I recently had the opportunity to evaluate igniters from QuickBurst, a company offering both igniter and launch control products. They have an igniter product for most every rocketry application, including black powder motors, electronically fired ejection charges, and both mid-power and high-power composite motors. I received a ‘Six Pack’ sampler, which included two each of their Hot Shot electric matches, Slim Gem igniters, and Fat Boy igniters.

My Six Pack came in a sealed plastic package with their leads shunted. I also received product information sheets, a price list, and an order form. The instructions were comprehensive, giving detailed descriptions of the products, notes on their usage, and precautions. The following table summarizes the igniter specifications:

Notes: 1. My measurement 2. Price when samples received

The Hot Shot is a dipped electric match that is primarily intended to electronically fire black powder ejection charges but can also be used for Estes black powder motors. They can be used with 9 - 12 volt systems, but users are cautioned to make sure their 9-volt batteries really provide a ‘full’ 9 volts (i. e. Duracell 9. 5 volt batteries). Other cautions include accidental ignition from continuity check circuits and handling care. QuickBurst wisely recommends that you test the igniters with your ignition system before betting your rocket on them.

The Slim Gems and Fat Boys are both similar devices with the latter being slightly larger in diameter. Both include a bridged element embedded in a cast pyrogen. The elements of both are light gray, smooth cylinders. The burn temperature is advertised to be a hot 3,500 degrees Fahrenheit. According the QuickBurst, these igniters “are capable of igniting anything that will burn. ”

I used the QuickBurst igniters in several applications. The following is a summary of the results:

Note 1: Today I finally got a chance to use the second Fat Boy igniter. Instead of lighting, it popped, blowing the top 1/4 off and exposing the wires. However, I don't think I'll change my overall rating due to this problem. My thanks to QuickBurst for the opportunity to try these out!

 Since I didn’t have a chance to tests a cluster configuration, I thought that similarity in the igniters’ resistance would provide some indication of their suitability. Although two items is not a significant sample, I decided to document the measurements anyway.  

A couple of notes on the Slim Gems: I test fit one of these igniters in a G80 motor before the launch. The fit was tight, but I had no problem inserting it. However, at the launch site, I could not insert it more than about an inch. Murphy’s Law strikes again. Therefore, I used both of them in H123’s. In both cases, there was a noticeable delay between when the first smoke was spotted and ignition. The results, however, were successful and this comment is provided only as a side note.

Conclusion

First, I need to provide my perspective on the igniter market. I can buy reliable igniters for any motor size from local vendors. In addition, all Aerotech HPR motors now come with their FirstFire igniters, which have proven 100% reliable for me. Finally, anyone with an IgniterMan kit can easily make inexpensive, reliable igniters. Thus, it will be difficult to impress me.

The four igniters I used performed well, with the exception that the Slim Gems did not fit in a G80. From my standpoint, this is a big deal. Since they failed to meet the intended use for mid-powered motors, I deducted a point and a half from my score. As for cost, they seem comparable to the other igniters that I have bought at launch sites. This comparison is somewhat ‘apples and oranges’ since the on-site igniters don’t have shipping costs tacked on, and I only know the cost of the QuickBursts before shipping. Still, I don’t think the difference will be significant. If I could get QuickBurst igniters at a buck apiece from local vendors, and the Slim Gem was a skosh smaller, then I’d certainly buy them.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5