Twist and YUCK

[FredA]

I was looking through some photos looking for a particular shot when I noticed this shot.
I don't know who's rocket this is, but the blue tape isn't working out so well.

 

[jd2cylman]

Well, it is still attached to the wires…

 

[cls]

Seems we had a thread about masking tape recently...

Personally I don't use blue tape on wires, only the good beige stuff. Which also survives mach 2+ on the airframe.

 

[Hobie1dog]

I will probably offend people with this comment (which I have a huge history of doing), but I always viewed going up on a ladder and twisting wires together being such a primitive way of making a connection to arm the electronics, when a simple switch is much more secure and you don't have the chance of looking like the above photo.... again using tape instead of a wire nut is primitive again

 

[Steve Shannon]

I will probably offend people with this comment (which I have a huge history of doing), but I always viewed going up on a ladder and twisting wires together being such a primitive way of making a connection to arm the electronics, when a simple switch is much more secure and you don't have the chance of looking like the above photo.... again using tape instead of a wire nut is primitive again

That doesn’t offend me at all. Although I have used twist and tape I prefer a good quality switch.
For those who maintain that twisted wires are more reliable than a quality switch, I can only say “bull.”
With all due respect.

 

[Neutronium95]

Twisting wires can work as a switch, but there are far better ways to do it. Wheb I do it, I drill two holes, about half an inch apart. I have the wires cut to stick out about two inches, and strip an inch of insulation off. At the pad, I twist the ends together, and then tuck them into the second hole. This method is still very simple, but you don't need tape, and can be easily disarmed, unlike traditional twist and tuck. I'll post pictures when I get home in case my description wasn't clear.

I am using it a lot less these days, now that Ive figured out how to cleanly mount screw switches to the inside of the coupler tube.

 

[cwbullet]

That doesn’t offend me at all. Although I have used twist and tape I prefer a good quality switch.
For those who maintain that twisted wires are more reliable than a quality switch, I can only say “bull.”
With all due respect.

I agree. Twisting wires is not more reliable, but it is more simple (KISS). I have used both methods. I have had both fail. If I use twist wires, it is because the switch failed in one way or another. My switch became faulty for a flight. I have one night to fix it. I chose to use twisted wires.

 

[sharkbait]

I agree. Twisting wires is not more reliable, but it is more simple (KISS). I have used both methods. I have had both fail. If I use twist wires, it is because the switch failed in one way or another. My switch became faulty for a flight. I have one night to fix it. I chose to use twisted wires.

If you switch to a switch, you’ll never switch back unless you have to switch gears quick like Chuck and don’t have time to switch switches

 

[jadebox]

I use electrical tape to hold the wires as well as cameras on many of my rockets. I never had it fail. More importantly, electrical tape is available in multiple colors so you can choose one to complement your rocket's color!

 

[DAllen]

Ohhh the twist and "yuck" worked pretty well on this flight.

I've asked this before Fred and never got an answer...what's your preferred switch?

 

[FredA]

I buy these in bulk.
Have literally used 100's in rockets without a single failure attributed to the switch.
Sometimes they have the rocker on top and that gets removed.
Sometimes we sand down the handle on the switch as it protrudes through the Ebay wall on some rockets.
They are 4PDT - so plenty of contacts for redundant power switching and/or disconnect-and-shunt for pyros.
One does great for a 2-channel DD rocket. I use two in my 4-chan DD rockets.

Critical: PUT A DAB OF EPOXY ON THE TABS where they bend over the back and hold on the phenolic circuit board containing the contacts.

 

[Handeman]

Ohhh the twist and "yuck" worked pretty well on this flight.

I've asked this before Fred and never got an answer...what's your preferred switch?

Nice flight.