Starting fluid won't work

Boom! The classic potato gun harnesses the combustion of flammable vapor. Show us your combustion spud gun and discuss fuels, ratios, safety, ignition systems, tools, and more.
jaspervandieman
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Fri Aug 17, 2007 3:12 pm

I have a basic combustion gun that works 1st shot EVERY time with alcohol but NEVER works with starting fluid. I've tried all different amounts of starting fluid to no avail. I'm just trying to get more kick than the alcohol gives....HELP!
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thespeedycicada
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Fri Aug 17, 2007 3:14 pm

try a chamber fan or better yet propane.Thats all i can suggest.
jaspervandieman
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Fri Aug 17, 2007 3:19 pm

I'll try a fan in my next gun, but I think I might ce corrupting my electrodes with the spray. I'm going to try concentrating the starting fluid in something and dump it in like I do with the alcohol and let it fester for about 30 seconds before I fire. Wish me luck and thanx.
Intel Xeon
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Fri Aug 17, 2007 4:17 pm

starting fluid is sometimes propelled with co2, so maybe that's the problem
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frankrede
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Fri Aug 17, 2007 5:07 pm

Just use starting fluid no alcohol.
1/2 second spray should work.
Current project: Afghanistan deployment
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noname
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Fri Aug 17, 2007 5:14 pm

Starting fluid often doesn't get spread around the chamber enough to ignite. A chamber fan should solve your problem, as well as increase performance anyway.
jaspervandieman
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Sat Aug 18, 2007 11:14 am

The stuff I'm trying is co2 propelled There's my problem.
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noname
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Sat Aug 18, 2007 11:17 am

Not true, most of it is, and works fine for me.
jaspervandieman
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Sat Aug 18, 2007 12:13 pm

Is starting fluid that much stronger than alcohol?
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frankrede
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Sat Aug 18, 2007 4:21 pm

Yes.
And my starter fluid uses co2 and it never fails.
Current project: Afghanistan deployment
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mark.f
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Sun Aug 19, 2007 7:06 pm

How big is your chamber.

I find in smaller chambers, (generally below 100 cubic inches), it's a PITA to get the correct amount of starting fluid into your chamber. You literally gotta tap the valve on the can as fast as humanly possible on a smallish 90-odd c.i. chamber to get the right mixture, so if it's any smaller than that you're gonna have problems.
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n3rdkw
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Sun Aug 19, 2007 7:07 pm

I keep hearing this "Chamber Fan" and I just don't know which kind of fan and how to power this fan and how to install this fan....
I can't find chamber fan stuff on the wiki =(
Anyone help?
Goal: a 750fps hybrid
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DYI
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Sun Aug 19, 2007 7:17 pm

A chamber fan is usually just a computer case fan in the chamber used to mix the fuel and air throughout the chamber. I'm almost sure that that is in the Wiki.
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mtronic
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Tue Aug 21, 2007 6:22 pm

starter fluid works fine for me too, even in my first cannon without the fan. Just make sure your holding the can properly and dont spray it directly onto your electrodes.
I keep hearing this "Chamber Fan"
If you cant/dont want to install a fan I saw somewhere on this site you can get that plastic chain(white coloured) and attatch it to the inside of the chamber and give it a shake. Its a crude method but it would work, fans still rock though.
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