Might Maxx Super Start Set igniter problems- the system isn't working for me

[scottluther1369]

Okay, I just joined the list and I’m sure this has been a topic but the igniters on my Super Starter Set are the pits. It takes me 3 igniters to launch 1 rocket. The igniter fits very loosely into the launch pad and moves around. It moves around and I can’t guarantee the igniter is actually touching the rocket motor. Is there any way to beef this system up? The igniter itself is so fragile and the distance between the end of the rocket and the igniter is a bit of a distance compared to the size of the igniter? Can I use Estes igniters (even though they are much more expensive and I’ve got a BUNCH of Quest igniters. There has to be a better way! Please help if you can. It’s going to be a present for my daughter for Christmas. The low power stuff is much less scary for her. Does someone have a better launch system for these guys? I like them but I’m off to a very poor and discouraging track record.

Oh, and my space shuttle actually took off with the launch rod this last time I launched after a perfect flight of my Saturn V! Guess I'd better stay with the heavy launch vehicle. : )
Most rocketiers I know are intellects and I know you guys could come up and probably have with a better system!
Please reply to:
[email protected]
So we you don’t have to relive a thread I’m sure has happened.

 

[Justin]

Those guys know all about micros. They helped me.

I'll give you the short version of what I did.

Pop the plastic thingy off the igniter. Pitch it.

Stick a tiny piece of wadding between the ends of the igniter leads.

Stick it in the end of the rocket amd secure it with a TINY strip of masking tape.

If your launch rod is a little loose, give it a wrap of masking tape, then stuff it in.

Make sure you have a fresh battery

Slide the rocket down onto the rod,and carefully attach leads (I taped a clothes pin to my pad to hold the wires so the weight of the wires couldn't pull out the igniter)

Works every time.

 

[Justin]

If I got this right, this is the thread that helped me. Read 'em all, it's cool stuff.

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?threadid=12317

 

[BobH48]

Scott,

You should probably go join the Micro-Maxx yahoo group. They have lots of good information over there.

https://groups.yahoo.com/group/MicroMaxRockets/

I don't use the Silo launcher at all. I made an adapter that fits on the top of my Estes launch rod and I just use my Electron Beam controller.

I have a bunch of "used" Estes ignitors.

For some reason, when I launch rockets with my Estes controller, most of the time the pyrogen burns and lights the motor but the little bridge wire stays intact.

I have used those ignitors in the Micro-Maxx motors successfully.

Just make sure it's inserted as far as possible.

 

[Micromeister]

You can pop the inginter plugs apart, removing the wire igniter sorta like a regular igniter.
Heres what some fo the alternatives and the inside of the plug look like

 

[shreadvector]

(Here are the answers I posted in the Yahoogroup. The line breaks will be screwed up a bit since I cut & pasted it from the yahoogroup.)

The igniter wire must touch the propellant (or get close enough
to "shine" the infrared heat onto it).

If you attach the micro clips and it pulls the wires downward, it
will pull the tip of the igniter down and it will not be close enough
to the propellant.

Solution: Simply snap the little black tabs off the QMX igniters. The
tabs are the little bits that the end of the wires are curved around.
Once the little tabs are gone, you can push the wires upward a bit
and still grab the ends of the wires with the micro clips.

Also, the launch pad comes with a handy rotating "thing" that you
should tie the launch leads (wires) to. This prevents you from
pulling on the wires and pulling the igniter (or wires) away from the
motor. It also takes a bit of the weight of the leads so they don't
pull down as much.

Then all you have to do is make sure the rocket is placed all the way
down onto the igniter.

We've had many kids use this system and once I show them this
technique they have 100% ignition success.

The instructions tell you to put the micro rod adapter sleeve onto
the rod, and then put the rod into the launch pad. I STRONGLY suggest
reversing this: put the adapter sleeve into the pad base and push it
down a bit (with a pen tip or safety key). The pad base hole is
slightly tapered, so when yu insert the sleeve deep, it gets
compressed and will grab the micro rod tighter when you insert the
micro rod.


-Fred Shecter NAR 20117

Originally posted by scottluther1369
Okay, I just joined the list and I’m sure this has been a topic but the igniters on my Super Starter Set are the pits. It takes me 3 igniters to launch 1 rocket. The igniter fits very loosely into the launch pad and moves around. It moves around and I can’t guarantee the igniter is actually touching the rocket motor. Is there any way to beef this system up? The igniter itself is so fragile and the distance between the end of the rocket and the igniter is a bit of a distance compared to the size of the igniter? Can I use Estes igniters (even though they are much more expensive and I’ve got a BUNCH of Quest igniters. There has to be a better way! Please help if you can. It’s going to be a present for my daughter for Christmas. The low power stuff is much less scary for her. Does someone have a better launch system for these guys? I like them but I’m off to a very poor and discouraging track record.

Oh, and my space shuttle actually took off with the launch rod this last time I launched after a perfect flight of my Saturn V! Guess I'd better stay with the heavy launch vehicle. : )
Most rocketiers I know are intellects and I know you guys could come up and probably have with a better system!
Please reply to:
[email protected]
So we you don’t have to relive a thread I’m sure has happened.

 

[Micromeister]

Personally I think it's a waste of time messing with the plug igniters.
I've been flying Micro Maxx constantly since there introduction over 4 years ago. The very first thing I did after my very first micro maxx silo system launch "Misfire mess" was to convert the silo to 12volts, and add a pair of plain old micro-clips to use 30 to 34gage bare nichrome. Immediately I began building my own launcher bases and/or add-ons that CAN be used with the plugs if needed but allow use a ANY type igintier I wish. I've been using mostly 30gage bare nichrome ever since and only suffer a very rare misfire if a clip falls off or some other machanical Oops. Converting to use of standard micro clips IS the best Fix for these igniters. Most of the stuff Fred posted earlier is good, It simply takes less time to hook up if you just bend out the heavy wires at the bottom of the plug or remove it entirely and prop the igniter on a scrap piece of hardwood while lowering the model onto the igniter. I've actually stopped that practice also.. Now I pre prep my motors at home with a tiny piece of wadding and a bit of 1/4" masing tape so all that is needed on the field is to lower onto the rod, piston, tower or whatever and connect the cilps like any other model rocket. quick, easy and sure ignition, the new Q2's are wonderful igniters, I plan to use them a bunch for clusters and other models but I'll stick with my 30gage bare nichrome for all single motor Micro-Maxx flights.

the pic below is one of my laucher bases, it's aluminum but could easily be plywood or anything else the improtant thing is to see the 18ga stranded copper wire micro-clip leads and their relation to the model. the wire can easily be moved in, out and around to fit ANY size model and the stiffness of the wire supports and steadies the model on the igniter until launch. a tiny piece of nomex over the wire junction below the motor protects the wire for the exhaust.
Hope this helps! micro motor ignition should be the easiest part of flying.