Here's the newest from Balsa Machining Service: The MIGHTY D 12v Launch Controller
It's a innovative design -
12 volts of power in a 7" long X 5" tall box.
It'll fire any igniter from a Micromaxx to a Copperhead.
Inside the bottom of the black box are 8 "D" size Alkaline batteries for the igniter.
When the launch button is pressed, the 9 volt battery activates the relay
and 12 volts go direct to the igniter for quick launches.
4 feet of line with copper micro clips to to the igniter.
The battery box (at right) sits next to your launcher.
The launch button disconnects from the 20 foot cable and is in your pocket between launches. This is a great all-around controller with plenty of power.
Everything - all cables and launch button store in the box between launches.
I've been testing the Mighty D with great success.
I'm currently drawing up the instructions for Balsa Machining Service.
From TRF, here's what Lukestrawalker said about the Mighty D Controller after the NARAM manufacturer's forum:
Bill Saindon of Balsa Machining Service took the podium, and after a brief review of his nosecone and various balsa part offerings of which virtually everyone is aware . . .
I'll save you the suspense and tell you outright it's a launch controller, and about one of the neatest ones I've ever seen! The whole thing fits in a self-contained box of approximately 10 inches long by about 6 inches high by about 4 inches or so wide -- IOW a little bigger than a file card box.
This includes the power supply (batteries), the controller itself, the leads to the pad, and the leads to the launch button. What's neat about this is, it's a RELAY launcher! That's right-- this little box is capable of launching anything from Micromaxx to "M" motors! It's powered by 8 "D" cells, to deliver a full 12 volts of power to the launcher, and using short leads from the batteries in the controller box itself to the launch pad directly adjacent to the controller box, minimizes voltage drop and hence maximizes delivered current.
Bill explained that "D" cell batteries . . with an estimated 200 launches or so using Copperheads. The leads are equipped with copper microclips for maximum conductivity, and has an indicator light to show power when the relay is activated-- doubling as a safety light in the event of a hung relay. Bill says another benefit to the "D" cells is that the delivered current is high enough to light any ignitor, but not so high as to weld the automotive 35 amp relay contacts in the event of a short. The power light acts as an additional safety, if, for any reason, the relay SHOULD accidentally still be sending power to the clips-- IE if the light's on, DON'T hook up the ignitor clips!
The basic model doesn't come with a continuity indicator, but the upgraded one does, in the form of a piezo buzzer...
One of THE neatest things about the launcher is the launch button itself. The launch controller has the leads stored inside the box to the launch button, which is played out to the required safety setbacks depending on what size motors your igniting. The leads are equipped with a standard RCA-type phono connectors (like stereo cables or video dubbing cables-- coax connector) which doubles as the safety key-- you don't have to worry about anybody pushing the button while your at the pad, because YOU TAKE THE BUTTON WITH YOU! You simply unplug the button from the cable (the button is mounted in the end of a slender tube about 4 inches long, with a leadout wire to the other half of the phono plug which mates to the controller leads, and of course are extendable to whatever length you need or want). Unplug the button and stick it in your pocket, and the controller can't be activated while you're hooking up! Ingenious!
Additionally, with the use of a phono-plug converter, the launch controller can be operated by your club's master launch system if you so desire-- just hook the clips from club launcher to your phono-plug adapter so the club controller can activate the relay at the proper time.
Another neat feature is, if one wants continuity indicator, the ignition switch stick can be equipped with a red/green LED to indicate power/continuity. A VERY neat feature! Plug the launch button into the phono jack, and look at the other end of the tube from the launch button where the LED is located, which glows green for continuity and red when the launch button is pressed!
The launch controller is available as either a kit version you put together yourself (soldering required) or as a complete ready-to-use system... the price is $40 for the kit version or $55 for the assembled version. The upgrades for the LED continuity indicators add about $4-5 bucks to the prices.
The controller is safe for low current ignitors as well, another important point nowadays . . .
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