Guest guest Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 Is their any way this could be done? Somehow hook the controllers up to light the fuses? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 Probably not - LOR controllers supply AC current (120v) to the switched outlets.If you want to trigger fireworks, you would probably want to use the LOR software to controll a DIO board that supplies 5VDC on the switched outputs. These would be connected to ignitors like are used in model rocketry. When a DC current is applied, the wire gets hot and ignites a film applied to the wire producing flame.Fireworks can be a dangerous hobby if you're not qualified to work safely in this area. Remember that it's harder to sequence your Christmas show if you only have 8 fingers left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 Not to mention it would be hard to sequence the blast from the fireworks to the beat of the song with the delay of the fireworks flying in the air before the blast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 Especially if you have many duds:] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 I saw a TV show once about the people that do professional fireworks shows. The software that they use looked like it did backtiming automatically - if you want a red blossom shell at 1:15:30, the software would factor in the delay in lighting the fuse and the delay from firing until the shell exploded and would calculate a trigger time so that the shell would explode at about 1:15:30. If you used LOR, you would have to calculate that backtiming manually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 Ok thanks for you input. I didnt think it would work anyway, just remembered a post a while back about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 As a matter of fact,I have been looking into some pyrotechnics.(mostly for indoor use) There is some 120 VAC launching devices available from this company:http://www.theatrefx.com/store/commerce.cgi#pyroIt has some pretty well priced products,but I'm not sure if they have what your wanting to do.It would probably be very dangerous to use their ignition devices with consumer fireworks,and you would have to alterate the device.(which I'm sure is against the law) Even though the price of each item is relatively good,there is a lot of accessories and surcharges that would have to be applied.(HAZMAT,powders,fire retardant gel/materials,shipping,and a license.Plus, I don't recommend using that type of product with LOR.(I don't know the exact electrical specifications)Hope this helps,(though I doubt it will)Chase:waycool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 Tom,People have approached us in the past with the idea of plugging power bricks into LOR channels to ignite the 'match.' We specifically advise against this because older LOR controllers will sometimes flash the lights on power up. A minor nuisance with lights but potentially far more dramatic with explosives. I would imagine that fireworks control electronics have some sort of safety and I wouldn't want to operate without that.John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 for most shows a safty man holds a remote that has one button which must beheld down to start the show and also be held throught the show for safety Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 Older ones will flash the lights when you turn them on? I just bought my first controller during the sale and mine flash when I put power to the unit too. Does this mean I have an "older" unit or is this a thing that happens with even the newer units. I'm not complaining if I have an older unit, it works well and that's all I care. Just curious about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 When I turn my celing fan off I get a flash, and my floresient closet light also somtimes makes it pop. No big deal, it is just a little interferiance.--Daniel L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 Older, while technically true, was probably a bad choice of words. The ones we are making right now have a tiny addition to prevent the flash. Those made earlier this year don't have it. Still, no setting off fireworks please.The strange thing is that this flash never happens to me. Dan told me about it earlier this year and I tried to reproduce it without success. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 Take a look at this:http://www.fireworks.com/phantom_mall/photo.asp?pid=881I'm considering getting one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 23, 2006 Share Posted June 23, 2006 Chase Hall wrote: It has some pretty well priced products,but I'm not sure if they have what your wanting to do.It would probably be very dangerous to use their ignition devices with consumer fireworks,and you would have to alterate the device Alterate? TED Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 Hobby rocket engines have engine starters that I suppose could be wired up.They are nothing but a wire and primer charge (tiny-tiny charge) to kick start the main rocket engine. Cheap too. They are primarily DC, battery driven - because that is all it takes. maybe shoot 1% intensity for a 20th?(not responsible for any damage or injury that may be the result of such idea)Tad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 I just talked to a friend of mine, Three Fingers Johnson, about your idea with fireworks. He has a lot of experience with detonations and makeshift incendiary devices. When I asked him he pointed at me... well, he waved one of his stumps at me, and said: "You tell them to go for it! What have they got to lose?!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 As a mostly retired professional pyrotechnician, this would be very difficult, and potentially dangerous, to do with LOR especially because of the voltage.The voltage in fireworks firing systems is 12VDC. Darryl has a new 12 volt system that might work, the principle is the same as the large commercial units (without the bells and whistles), but it does not have the fail safe features found in professional units.The digital commercial firing systems for professional fireworks are loaded with fail-safe protection systems. The software indeed backtimes the lift time of the shells and is geared toward professional 3-12+ inch shells.Firing is accomplished through a 16-shot firing module controlled by a master controller activating a 12 volt circuit into a squib (a small electric match which produces a small ball of fire) which ignites the fuse. But we are talking much different fuse in professional fireworks, called quick match. This is a string which is heavily coated in black powder enclosed in a paper sheath. It burns very quickly 40-50 feet per second to ignite the shell/device.All of these products are regulated and cannot be purchased (maybe with the exception of the squibs (I have seen them at gunshows) without license.While technically one could possibly do something in this arena, I would be very, very cautious because of safety and also many times you would be potentially violating many state and Federal laws and regs.If anyone is interested, the two primary commercial units used in the professional arena can be seen at:Pyrodigital http://www.infinityvisions.com/shop/default.aspFire One http://www.fireone.com/But unless you are willing to shell out $10,000 plus, stick with the matches!Have a great safe holiday everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 5, 2006 Share Posted July 5, 2006 A place for advice on how to sequence fireworks to music, would be to contact Zambelli Fireworks out of New Castle, Pennsylvania. They are the top in the industry when it comes to firework displays and synchronizing them to music. I grew up about 10 minutes from their office.http://www.zambellifireworks.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 Zambelli uses the Fire One control system. I have done probably more than 300 shows for Zambelli. They are a good group but simply are retailers of imported fireworks from China as are most all other retailers of display fireworks. Very few, if any, manufacture any of their own fireworks due to Federal regulations and quite simply, cost.Except for the larger shows, Zambelli uses manual firing systems by PyroMagic and PyroMate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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