Micro Clip Problem on new Estes Controller

[hcmbanjo]

I switched out my old launch controller for a new one from an Estes Starter Kit. It's the new controller with the rubber underneath the safety key.

The clips were new and shiny. But, that little thumb pad on the micro clips is domed! Rounded - not flat!
I had a heck of a time trying to squeeze it open without it flipping around between my fingers.
It was almost like squeezing a wet watermelon seed between your fingers to see how far you could shoot it.

Luckily I had my small pliers and I flattened down the rounded pad. What a difference! Now I could actually grip it and connect up the igniter wires.
(I only flattened one of the two clips so I could take it home and take a before and after picture to show here.)

Before you give a kid a starter kit, save him the frustration of not being able to connect up the igniter leads.
If I had trouble with the domed clips at my age, imagine what a ten-year-old first timer would go through.

 

[shreadvector]

Have you contacted Estes to tell them of your experience?

Perhaps they do not know their supplier made a design change or part substitution?

Perhaps they do know and thought it was no big deal and your feedback will be valuable - and might result in a follow-on change to improve their product?

They are, after all, now firmly a HOBBY company and not primarily a toy company selling a few of their products to pesky hobbyists. They wish to cultivate a dedicated customer base.

I switched out my old launch controller for a new one from an Estes Starter Kit. It's the new controller with the rubber underneath the safety key.

The clips were new and shiny. But, that little thumb pad on the micro clips is domed! Rounded - not flat!
I had a heck of a time trying to squeeze it open without it flipping around between my fingers.
It was almost like squeezing a wet watermelon seed between your fingers to see how far you could shoot it.

Luckily I had my small pliers and I flattened down the rounded pad. What a difference! Now I could actually grip it and connect up the igniter wires.
(I only flattened one of the two clips so I could take it home and take a before and after picture to show here.)

Before you give a kid a starter kit, save him the frustration of not being able to connect up the igniter leads.
If I had trouble with the domed clips at my age, imagine what a ten-year-old first timer would go through.

 

[hcmbanjo]

Hi Fred,
I sent Estes the link to this page right after I posted it here.

 

[Micromeister]

Chris:
When those clips rust up or get nasty you might want to replace them with a pair of Stainless Micro Clips from NARTS. I believe they are selling for $1.05 each, will out last plated steel by years They can be a little slick also but clean up with a bit of fantastic on a paper towel.

 

[Evo666]

I changed my wire and clips to thicker wires and alligator clips found at Radio Shack. It worked for me so far.

 

[SCE to AUX]

How do you install those stainless clips onto the wires?

Regular electronics solder won't work on stainless, and most solders that I know of that WILL work either use a very corrosive flux (that will eat the copper wire away) and/or need a very high temperature to flow (which will melt the wire insulation).

I guess you could crimp the connections and hope for the best, but in an application where low resistance is important and corrosive contaminants may be present, it would need to be a REALLY good crimp job.

 

[Micromeister]

How do you install those stainless clips onto the wires?

Regular electronics solder won't work on stainless, and most solders that I know of that WILL work either use a very corrosive flux (that will eat the copper wire away) and/or need a very high temperature to flow (which will melt the wire insulation).

I guess you could crimp the connections and hope for the best, but in an application where low resistance is important and corrosive contaminants may be present, it would need to be a REALLY good crimp job.

They work just fine by roughing up the surface of the clip with a needle file and using standard 50/50 solder with an acid flux used for stainless steel. I believe the liquid flux I'm using is Duzall flux. Just rinse with water after soldering and dry compeletely. You do need a bit higher temp but that hasn't been a problem from a standard 40watt iron, with our 18ga stranded lamp cord, 16 or 18ga THHN stranded copper wire.
We've had these type clips in use now almost 10 years without problem. I've been using them for even longer.
Hope this helps.