Fancy Electronics

[nebulousmosquito]

http://putfile.com/pic.php?pic=7/18819461536.jpg&s=f10
This is the schematic for a circuit that will be built to replace the electronics on one of my existing combustion guns. I don't have much formal education in electronics yet, so I was hoping someone could look it over and make sure nothing will fry.

Here's what's supposed to happen: there are 4 switches, two safety switches and two momentary switches. One switch opens the 3 way for fueling and turns on the 1st 555 timer, giving power to 2 chamber fans for ten seconds. Probably before that ten seconds is up, the user presses the trigger, which activates the spark, turns on the fans for another ten seconds, and opens up a couple of valves (via solenoids) so that new air can be sucked in.

The "valves" are just check valves, much like that one here. http://www.burntlatke.com/jpg600/25cb-plunger.jpg I think this is a great method for venting, one that could be automated with a couple of plunger solenoids. If I can get this to work, the gun should be able to fire 6 or more rounds per minute!

[sgort87]

For someone with no formal electronics education you sure seem to know how things are done.

But I'd have to argue against this method. I despise timer circuits and am a firm believer that a DPDT switch and a brain is all that is needed. Check out my Proton Pack in the Finished Cannons section. It has been recently kicked up actually. All it uses is a DPDT switch and a trigger button and everything is taken care of: venting, fueling, mixing, and igniting.

If anything you should set this up with 2 buttons. One is for ignition only. The other, when held down, will run the venting process and metering. When released, it dumps the meter and runs the mixture fan.

[Joey]

Looks pretty good, I do have a suggestion though. You need some resistance directly after the output (pin 3) on your 555's. Without it your timers will overheat and fry. The datasheets that come with the 555's suggest 100 ohm resistors. From my experience this isn't enough, I always use 200 or 300ohm resistors.

I'll have to say that I agree with Sgort87 though. The 555 system will prove to be a real pain in the rear over time. If there is a simpler way to accomplish the same task you should always go with it.

simple=reliable

[markfh11q]

This is my fancy custom control box. I just finished it last night...

<center><img src="http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a123/markfh11q/ignition.png"></center>

Burnt Latke uses 555 timers on their ignition box thingy...

EDIT/PS: You did say simple=reliable, right???:D?

EDIT^2, (don't even wanna waste a post): and the ball valve handles made of toothpicks!

EDIT^3, (serious this time): it's actually a fan controller... go here, (http://www.burntlatke.com/fan-controller.html).

[benstern]

WOAH!!!!!! That mouse is 4 fireflies long!

[nebulousmosquito]

You guys are a barrel of laughs. I KNOW this is over-engineered; the point is to see whether or not I can make it work. Like Latke, I consider the pimp factor.

Sgort, are you at U of I at Urbana-Champaign, by any chance?

[Zorrowannabe9]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="tahoma,verdana,arial" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by benstern
[br]WOAH!!!!!! That mouse is 4 fireflies long!

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Or are the fireflies 1/4 of a mouse wide

[pbmann123]

those are some bitchin' fire flies.

[markfh11q]

Mosquito: I'm in no way dissing your idea, just so you know. I wouldn't consider this a "pimp factor" if it got you 6 rounds per minute!!! That's straight up performance! I've always thought of the "pimp factor", (a.k.a. "Chrome"), as things like the fur covering the L3 launcher on Latke's site, and things like that.

[Boomer]

so, uhh how do those fireflies spark?