Estes Pro Series II E2X Booster

[billdz]

Hi,
Someone gave me the Estes 29mm booster, and I'd like to try it with my Estes Mammoth. It came with no instructions and I can't find the instructions online. I assume we can just put an E16-0 in the booster, an F15-6 in the Mammoth, and then slide the booster into the bottom of the rocket. Is that all there is to it? No tape or anything else required? Also, the booster is a tight fit into the rocket, is that normal?
Thanks,
Bill

 

[dhbarr]

Have you flown the Mammoth on the F before? How much margin was there?

 

[BDB]

Hi,
Someone gave me the Estes 29mm booster, and I'd like to try it with my Estes Mammoth. It came with no instructions and I can't find the instructions online. I assume we can just put an E16-0 in the booster, an F15-6 in the Mammoth, and then slide the booster into the bottom of the rocket. Is that all there is to it? No tape or anything else required? Also, the booster is a tight fit into the rocket, is that normal?
Thanks,
Bill

The booster should slide off pretty easily, but you should have to shake it to get it to separate--like you would expect for any other LPR stager. It sounds like yours may need just a little sanding.

Loading the motors is as simple as you suspect. No need for cellophane tape. Just stuff the motors in there, hit the button and then try to find the sucker.

 

[billdz]

OK thanks, will try tomorrow. This rocket has flown before single stage with an F15-6.

 

[kuririn]

Hi,
Someone gave me the Estes 29mm booster, and I'd like to try it with my Estes Mammoth. It came with no instructions and I can't find the instructions online. I assume we can just put an E16-0 in the booster, an F15-6 in the Mammoth, and then slide the booster into the bottom of the rocket. Is that all there is to it? No tape or anything else required? Also, the booster is a tight fit into the rocket, is that normal?
Thanks,
Bill

Don't sweat the instructions, it's mainly on the assembly procedure and recommended engines: E16-0 and F15-0. It doesn't mention which models to use it with, but the Estes product page says "designed for use with the Pro Series II E2X rockets". So that would be the Ascender, Trajector, Majestic, Prowler, and Mammoth. No tape required because it uses direct gap staging and plastic motor retainer. The black cone at the top of the motor tube "funnels" the blow-by gases into the nozzle of the sustainer motor. As for the tight fit, sounds like you may have done what I did: I laid a bead of glue near the end of the body tube and slid in the motor mount for the Mammoth, not thinking that I may fly this as a two-stager some day. This left a film of glue inside the tube when it dried, thus a tight coupler fit. If possible, try to sand the glue off, because if you sand the coupler to get a looser fit it may be too loose on your other PSII E2X rockets. And launch from a BIG field if you don't want to lose it. Good luck, post a video if possible.

 

[ThirstyBarbarian]

I used one of these boosters with a Trajector and went E16-0 to E16-6. It staged near enough to the ground to see the action, which was nice, and the rocket ended up going plenty high enough. It was a cool flight! The mammoth is bigger, so it may not go as high, but you might still consider E to E on your first 2-stage instead of E to F.

 

[billdz]

I ended up not launching yesterday. Another guy said he had launched the same rocket with the same motors at a prior launch, the booster weathercocked, and the upper stage flew horizontal and was almost lost. That spooked me so I decided to wait for a calmer day to try it.

 

[BDB]

I ended up not launching yesterday. Another guy said he had launched the same rocket with the same motors at a prior launch, the booster weathercocked, and the upper stage flew horizontal and was almost lost. That spooked me so I decided to wait for a calmer day to try it.

Good choice. The Mammoth has pretty slow speeds off the rod, even when it isn't lugging the weight of another heavy E or F motor.

 

[dhbarr]

Remember that between the launch-without-booster and full-two-stage can be a middle ground of launch-with-taped-on-empty-booster. I left the plastic cone out of mine though, YMMV.

 

[Wayco]

I seriously lightened up a Majestic and flew it as the sustainer on a two stage F15/E16 flight. When it works, it's beautiful. You need a 6 ft. rod and CALM conditions for it to have a chance.

 

[OC-Patrick]

anyone know the actual diameter of the PSII EX booster? since it is recommended to be used with the PSII EX rockets listed by kuririn above (and those are 2" diameter), I assume the booster is also 2" in diameter - the Estes site does not state the specs on it.

I was planning to buy a couple of these to use as a fin can for scratch-built rockets since they can be had for cheap (less than $6 at Hobby Lobby and AC Supply) - it appears that the gray part of the booster shown above is the coupler to the upper stage body tube.

Has anyone else done this?

also, I assume that when using this in stage, you do not use the upper stage screw retainer - or if you do, will it melt? or are the motors taped? how does this work, because what's holding the upper stage motor during ejection if there's no retainer?

Thanks.

 

[kuririn]

1. Yes, it is the same diameter as the PSII E2X rockets. The gray portion is the stage coupler
2. The motors are gap staged, not taped together. There is a black cone that is glued to the top of the booster motor tube, it acts as a funnel for the booster blowby gases into the sustainer motor nozzle.
3. The sustainer motor retainer is used as normal. There may be some charring, as in normal single stage flight. But so far, no melting.

Hope this helps. Cheers.

 

[OC-Patrick]

1. Yes, it is the same diameter as the PSII E2X rockets. The gray portion is the stage coupler
2. The motors are gap staged, not taped together. There is a black cone that is glued to the top of the booster motor tube, it acts as a funnel for the booster blowby gases into the sustainer motor nozzle.
3. The sustainer motor retainer is used as normal. There may be some charring, as in normal single stage flight. But so far, no melting.

Hope this helps. Cheers.

yes it does - thanks again.

 

[billdz]

Never did launch my Mammoth with the booster, maybe this year on a calm day. I did see someone else launch with the booster and it worked out fine.

 

[BABAR]

Something to think about with two stage rockets is using the smallest engine you can get away with on the SUSTAINER, at least for the first flight.

Not sure if they have adapters (should be easy to make one) but if there is a way to go down to a D engine for upper stage, much better chance of getting your rocket back.

Plus it is less mass for the booster engine to accelerate, so at launch gets off pad quicker, faster, more stable. YMMV

 

[Nytrunner]

There are 24-29mm adapters. They'll need the spacer ring to take the D though

 

[beeblebrox]

This Rocket, (Estes Ascender) which is recommended to use with this booster is too heavy for the motors Estes recommends. E16-0 to E16-6 If memory serves. My last flight was horizontal at staging...I would just use the fins/booster stage stuff for something using a higher thrust motor. Or use electronics to fire an upper stage. eRockets sells a 2" ID tube that will fit over the Estes tube if you peel the outer layer off. You cannot get those Estes tubes separately at all.

 

[jlabrasca]

... eRockets sells a 2" ID tube that will fit over the Estes tube if you peel the outer layer off. You cannot get those Estes tubes separately at all.

??

https://www.estesrockets.com/rockets/pro-series/parts/030615-pro-series-iitm-2-od-body-tube

 

[beeblebrox]

??

https://www.estesrockets.com/rockets/pro-series/parts/030615-pro-series-iitm-2-od-body-tube

That is new then, because as recently as 1 1/2 years ago you could not get any of the chinese made parts...

 

[Initiator001]

That is new then, because as recently as 1 1/2 years ago you could not get any of the chinese made parts...

The tubes are made in the U.S.A. and shipped to China.

There were a lot of Euclid boxes in the Estes warehouse during the NARAM-60 tour.