Choosing a Launch Controller "HELP PLEASE"

[ntrance]

Slowly me and my mates have built up a nice sized low power rocket collection. In total I think we have 5 or 6 Estes Controllers & Launch Pads, I've noticed we tend to use the same controller on each pad.

It would be wise then for use to use a bigger battery say 12v so it lasts longer, and better power, plus a controller that we can select x amount of pads or multi ignitor, for drag race or clustering.

I have searched the internet, and found some schematics, but was wondering if there was a ready built kit to do the job.

Any ideas

Thanks

Alan

 

[rocket trike]

I am looking at the Pratt Hobby sixpack. It uses a 12volt battery and can use for 6 pads. I started a thread about it in here. I think it said something about "has anyone tried this launcher" Look down futher in here for it.

Tom

 

[Mike]

Hmmm, you may find a lot of the commercial controllers pretty expensive and finding one which does what you want. But since you're in a group you could split costs and it'd be much more manageable.

Might be worth building your own, then you can have all the functionality you want and it'd probably be cheaper too although you have the work of designing/building.

 

[Dwight]

To me anyway part of the fun of rocketry is building stuff yourself.

Not hard to do at all. I am running a simple little hand controller that runs on 2 9V batteries that flies Estes as well as copperhead infighters easily.

However for a 6 or 10 pad system I would probably go with a garden tractor battery or perhaps a motorcycle battery. Plenty of ommph.

The circuit is really easy enough.

A lot of rocketeers seem to go for overkill, great big relay rigs with car batteries. That is perfectly ok too, but you don’t have to go that route.