Harness set up for a Jolly Logic chute release

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Scottc99

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I am thinking about using a JL chute release instead of DD. 4" Mac performance rocket on H or I motors. Should I use a drogue chute? If so, how do I setup my harnesses. My concern is the main chute getting tangled with the drogue when it deploys. What is the best set up to keep this from happening, or am I worried about nothing...
 
I have used my JLCR for 5 flights largest was a 4" dia. rocket and have not used a drogue chute yet with no problems at all.
 
There are threads on this topic. Search "chute release drogue," including one where folks have posted their drogue descent rates.
Drogues can provide a more predictable descent, even in cases where they speed up the fall a little (they speed up the fall if the rocket would have otherwise tumbled in a flat configuration, which depends on build and balance). A drogue can also help pull your chute from your fuselage.

Some rockets are so light (like Estes Pro Series) that a drogue isn't needed.

One bit of advice (after you've read the other threads): make sure your drogue doesn't tug on Chute Release at all.
 
1/8" Kevlar, 1/4 tubular elastic about 5-6 feet in combination. Here the parachute is attached directly to the base of the payload section. The Chute Release was 2 for 2 yesterday on my first two times with it. This is a tremendous product.

chute release10.jpg

Nothing like hanging laundry out in a bright AZ sun.
chute release13.jpg
 
A few more pictures of the JL CR in action. A 3.5' home brew MPR on a G64-4, about 1800' apogee, a little early from what I can ee on the video here:
[video=youtube;u26AZMOgNbA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u26AZMOgNbA[/video]
chute release.jpgchute release2.jpgchute release5.jpg
 
Since the bundle of the chute release and chute imparts some drag
on is own it should have a tendency to be the highest part falling. ...
That should make it so at release there isn't anything above it...
Honestly, I've seen ma Y flights with chute release
and I don't remember a single one tangling ...
I wouldn't be overly concerned about it...

Teddy
 
Bringing this one back to share my experience from today's launch.

I used my Chute Release for the first time today and was 2-2 with it. First time was on a lighter weight MPR based on a BT-70 tube so I wouldn't have to worry about everything fitting inside the body tube. It was a great flight on an F39 to about 900-1000', motor eject near apogee. Chute Release operated right on time at the 300' I set it at. Winds were gusty so I still had a fair walk from the pad (it drifted a ways even with the bundled 'chute, hate to see how far it would have gone sans CR).

Second was my 4" Standard Missile on an H180. Weather cocked quite a bit off the pad because of a gust that hit right when it launched. Only went up about 750' (usually does about 900-950' on that motor), CR opened chute at 400', but because it came down a bit flatter (lots of fin area on that rocket), the main briefly got fouled in the fin can, but quickly popped free. There was a minor ding where the fin can hit the payload bay but was otherwise a good recovery. Long story short, I'll probably use a small drogue next time with that rocket just to help keep the payload bay and 'chute well above the fin can.
 
I have used Chute Release with several kits; the largest being my LOC Fantom 438 EXT and my LOC 5.5" Aro (stretched V2). Both have flown with a drogue chute and a essentially drogueless with just a streamer for visibility. When drogueless I use one harness between the booster and nose cone. My chutes have a 3-5' riser line attached to the nose and harness by a quick link. When I've used a drogue chute, I've used a second harness going from the quick link to the main chute, so prior to deployment, the main chute is falling in "clean air" away from booster / nose cone / drogue that may tangle that before deployment.

Whether you need a drogue or not depends on what initial descent rate you are aiming for and the weight versus tumbling drag of your rocket. My Fantom EXT weighs about 4 pounds post motor burnout and has initial descent rate of about 43 feet per second without a drogue, and have not flown that with a drogue since I got my Altimeter Three. On my Aro, which weighs about 7 pounds post burnout, rates are 66 FPS without / 42 FPS with drogue.

Hope this helps!
 
...Honestly, I've seen ma Y flights with chute release
and I don't remember a single one tangling ...
I wouldn't be overly concerned about it...

Teddy

Well, Teddy, you should have been at the NEFAR launch last Saturday. One good CR story and one not so good.

The good story is that I attained my Level 2 cert. last Saturday using my Madcow 4" NIke Smoke and a CR. Apogee was about 2500' on a J250W, with the CR popping at 400'. Everything was perfect, and I am now Level 2 certified.

And now my first failure using the CR, which was totally my fault. I packed up my daughter's Madcow 2.6" Nike Smoke (yes, we are big fans of the Nike rockets) using the CR. What I did not realize was that the Nomex blanket was too far back on the shock cord, so when I packed the shock cord inside the Nomex (I thought I was being clever), the shock cord decided to get tangled with the chute bundle. The CR did its job and popped, but with the chute tangled up with the shock cord, it never unfurled, and the Nike came in aft end first at high speed. Two fins are being replaced, and then she will fly again, with the Nomex blanket much closer to the chute.

And a big thanks to you. My Level 2 cert. flight came back to Earth with the help of that awesome bridle and shock cord you made up for me.

Moral of this story - pack things right, and the CR will just work.

Steve
 
Well, Teddy, you should have been at the NEFAR launch last Saturday. One good CR story and one not so good.

The good story is that I attained my Level 2 cert. last Saturday using my Madcow 4" NIke Smoke and a CR. Apogee was about 2500' on a J250W, with the CR popping at 400'. Everything was perfect, and I am now Level 2 certified.

And now my first failure using the CR, which was totally my fault. I packed up my daughter's Madcow 2.6" Nike Smoke (yes, we are big fans of the Nike rockets) using the CR. What I did not realize was that the Nomex blanket was too far back on the shock cord, so when I packed the shock cord inside the Nomex (I thought I was being clever), the shock cord decided to get tangled with the chute bundle. The CR did its job and popped, but with the chute tangled up with the shock cord, it never unfurled, and the Nike came in aft end first at high speed. Two fins are being replaced, and then she will fly again, with the Nomex blanket much closer to the chute.

And a big thanks to you. My Level 2 cert. flight came back to Earth with the help of that awesome bridle and shock cord you made up for me.

Moral of this story - pack things right, and the CR will just work.

Steve

I totally hear ya Steve..
I can see it's possible for things to tangle when the chute bundle is released...
But I still don't think it happens all that often..

A big congrats on your level 2 ..
Good for you man..
I am really happy to hear that you fly with your daughter..
Very cool Steve..
You are a fortunate man,, lol..

Teddy
 
We sell a product that we call a Guide Chute. It was designed specifically to be used with the Chute Release. The Guide Chute is cone shaped, and most of its area is contained in a vertical direction so as to keep the mouth of the parachute rather small. That design feature along with only have four shroud lines really helps keep things from tangling. Here's our setup with a 15 pound rocket and two Chute Releases used in tandem.

https://niharocketry.com/my-movie2/
 
We sell a product that we call a Guide Chute. It was designed specifically to be used with the Chute Release. The Guide Chute is cone shaped, and most of its area is contained in a vertical direction so as to keep the mouth of the parachute rather small. That design feature along with only have four shroud lines really helps keep things from tangling. Here's our setup with a 15 pound rocket and two Chute Releases used in tandem.

https://niharocketry.com/my-movie2/



Would love to see your setup unfortunately it's a bad link
 
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