Quick Question

[berlinetta]

I just received an old J350 and I was wondering if there would be any problems firing it since it is still sealed. According to the copyright on the packaging, it is from 1994. I was told that the delay may be off, but that would not be an issue as I would be using electronics for deployment. Thanks in advance.

 

[H_Rocket]

I believe that far back is well before the fire. The old AT J350 motors that are questionable are those made right after the fire by Ellis Mountain. There was some spongy grains that could slump and clog the nozzle resulting in suboptimal (spelled BOOM) performance.

 

[llickteig1]

I just received an old J350 and I was wondering if there would be any problems firing it since it is still sealed. According to the copyright on the packaging, it is from 1994. I was told that the delay may be off, but that would not be an issue as I would be using electronics for deployment. Thanks in advance.

If I had one of those (pre-file) AT J350 reloads still sealed in the bag and there isn't an inordinate amount of oxidation on the exposed surfaces, I would fire it in a rocket.

If there is a lot of oxidation, I would have doubts how it was stored and probably not use it.

YMMV, --Lance.

 

[H_Rocket]

Lance

Themite baby!

Oxidation~Schmoxidation!

 

[JDcluster]

Pre-File? :confused2:


Do you mean pre-fire?

I have quite a few of them and they do work.
Half of my AT stash are from before the fire.
The WL and RL loads don't age well. The BT's become harder.

Use them with a new delay or use electronics to ensure a safe recovery.


JD

If I had one of those (pre-file) AT J350 reloads still sealed in the bag and there isn't an inordinate amount of oxidation on the exposed surfaces, I would fire it in a rocket.

If there is a lot of oxidation, I would have doubts how it was stored and probably not use it.

YMMV, --Lance.

 

[edwinshap1]

even with oxidation, you can always sand down a small amount of grain and it'll go FWOOM just as easily as any other

 

[berlinetta]

When was Aerotech's fire?

 

[accooper]

We had a guy launch a rocket with one of the pre-fire, according to the package it was at least twenty years old. It worked just fine.

Now we have a guy who has an H black powder motor from 1979. If he wants to launch that thing I want to be in a bunker!

Andrew

 

[jimzcatz]

I may be wrong, but I dont thinks J350's were around 20 years....gettin close though. I think they were introduced at LDRS in Orangeburg. The first one.

 

[accooper]

All I know is that they were as old as my socks and that is pretty old. But twenty years ago was 1991.

I have some black powder motors that I bought in 1969. That just shows you how old I am!

Andrew

 

[berlinetta]

According to what I found on Google, the fire was in 2001, so the J350 should be fine.

 

[Le Aeronautical]

I believe that far back is well before the fire. The old AT J350 motors that are questionable are those made right after the fire by Ellis Mountain. There was some spongy grains that could slump and clog the nozzle resulting in suboptimal (spelled BOOM) performance.

What is it called when this happens? I swear there was a term for when propellant clogs the nozzle, but can't remember. I'm not talking about CATO in general, but this specific scenario. Anyone know?

 

[RandyT0001]

I may be wrong, but I dont thinks J350's were around 20 years....gettin close though. I think they were introduced at LDRS in Orangeburg. The first one.

Aerotech J350's were introduced in 1995 or 1996. I have an old High Power Rocketry magazine (Oct 1996) with an Aerotech J350 ad on the back cover. The ad is copyright 1996 but the 38/720 motor casing in the picture has a 1995 manufacturing date stamped on it.

 

[hardinlw]

There was another issue with the J350 regarding a suspect delay spacer. The spacers in question were red rather than white and some premature ejections were experienced with them. With no engine ejection charge, that should not be an issue.

 

[berlinetta]

The copyright on the packaging says 1994 and the bag is still sealed.

 

[JDcluster]

I'd fly it just use a longer delay as the motor may chuff a bit on start up.

I did my L2 on a J 350 in Oct of 1996 so; they were around then.
Later motors that were produced after the fire (2001) were made by Ellis Mtn and had hardness issues to the point some would CATO.


JD

 

[dave carver]

...I need to pull out my ammo box and check the numbers on my J350. It's an older one but I don't know how old