartment about 8" long.

Hint: It's a Madcow 'Lil Goblin.
 
John, This weekend I used my new chute release on 4 rockets, ranging from a 2.1" dia-24" long "F" motor up to a 4" dia, 65" long 42" Chute (I161 motor). It worked flawlessly on every one. Is there a size limit you'd consider using the chute release? For example I have a LOC Warloc that I use a J350 in it, with a 60" chute. Would there be a reason to not use it on that size rocket? Thank you for a wonderful product!!
 
Thanks for the kind words.
10" diameter is the largest rocket I've heard of so far. Not sure of the size of the chute, but it worked fine.
This coming weekend I'm going to fly a 4" Madcow on Is and Js with a 72" Fruity Chute.
Others can chime in.
 
Great news John, thank you! I now have a whole bunch of "New" rockets I built a long time ago without DD which can now be used in a relatively small field!
 
I just ordered my second Chute Release, based on my stellar experience a couple of weekends ago. I flew it in 4 rockets with chutes ranging in size from 24" to 48". In all 4 cases it worked great and was a conversation starter. Some immediate advantages that I recognized over a traditional main deploy (of a dual deploy system) were:

1. No pyro involved. No e-matches.
2. No at-the-pad activation. System is ready at the RSO table.
3. Can be used on any rocket with a compatible airframe size.
4. Great add-on solution (no need to retrofit a rocket with an ebay).
5. Worked flawlessly for me without the drilling of vent holes (YMMV). I was very careful when attaching the nose cones though.

Obviously you still need to have a solution for apogee deployment (motor or altimeter), but the Chute Release opens up all sorts of possibilities. I will likely use it on almost every high power flight for my non DD rockets. This is why I ordered a second one.
 
The Chute Release seems to be on about one in ten Flights here at NYPOWER. Yesterday Karen and I used them heretic on three. Little Expediter on a G, Wildman 5" Jart on a J, and a Formula 75 on an H.


Side complaint - I wish I could program the Altimeter 3 shutoff time to more than two hours. Sometimes at regional launches with large numbers of fliers, if you have igniter problems, the time on pad can extend a bit...
 
Maybe the Chute Release 2 will capture and report max altitude. It could easily display the altitude at the end of the flight by flashing out the numbers on the display. Wouldn't be as versatile as an Altimeter3, but it would provide more utility to users who just want to know "how high did it go?" However, I JUST noticed that the Chute Release has settings in 100 foot increments but skips 900'. It goes from 800' to 1000'. When I used it, I set it for 200' on 3 flights, and 300' for the 4th flight.

The Chute Release seems to be on about one in ten Flights here at NYPOWER. Yesterday Karen and I used them heretic on three. Little Expediter on a G, Wildman 5" Jart on a J, and a Formula 75 on an H.


Side complaint - I wish I could program the Altimeter 3 shutoff time to more than two hours. Sometimes at regional launches with large numbers of fliers, if you have igniter problems, the time on pad can extend a bit...
 
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Durability comment: John generously provided my SystemsGo group with a Chute Release and and Altimeter 3. Unfortunately, the rocket disintegrated during ascent (the "research project" was the suitability of 3d printed parts.... preliminary conclusion, some places probably won't work :) )
Even though the entire rocket was a catastrophic failure, the chute release worked as designed, and opened up right at 700' where the student set the release point.

Unfortunately, it was last seen heading to Mexico, because the only thing attached to the 48" parachute was a fairly light nose cone and the Jolly Logic chute release.

So, not only does the device work as advertised, it is extremely durable.
 
If i wanted to do a minimum diameter 75mm M2245 and a 54mm minimum diameter L935 and didnt want to add the extra weight and drag of a payload section would i be able to use a chute release? I would have altimeters in the NC to control deployment and a tracker, and just used the chute release to control the opening of the parachute, would that work?
 
If it will fit in the rocket, with the chute properly wrapped. It will work. My JLCR worked just fine in my 4" Nike Smoke with a K2050. It handled that acceleration just fine.
 
If it will fit in the rocket, with the chute properly wrapped. It will work. My JLCR worked just fine in my 4" Nike Smoke with a K2050. It handled that acceleration just fine.

Same here, 4" Nike Smoke, done 18 flights with various motors including a K2050 at LDRS 37, using a TRS for apogee deployment and a Chute Release for the stock (56"?) Madcow chute (I also use a 18" drogue for a more controlled descent from apogee). Only had two flights that weren't perfect with this setup, once my band broke shortly after apogee (I don't think I had the shroud lines bundled securely-enough in the chute wrap, so the CR's tether probably pulled against the band and snapped it), and once where it released normally (band intact) at apogee (only thing I can think of here is it's the one time the RSO asked me to separate the rather tight NC on the ground, which probably caused enough of a low-pressure spike in the airframe to cause the CR to release before the rocket even launched, I didn't check the CR before just putting the nose back on and flying it).
 
Same here, 4" Nike Smoke, done 18 flights with various motors including a K2050 at LDRS 37, using a TRS for apogee deployment and a Chute Release for the stock (56"?) Madcow chute (I also use a 18" drogue for a more controlled descent from apogee). Only had two flights that weren't perfect with this setup, once my band broke shortly after apogee (I don't think I had the shroud lines bundled securely-enough in the chute wrap, so the CR's tether probably pulled against the band and snapped it), and once where it released normally (band intact) at apogee (only thing I can think of here is it's the one time the RSO asked me to separate the rather tight NC on the ground, which probably caused enough of a low-pressure spike in the airframe to cause the CR to release before the rocket even launched, I didn't check the CR before just putting the nose back on and flying it).
What one is yours Will? I'm on the left, and Karl B is on the right. I also was running a TRS in mine. How do you have your TRS mounted?

My Chute Release was on a 72" chute. But my rocket was 12 pounds on the pad. IMG957876.jpeg0504180842.jpeg
 
Same here. I have been using the JLCR in my Polecat Aerospace Goblin 5.5" since the units became available.

My biggest motor has been a J420 thus far...I'm a new L2...with a 48" Fruity Chute classic. No problems yet.

Smallest rocket thus far was a Madcow L'il Goblin (2.6") on a G80. Unable to locate rocket and it sat out in the elements including a torrential rain storm for a month...still works fine.
 
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