Old Reloads

[bobdog]

On several occasions when I have used some of my old (~ 2003) vintage "D" and "E" reloads, I have had trouble getting them to ignite or they have "smoldered" for a few seconds before actually igniting. Not really a problem, but not good for staging. Is this an "age" related problem or might I be doing something wrong?

 

[cwbullet]

Could be the age of both the motors and the igniters. To be honest, I have 20 yr old Estes motors and they light and I have 1 yr old motors that smolder. It depends no many factors to include storage. -

 

[dhbarr]

I like an infant's emery board and a bottle brush to rough up the tops of tiny c-slot and BATES respectively.

 

[Charles_McG]

I had some AT D9Ws that tried recently that I just couldn’t get to light. Many tries and help (including fuse) from folks at the launch.

Some F12Js of similar vintage have no troubles.

 

[manixFan]

Some formulas will oxidize over time, which forms a barrier to ignition. You need to remove the oxidation to help it light more reliably. You can use sandpaper, an emery board (as described above) or a just scrape it off the surface. I’ve used an exacto knife to clean up the surface and cut and raise small slivers of propellant to increase surface area to aid in ignition.

Good luck,


Tony

 

[Handeman]

For Hobbyline reloads, i always use an emory board and sand the insides of the C-slot. I also leave the dust inside the slot. That seems to work well no matter how old the reloads are.

 

[blackjack2564]

On several occasions when I have used some of my old (~ 2003) vintage "D" and "E" reloads, Not really a problem, but not good for staging.

How the heck are you staging such small composite motors?

By the way when old motors "chuff" the delay is also burning. If it takes several tries to get a motor going, you can have "0" delay or a very short one , when rocket finally takes off. It's been burning along with the motor with every try.
Saucers are great for old motors, they don't care about delay time....lol

 

[DeltaVee]

Has anyone tried to say, use a foodsaver vacuum system or something else to seal up unused white-lightning reloads to see if they don't develop those little white flecks? I almost never use all three loads from a 24/40 on any one day... it occurs to me if I can vacuum pack them, then perhaps that will prevent the oxidation (Aerotech WL seems to be most susceptible to oxidation).

 

[cwbullet]

I left town for two years and had some grains that needed protection.

I have sealed both research and commercial motors with a food saver. I use a double protection storage method:
1. Food saver if original packing is open.
2. Airtight military ammo can.

I have opened a couple reloads and they have zero change oxidation after two years.

 

[NAR29996]

I put desiccant in my motor box. It does help.

 

[DanielLW]

I actually still have some B and C reloads. I had much better success getting the white lightning's to light by sacrificing one of the blue thunder B slugs. I take a small sliver of blue thunder propellant and put it in along with the igniter. (I also shaved off the oxidized surface) Works much better.

 

[SteveThatcher]

How the heck are you staging such small composite motors?

By the way when old motors "chuff" the delay is also burning. If it takes several tries to get a motor going, you can have "0" delay or a very short one , when rocket finally takes off. It's been burning along with the motor with every try.
Saucers are great for old motors, they don't care about delay time....lol

it is not always old motors that chuff. I had a brand new J350 chuff and spit for a few seconds and then it took off. The PML Endeavor stripped its self apart when the chute came out under full thrust. Of note, that flight was at a MDRA launch on the sod farm back in 2004-5. My own analysis of the issue was that the igniter managed to light the delay charge (must have just made it into the phenolic washer hole even though I bent the tip over a bit). If you have ever lit a delay charge by itself, they spit sparks as they burn. The delay charge actually ignited the motor. I always scrape the top core inside and actually put a piece of masking tape over the washer hole on the core side to keep the igniter from going any farther since then.

 

[Andrew_ASC]

I had a H219T-14A DMS lying around opened for months unsealed. No chuffs. It fired right up with one factory igniter last weekend. This Blue thunder by AT seems pretty stable.

 

[bobdog]

Thanks for all of the feedback. Have tried the emery board with success.

Am also vacuum bagging my small reloads.