06-21-2009, 12:00 PM
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Launching since 1970.
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Southern California
Posts: 2,188
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They arrived Friday. Fits the bayonet mount in the Estes controllers, but it sticks up small amount extra, so the half-dome bulb-protector will not fit on. Not a big deal.
Extremely bright. We had some overcast, but I lit it up during our launch yesterday and one of the other fairly old club members could see it from the other side of the launch area (about 50 or 60 feet away.)
The only markings on the lamp are small and black and halfway up the little red conical transition from the metal base. They say 6.3VAC
Now for the data as measured with various power sources. I also tested with Estes and Q2G2 igniters in series and the results did not seem to vary my more than a milliamp or so.
For a control:
Quest beeping 9volt controller with a fresh 9 volt alkaline: 12.5 ma
Estes normal controller with incandescent lamp and 4 fresh AA alkaline batteries: 200 ma (well beyond the "ALL FIRE" rating of the Q2G2)
for the heck of it I attempted to get readings from my Estes Command Controller, but I zoned out and did not take the opportunity to take readings from an Aerotech interlock that was at our launch. The Command COntroller has some circuitry inside that seems to produce a varying amperage during the continuity - proabably associated with the beeping and the draw of the audio transducer. Command with single battery selected (and measuring 7.4V): 30 ma. With 2 batteries selected (and one was not fully charged, so I measured 12-ish volts): 70 ma.
Now for the important tests:
Estes standard controller with the LED replacement lamp from the pinball machine supply place:
4 x AA fresh alkaline: 30 ma
External battery connector with 12 volts (any source, but I used 8 x AA): 100 ma
External battery connector with 9 volts (any source, but I used 6 x C): 73 ma
So, there you have it. As a direct replacement with normal power (4 x AA) it would be perfectly safe with a Q2G2. With higher power it might not be, but I used 2 different Q2G2 with the LED light and they did not go off, even with the 12 volt power source. I would still be extremely cautious as the "NO FIRE" rating is (IIRC) fairly low (50ma?).
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