COMBUSTION LAUNCHER TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE

[plasticex009]

If your combustion launcher is not working, this is where you need to start. Onward to the <h1><a href="http://pcrd2.home.mchsi.com/CLTG/start.htm">Combustion Launcher Troubleshooting Guide!</a></h1>



Let me know if there are any errors. I checked it throughly, but I sometimes miss obvious things. If you can suggest other common problems that should be added I will see what I can do.

Edit 1: Switched from page based navigation to interactive flowchart.
Edit 2: New hosting should mean this works now.

[draculon]

A common problem may be that the propellant is not combustible, such as the new WD-40. MAybe you should have a thing asking if the fuel contains any of the following: Propane, Butane, Isopropane, Alchohol, etc.
Otherwise, VERY good sticky, I hope you don't mind that I put a link to this in my sticky. If you want I can take it out.

[plasticex009]

Linking is good. I did think of putting that option in the guide, but I didn't write it down on my list so I forgot it. I will put together a section on fuels in the next few days.

[theexp]

hmmmmmmmmmmm, you want to put NEVER LOOK DOWN THE BARREL, because the way you have it written, it appears that you can look down the barrel once you have the fuel removed. But you never know, the mirror aproach to looking in the chamber is a good one, or have the visa-fire aproach... From that one cannon.

It is basicaly a small clear cylander on the top of the chamber with a small spark gap in it, to tell if your sparker is working you will be able to see the spark jump.

[GalFisk]

* A very long ignition wire (>1m each way) on a bbq ignitor can also result in loss of spark.
* Leaks in the chamber can also result in loss of power, as can bad C:B ratios
* if you answer no on "does it combust" and then yes on "do you vent", you're asked if it seems weak. Same if you say no on "do you vent" and no on "did venting help". I think you should get directly to the "too much fuel" page, and reword it to fit "no combustion" as well.
* Superfluous "The" in 4th paragraph on electronic ignitions
* A few typos
* Great guide

[iMacThere4iAm]

Damn, only yesterday I started making one of those. I guess it's not needed now, plasicex's one is much better.
Great Job Plasticex, but you must know you're flouting rule no.10, yo can't tell anyone else to follow it if you don't yourself! [:p];)

[plasticex009]

iMac, I just knew someone would call me on rule #10. :p I figured since these kind of questions come up so often it was necessary to draw attention to the topic. If it could have been done, I would have made the title text flash.

Good suggestions GalFisk, I will add them to the list of fixes/modifications.

Edit:

Ok, I have a new idea for this guide. Instead of the webpage based layout, I am shifting to a graphical interface for higher usability. I found some nifty flowchart creation software and put together a preliminary troubleshooting flowchart (see link below). My plan is to use the flowchart as the navigation structure and then use image maps to link descriptive pages to specific areas of the flowchart.

Flowchart:

<a href="https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/hanson2/www/CLTG/CLTGFlowchart.gif">Large Version (1000x1217 42KB)</a>
<a href="https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/hanson2/www/CLTG/CLTGFlowchart_small.gif">Small Version (500x609 16KB)</a>

[draculon]

I like it, so your gonna have it as an interactive flowchart? I've never heard of that. I hope it works out great. You probably won't do this, but maybe for some you can make a 3d graphic so users can compare to see what they might be doing wrong.

[BillyBobJoe]

Great guide!! The flowchart should be very helpful to newbies, as it seems we've had an awful lot of combustion questions lately. This should clear them up! *you may want to check your spelling on he main bold link, even if its no the main guide anymore;)[:p]

[spuzi14]

watch how close ur screws are! a small spark wont ignite anything no matter how small the chamber, this happened when i built a pistol sized spudgun. before u put your propellant in(with the cap off) put ur lips on the end of the barrel and blow. if any air gets through your potato or w/e ur shooting wont go far if at all. if u use hairspray u need to increase the amount u put in the chamber when the can is at least a quarter of the way empty.