Igniters for Large Motors?

I have been assembling more and more large motors that don't come with igniters, i.e. a K1000 and an M1297. What to people use as igniters for these larger motors? Do you just use standard first-fire igniters, or something else?

I use an ematch with a pyrodex black powder pellet.
https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/pyrodex-pellets

Ematch and pyrodex is great, Wild Man makes some igniters that burn so hot they would start dirt.

timbucktoo said:

I use an ematch with a pyrodex black powder pellet.
https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/pyrodex-pellets

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Thanks - are those the same ematches you use for electronic deployments? Ever had any issues damaging the motor by igniting a pyrodex charge near the propellant? Does the size of the pyrodex pellet matter as long as it fits in the motor?

Cameron Anderson said:

Ematch and pyrodex is great, Wild Man makes some igniters that burn so hot they would start dirt.

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Thanks, I've never noticed the Wildman Igniters before.

jmuck78 said:

Thanks - are those the same ematches you use for electronic deployments? Ever had any issues damaging the motor by igniting a pyrodex charge near the propellant? Does the size of the pyrodex pellet matter as long as it fits in the motor?

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Same matches you get from China or quickburst. I use a full pellet for M motors, maybe 1/2 for an L. Depends on number of grains. Never experienced any damage. Many people use same method. Probably find some posts here about same.

John DeMar has an excellent thread on BKNO3 igniters in the Research Forum. Saw a number of these at Spaceport last week and all seemed to work great.

I use some Blue Thunder propellant, cut from D15 Aerotech motor reloads when I want to give things a decent kick. BT lights quite easily. Just cut a sliver off the D grain and tape it to the eMatch.

Wildman Lighters

Frankum Performance can't be beat, IMO. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...ormance.com/&usg=AOvVaw2HEfLE7rrWkO61kYzZ1vnQ

https://www.rocketflite.com/products_ml.htm

I use the Magnelite igniter kit. Never had a failure with one of their igniters.

Mike Momenee
TRA#12430 L3

OverTheTop said:

I use some Blue Thunder propellant, cut from D15 Aerotech motor reloads when I want to give things a decent kick. BT lights quite easily. Just cut a sliver off the D grain and tape it to the eMatch.

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2nd this. I bought a 3-pack of E28 igniters in 2011 for flying bigger stuff. I use them on 54mm on up. I have flown 15 75mm motors, 30 54mm motors in that time frame and I have barely touched the second grain of the three pack. I also once lit a very stubborn M moonburner (CTI), that took no less than five tries using vendor supplied igniters... I offered an e-match and some BT slivers. It lit the motor, but due to assembly error, the motor did not light properly and experienced a very unique burn before it ultimately failed. I'd say this would explain why the motor refused to light the previous five attempts.

I will say that I always tape my igniters to a 1/8" dowel, and let the head of the e-match hang out (kind of like a branch). This ensures that there is contact with the surface of the propellant.