estes launcher safety?

anybody out there know why Estes uprated its electric launchers for E-class motors to use 30 feet of wire? after all, the Estes E is only really a D & 1/2, why suddenly get so cautious and use twice as much standoff/wire?
I have not launched any of the E15s (I understand they are gone away now), but I have heard that lots of 'em blew up----maybe THAT made Estes nervous about law suits if they CATO'd only 16 feet away on the old launchers?
main question: is it OK to keep on using my old Estes electric launcher with its measely 16 foot wires?
(BTW, how far back do you stay to shoot a MicroMaxx?)

Powderburner,

If you check out the NAR "Model Rocket Safety Code" you'll see that it specifies that the minimum launch distance is 15' for "D" or smaller engines and 30' for larger sizes. Therefore the Estes' "E" motors need at least 30' of lead wire while MicroMax motors need at least 15'.

Ken Holloway, NAR #78336, L-1

thanks for the info, yeah I know about the safety code,
but what else do I get for my $30 besides some more wire?

I have not used one of these new launch controllers and
do not know what they do that the old ones didn't, but
I kind of choke on spending that much money when the
old one works just fine

as far as how close to get, I was pretty much cured of
launching anything bigger than a C with the estes controllers
back in the days when every other D13 went bang--------
I rigged my own launcher with a relay and a spare car battery
and 50 feet of speaker wire (but it was lost in the pile of junk
called my garage many years ago, and I need to get a new
one)

is the new estes controller worth the $$$$ or should I just
booger up another home-made one?

The new Estes controller is nice but, I'd say that a relay based system is far better. Go ahead and "booger" up another one.

oh man, that's almost TOO easy...

Booger up a ;new one (or just add 15' of lamp cord to the one you're currently using)

far better than using estes' boogered up system (am I bad, or what??? LOL)

so, you remember the D-kaboom-13 motors too?? kewl *S*

heck, i have a simple device that i use often (specially when teaching, to show that it doesn't have to be expensive) I use 2 battery clips, for hookup to a car battery (or bare wires for hookup to a 12V lantern battery), 10 feet of lamp cord to a block of wood with a doorbell button and 15-30 feet of cord ending in two micro-clips (or alligator clips)....

real cheep, works great, lasts a long time...