MJG Firewire Initiator to Visco Connector

[flatlander]

Forum Members
Looking to purchase some of the plastic connecting clips to connect visco to the MJG firewire and was wondering the best place to get them. Also any input on how they worked.
Thanks Flatlander

[PyroManiacs]

MJG Technologies is a sponsor here...

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[Rick_In_Tampa]

I'm using them for the first time this year. I ran a few tests and found the best method is to mutilate the end of the visco before you marry it up with the firewire initiator. You need some loose power there to ensure it ignites.

Others here have said that you can simply insert the visco into the shroud of the initiator and tape them together, and forgo the plastic clips altogether. Makes sense, but I already bought the clips.

[Bazerk]

Follow the visco to where it enters the base of the tube it goes into. Ream out a hole big enough for the e-match to fit into and shove it in there bypassing the visco all together. Tape the wire to the box and then you have immediate ignition. Buying e-match and using it on visco defeats the purpose of having an ematch. You could have used the talon clips if you didnt intend on bypassing the visco.

[displayfireworks1]

Here is my video about the clips and the firewire initiators
.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sy94m_S1CnU&t=227s

[upNdown]

Are these MJG initiators one-time use, or can you use them again and again? I imagine the clips are one time use, because the visco must melt the plastic clip?

[flatlander]

Bazerk
I have 4 x 8 sheets of plywood reinforced with a 2 x 4 frame that I use to fasten the cakes and mortar racks to. I time and fuse them together and they are set on small aluminum boats. They are anchored out in the water off shore. We have to carry them down a long flight of steps from a pole barn where we spend all day building them up. The talons sometimes fail because of the rough ride so I thought the fire wire initiator would be more durable. Except for the finale each platform has at least 5 separate strings of cakes fused together mostly 2 or three of the same item fired together. I have more control this way and if something fails to go off I move to the next one. Works good for me, a lot safer for everyone and when the water is calm the reflection magnifies the show. I wish I could find some water cakes in 1.4. Thanks for your input I will try your suggestion where it will work for me.

[Rick_In_Tampa]

I ran a few tests of the new clips after watching Dave's video. I wired one clip with the head of the initiator placed directly in the tube, and the other clip with the head placed in the main section as shown in the video. What I found is that if I wired the quick clip the way it's shown in the video, there is significantly less fire coming out of the tube.

Initiator head wired per video:
2263

Initiator head placed directly in tube:
2264

There's probably enough fire in both to ignite the lift charge, but why not give yourself the best odds possible??

[upNdown]

So I think this answers my question, but just to be clear, in situations where I do want to e-match visco, there is no need for those plastic clips? I can just put the visco right in the e-match shroud, tape it up and we’re good? There are a bunch of YouTube videos with these e-match to visco plastic connectors, and I just can’t see the need for them.

[Rick_In_Tampa]

I used a few of the white plastic e-match to visco clips last year and they worked fine. But yes... Placing the visco directly into the shroud and taping it up would work just as well too. The visco doesn't know the difference.

[upNdown]

Thanks Rick, and maybe I just figured out the point of those things. Maybe those clips just exist so you can prep your cake or rack (or whatever has visco coming out of it) beforehand. Then when you’re actually setting up the show you can just jam your ematch in there, allowing for quick and safe setup?
Because if I’m taping ematch to visco a few days ahead of time, that’s not exactly safe, if there’s something on the other end of that visco, right?
So these clips are really for safe prep and speedy setup?

[Mattp]

Rick i belive the clips your showing are meant for stabbing right into the cakes lift charge.. my first few runs using firing system/ematch i just stuck the visco into the shroud and taped as mentioned .. had a few failures that way.. i think the ignition can be to violent when theyre that close to each other, and cause it to blow itself out (i know that doesnt even makes sense.. but it happened 3x) .. then i purchased two types of plastic connectors and never had an issue since.. except for the first one.. i put the visco so far in that it touched the igniter head.. it actually cause it to explode louder than a firecracker.. (but the fuse still lit) .. this year i plan to step it ip and do some poking

[Rick_In_Tampa]

Matt - He's talking about these clips:
2969

I used them last year. They worked fine. But there's really no difference between mating the two via this clip, vs. sticking the vicso into the shroud of the initiator and taping them together.

[Mattp]

Matt - He's talking about these clips:
2969

I used them last year. They worked fine. But there's really no difference between mating the two via this clip, vs. sticking the vicso into the shroud of the initiator and taping them together.

