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Aris

Aris

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Im launching tommorow a dual deploy thumperjr and am going to finish up the electronics setup today after school. I just wanted to make sure about everything. I am going to hook up the altimeter (stratologger) is connect the battery and solder 2 more wires of differing color to the switch. The switch is one that is turned by a flathead screwdriver. It whas four prongs sticking out of the bottom and the numbers 110 and 220 on top. Then I am using Ez canisters which I will connect directly to the altimeter and plug the hole in the bulkhead with some blue putty. Anything I should do differently and why?
 
I think you covered the 4 main things for the Stratologger (power, switch, and charges). Sounds like you are using the same switch I use.

I was told to mount the battery on the opposite side of the sled from the altimeter. This keeps them separate in the event of a crash (higher survivability for the altimeter).

Remember to make the 1/4" vent holes.

I use terminal blocks so that I can hook up charges without opening it, but that is optional.

Edit: I also color code / mark the ends of the electronics bay. Don't want to confuse Appogee and main!
 
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cavecentral said:
I think you covered the 4 main things for the Stratologger (power, switch, and charges). Sounds like you are using the same switch I use.

I was told to mount the battery on the opposite side of the sled from the altimeter. This keeps them separate in the event of a crash (higher survivability for the altimeter).

Remember to make the 1/4" vent holes.

I use terminal blocks so that I can hook up charges without opening it, but that is optional.
Click to expand...

Maybe i will add terminal blocks later, but for this launch I just want it to be simple. The ez cansiters have 36" leads so it has more than enough wire. for the switch, which of the 2 leads do I conect to. I know I connect one then connect the other wire to a lead on the opposite lead in the swithch.. Thanks for the tip about the battery.
 
Aris said:
Maybe i will add terminal blocks later, but for this launch I just want it to be simple. The ez cansiters have 36" leads so it has more than enough wire. for the switch, which of the 2 leads do I conect to. I know I connect one then connect the other wire to a lead on the opposite lead in the swithch.. Thanks for the tip about the battery.
Click to expand...

I remember looking at the switch with the 4 leads pointing to me like this:

*--------*
-*-----*

I think I used the 2 on the left. Not sure if other combos work. Test it with the battery connected before soldering - yours may be different. Careful, because the connectors on the switch break off somewhat easily.
 
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ya mine look like that too. When I solder the wires to the switch can any of the insulation tube around the wire be touching the solder. should i use shrink wrap over the solder so the two wires do not touch?
 
The insulation shouldn't hurt to touch the soldier. Mine don't so I can't say from experience. It might melt slightly? As long as you connect the metal on both pieces with solder and do not short across from one lead to another, you should be fine.

Turn the altimeter on, let it cycle. Test with the switch. If you have the leads shorted that go to the charges, you get a series of 3 beeps repeated meaning it works.

I did my first with a on/off button that had an LED in it. The LED lowered the voltage below 9 (set in the mini/MAWD software) and the low battery was triggered. New batteries did not fix this. I have to keep unwiring stuff until I found the cause of the problem. So test the on/off before getting to the field - not with live ejections!
 
rcktnut said:
Your doing a ground test before you fly, right??
Click to expand...

Ya, I will there. When I used motor ejection for the thumper it was like 2.4 grams to blow it apart. So when I do the first test it will probably be 2-2.5grams
 
cavecentral said:
The insulation shouldn't hurt to touch the soldier. Mine don't so I can't say from experience. It might melt slightly? As long as you connect the metal on both pieces with solder and do not short across from one lead to another, you should be fine.

Turn the altimeter on, let it cycle. Test with the switch. If you have the leads shorted that go to the charges, you get a series of 3 beeps repeated meaning it works.

I did my first with a on/off button that had an LED in it. The LED lowered the voltage below 9 (set in the mini/MAWD software) and the low battery was triggered. New batteries did not fix this. I have to keep unwiring stuff until I found the cause of the problem. So test the on/off before getting to the field - not with live ejections!
Click to expand...
The ez canisters have the e-match glued into the canister already. I add the BP.when you say "If you have the leads shorted that go to the charges, you get a series of 3 beeps repeated meaning it works," you mean that when I cut the 36" long wire that come from the ejection canister i attach it to the altimeter correct?
 
I think you just need 1 length of wire to form a jumper. Fold into a U and attach both ends to where the leads would go. Just completing the circuit.

1 beep main
2 beeps drogue
3 beeps both

I may have main and drogue backwards for number of beeps. I do dual, so it is always 3 beeps.

It should behave the same with the live charges hooked up. Just to do a test at home without the 'live' factor.
 
cavecentral said:
I think you just need 1 length of wire to form a jumper. Fold into a U and attach both ends to where the leads would go. Just completing the circuit.

1 beep main
2 beeps drogue
3 beeps both

I may have main and drogue backwards for number of beeps. I do dual, so it is always 3 beeps.

It should behave the same with the live charges hooked up. Just to do a test at home without the 'live' factor.
Click to expand...
Oh i see, to test them instead of actually hooking up the charge canisters, I just fold the wire in half to simulate two e-matches being placed in the altimeter. Right?
 
Fold 1 wire per ematch. Ematches have 2 wire. Fold one in half and you get 2 wires that go nowhere but to themselves.

Put one folded wire pair in the drogue, and another folder wire pair in the main and test the connectivity.
 
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Do you have any Christmas lights? I just tested my stratologger bu hooking up some old Xmas tree bulbs. I hooked it up the PC and ran the test program. The lights lit up nicely when I tested the main and the drogue.
 

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