Quest 9V controller....????

[Neil]

I heard that the Quest controller has 9V power when I was reading through a catolog. Does anyone have one? Can you tell me how well it works?

Can it do Dueces? What does it take to light a First Fire? What about a Magnelite? Could this be the cheap and easy cluster launcher I have been lookin for? If I just make the cord longer..... What does it take to light a Copperhead? I think I heard 12Vs somewhere....

Would it work to modify the controller to take 2 9V batteries? does THAT work? Its worth a shot....

 

[Micromeister]

Neil:
I don't know if Quest is offering another type 9volt contorller but All the micro-Max silo systems come with a built-in 9volt hand controller.
Last year we ran a series of tests with different bands and types of 9V batteries to see which one would give the "Most" launches from a single battery. Druacell, Everready, Rayovac, and the HI energy 9V's E9 and duracell max. were also tests.
After the suprisingly low nuimber of igniter burns to failure from ALL the 9V's I contacted duracell and spoke with one of their Engineers.
The Long of it is, when a 9volt battery is short circuited (like your igniters do) it really destroys the battery in very short order, my beloved duracell max only got 6 to 8 burn-thrus before it wouldn't even make the 30ga bare nichrome glow red. the E9 energizer did double that but not by much.
As you can see unless you carry a pocket full of batteries with you the 9volt system isn't much good on a "day long" outing.
All my Micro-maxx launchers have been converted to 12volts system by soldering in a by-pass the allow connection to a standard gel-cell.
a quick way to is to make up a snap on drop by taking apart a dead 9v, soldering a 5 or 6 foot piece of 2/18 lamp cord to it and adding a couple alligator clips. The controller will handle 12volts with no damage to the built-in buzzer or lights. I've been using a modified system for a couple years now. Heres a pic of the controller and made up drop.
hope this helps

PS: I did a pictorial HOW TO on this conversion that's located in the MicroMaxRockets yahoo gourp files section. shows exactly what you need and how to make the conversion

 

[prowlerguy]

I've got one. I'll try to answer your questions one at a time.

Can you tell me how well it works?

For modroc launches, it is very good. It has both a buzzer and light, has a pistol grip type of style, and the key is nicer than the Estes one.

Can it do Dueces?

I tried testing with two ignitors, and I was not confident enough to try to launch my DW with it. There was often a perceptable lag between ignitors.

Would it work to modify the controller to take 2 9V batteries?

Since the 9V battery fits nicely into the grip part of the "pistol", you would have to jury-rig up something to hook up another battery, and then you might need to change the bulb and/or add a resistor to the circuit. Overall, I wouldn't do it.

Maybe I'm lucky, but I have gotten 20-30 launches per battery, which work out to 3-4 personal launches. Of course, cold weather really degraded my battery perfomance.

I'm not sure about the other ignitors because I've never used them. Hope this helps.

 

[Rocketman35]

I have the quest 9v and i can tell you that my 9v battery has lasted 2 years now.....about 40 flights and sat around for many months to boot. (maybe i got a real good battery)
Dunno about launch clusters with it but for single motors it works great everytime ive used it.

 

[Micromeister]

Na! I amagine you folks are using estes solar igniters, which have a 38ga bridge wire in the pyrogen. the Tests mentioned above were done using bare 30ga nichrome (micro-maxx type) igniters which requires a lot more juice... Your still killing the 9V's with the estes igniters just in smaller chunks;D
9V batteries are used alot to light airstart motors, I wasn't saying it doesn't work, just that for lots of launching it's not the best power source.
9volt batteries do not have the amps required to light more than one motor at a time with standard type igniters, I'm not at all sure they have enough power to light even daveyfire electric matches in tandom.
The 12v gel-cell drop I discribed will not harm your pistol grip controller components and would only require a small notch be filed in the battery compartment cover to pass the 18/2 wire.
Hope this helps