Right those are them.. i got those and similar ones that dont fold open.. theyre just straight through connectors.. i know and i dont get it either.. maybe i ****ed up somehow. but 3x was to many to me.. and havent had one failure with the clips since either

[Rick_In_Tampa]

Right those are them.. i got those and similar ones that dont fold open.. theyre just straight through connectors.. i know and i dont get it either.. maybe i ****ed up somehow. but 3x was to many to me.. and havent had one failure with the clips since either

I fused my finale racks with these last year and I was more than concerned. I was already 45 min late starting the show because of a rain delay. It was pitch black outside and I was sweating like a stuck pig and doing the fusing by the lights of my car. I was less than confident that they'd light at the appropriate time, but they did!

[genereyn]

Last year I cut the Visco end at a 45 degree angle to expose some loose powder, pulled the initiator shroud back to expose the ignitor head, placed the initiator alongside the Visco with the ignitor head next to the cut end of the Visco, and UHaul taped the pair together. That seems to have worked just fine, but I did this on only a couple dozen effects.

Now, my own related question. I'd like to do the same with shells in a mortar tube (Excals, Quest, etc.), but I'd like to attach the initiator to a shortened Visco inside the tube near the effect to decrease the time from Visco ignition to launch. I don't really want to poke the initiator head directly into the lift charge of the effect. Is there going to be interference inside the tube between the initiator wire, shroud, connection, etc. with the canister or ball as the effect lifts out of the tube?

[Kenny East]

Last year I cut the Visco end at a 45 degree angle to expose some loose powder, pulled the initiator shroud back to expose the ignitor head, placed the initiator alongside the Visco with the ignitor head next to the cut end of the Visco, and UHaul taped the pair together. That seems to have worked just fine, but I did this on only a couple dozen effects.

Now, my own related question. I'd like to do the same with shells in a mortar tube (Excals, Quest, etc.), but I'd like to attach the initiator to a shortened Visco inside the tube near the effect to decrease the time from Visco ignition to launch. I don't really want to poke the initiator head directly into the lift charge of the effect. Is there going to be interference inside the tube between the initiator wire, shroud, connection, etc. with the canister or ball as the effect lifts out of the tube?

It will blast the initiator right out of the tube

[Kenny East]

To guarantee ignition, I usually bridge the visco/ematch connection with a piece of quick match or sticky match.... All the extra fire to pass fire with almost no failures related to ignition of the visco fuse.

http://www.pyrotalk.com/bulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=2970&stc=1http://www.pyrotalk.com/bulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=2971&stc=1

[displayfireworks1]

At genereyn , you are going to have to cut the visco fuse at least an inch or two past the top of the shell. If you try to connect any lower the match cover will be beside the shell and it will not fit properly in the mortar.

[displayfireworks1]

Kenny what does that red lettering say on that sticky match?

[Kenny East]

Sticky match slo. And the patent numbers... Repeats down the whole roll...

[cptnding]

. I don't really want to poke the initiator head directly into the lift charge of the effect.

I's curious why? This would be by far the easiest and quickest method. You can poke the bottom and put in the shrouded match very easily. Removes a lot of variables. The only difference being you have to anchor the wire in between the shell and the mod just in case the shell takes the wire up with it.

[PyroDre]

I used a few of the white plastic e-match to visco clips last year and they worked fine. But yes... Placing the visco directly into the shroud and taping it up would work just as well too. The visco doesn't know the difference.
that's what i do ..quick and easy.... never had a failure

[genereyn]

I's curious why? This would be by far the easiest and quickest method. You can poke the bottom and put in the shrouded match very easily. Removes a lot of variables. The only difference being you have to anchor the wire in between the shell and the mod just in case the shell takes the wire up with it.

OK, you're suggesting I step up my game and transition from fuses to direct e-firing of the effects. Well, thanks for that subtle push and I'm taking your advice. I have plenty of time before the 4th and I have some Quest canisters from last year so I get some practice in. The challenge will be to fire 100 or so shells and a couple dozen cakes using 3 18-queue Cobra modules without chain fusing like I'm used to.

[Rick_In_Tampa]

The challenge will be to fire 100 or so shells and a couple dozen cakes using 3 18-queue Cobra modules without chain fusing like I'm used to.

School was never my strong subject, and I particularly sucked at math. But I don't see how you're going to fire 100+ shells without chain fusing using only 3 mods. IMHO using 1 cue for a shell is a complete waste. My finale last year had 236 shells and I used 3 cues because all the shells were chained. Even if you made 5 chains of 20 shells you're still using 10% of your cues just for shells. Seems like a lot to me anyway.