Hello FChat Forum, I have a special project and I am hoping someone here can help with it, basically I have a project where I need a propane flame to shoot out for a defined time. This is for a gate at the drive way of a house. There are no proximity issues with trees. Needed is someone who has worked with control circuits, has sources for solenoids for lowish pressure propane (Blue Rhino tanks) and a regulator. More specifically, I'm pretty handy with tools and wiring, but I need suggestions for sourcing the bits, and ideally a simple series ckt that ignites a spark, opens a solenoid, stops the spark, and closes the solenoid. I'm thinking of using a 12v coil and a spark plug which are commonly found anywhere, I think I will have 120vAc as the source voltage but I wouldn't be opposed to honkin' 900 CCA battery and a 0.75 Amp battery tender keeping it happy. Really nifty would be a rheostat timer with a range of 10-60 seconds for the fire event duration. Off the shelf simple supportable parts preferred if you know of such. Any folks smarter than I out there*? (yes, I know there are, many, I'm asking if: they might be Willing to help with this endeavor? Ideally someone who is an EE with an electromechanical bent)
Ive built and help build quite a few over the years..here is a link that may help you, you don't need to be an engineer....safety though is first incorporate into your design.. With this design you can adjust your GPIO for any duration etc ...you can use a less complex controlled design also, not a tough DIY project! https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/esp8266-powered-propane-poofer
I had the same kind of questions..thought he would scale accordingly, there are many ad ons you can do to increase the burn affect!!
Once again though the generosity of FChat, my prayers are answered. I will be looking more closely at this set up, and hopefully all the vendor info is there ! Actually I have a beast atop a pillar, which I want to spit fire…when a gate to my driveway is opening.. I have too much time on my hands…yes I do. thanks!
There is a guy selling a hand held flame thrower that uses flash paper as the fuel. It runs about $150. You should check it out. http://www.ellusionist.com/pyro-mini-fireshooter.html
there is a parts list in there if you need anything else PM me..ive done a bit of work at Burningman on different projects...the expansion chamber is key as to how much flame effect you want or "poof" you can also size it to have a large poof..and scale back......
That is a very generous offer, I may be needing some help: 1. The Fuel source will be in the pillar, blue Rhino bbq propane style I think although I like the ease of the propane torch for brazing and sweat work... 2. However the nozzle and expansion chamber, when lit, is the 'poof' factor. 3. Sadly, I am trying to figure out some arrangement by which the igniter is in the mouth and a fuel hose goes up the body of the beast. Thusly the problem of fitting the nozzle and accumulator (if used). Ideally the solenoid could be in the mouth but I don't know if I can fit it if not, then just under the beast in the pillar, and therefore the length of the hose would need to 'fill' up with fuel, after the last flame event, then air would be in the section from the solenoid to atmosphere then the question as to what propane distribution device which makes a fierce flame... Basically fitting all these goodies in the mouth is my quandary, igniter has to be there, I had envisioned a nozzle of smaller diameter Any suggestions Mr. NorCal2? For those interested, I have two acres and have a motto, I don't want to know my neighbors well enough to dislike them, I am from the consenting adults school, and don't want anyone telling me what color choices I have to make a selection from when I paint my house...the beast is a commissioned bronze, well, specifically a dragon, from a sculptor of some note. I was born in the year of the dragon (big deal), which is as good as reason as any to do something fun and silly like this. Mine is much more fierce than the one at Taliesen West. I know, I have been to Arizona twice. But I DID absolutely steal the idea from there !!!
Don't ask me how this is legal. http://www.ellusionist.com/pyro-mini-fireshooter.html OK... I do not know why I can get this link and when I copy it, its bad on Fchat. But just google handheld flamethrower flash paper and it appears at the top of Google. Here it is on Youtube [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXO63hyaiVs[/ame]
Flash paper has the benefit of being a colder fire with less chances of igniting other things, but the burn duration is limited. There are also fake fire effects using water vapor and lighting effects, but that works better in the dark. Just be careful you and your neighbors don't get into ... ... a flame war.
You can mock up the basics...locate the expansion tank and fuel below near your gate post and run a line up to the mouth with whatever sizing you will need for the effect.. ive used an old propane tank as an expansion chamber, cheap and efficient, the old propane tanks that are thrown away work great the same size as the blue rhino ones... ...I would build a mock up..and test to get the effect..the line size running to the mouth you might have to play with ....to get the proper effect..smaller line size = less fire etc...and along with your nozzle size..you also might want to think of a dual setup nostrils and mouth at the same time? Any other questions fire away! Ive been playing with fire for years, in 2006 our team set a guiness world record for fire breathing... Image Unavailable, Please Login
WOW! that beast would take up the whole drive way. Ok! experimentation begins! THANK YOU NorCal2 The nose and head have been done, the tongue is removable and has yet to have the fire bits attached.
Mr. NorCal2, Really great resources on that link you gave me. Pls comment on this plan: (or anyone else is welcome too) I think I am going to go with a self contained 24vDc / 12vDc arrangement for the flame producer, with a supplemental 12vDc battery tender solid state job for keeping the batteries happy as suggested earlier. Still undecided on LED lighting for the pillars or 120vAC but that's another problem... The sparker units of the silicon nitride variety are 24vDC so that means just another battery in series for that, and the warm up time is like 3 seconds at 3 Amps which is acceptable, this eliminates the 'pilot' chamber, and the accumulator. I am thinking a couple of DieHard high quality Harley Big Twin batteries would do this. I think a 20lb tank will be a good fuel source. I will be using a regulator (0-150psi) close coupled to the tank so no need for high pressure hose in this leg, I am reading that a target of 30psi to start should get this party started, Amazon has a few good ones. Because of space considerations I think the 12vDC solenoid will have to be housed below the beast after the regulator it's some 64 inches through the sinuous body, and to the mouth, so a correct pressure hose connected to and delivering fuel to the nozzle in the mouth, will be required here, The nozzle I think I will be making out of copper tubing 1/2 in diameter, length TBD, sweat fittings on the delivery end. I have found some good sources for the solenoids on Amazon too. I am reading that the duration of the opening solenoid is .5 second, that sounds short? Agree? I am looking for a blast of flame not a poof or a series of poofs. The duty cycle will be low, with a significant rest period of hours after each flame event so I am not worried about tank ice up. Sadly the programming of the control board is a bit past me so I will be needing to get some help for that but that looks like a solid unit for the control circuits. Having an external remote trigger method is appealing as well as a timed event when the gate to the drive way opens. A step down DC voltage source is, I think I read, 5vDC so that fits nicely with the other power sources as mentioned. What do you say? How about a little fire Scarecrow? HaHaHaHaHa !!!
Im on vacation now I will comment back.. after the first of the year..your plan sounds like it will work...ill get you more info when I have time...happy holidays!
Ok, so over the vacation I have been at work: I have a push button manual release of the solenoid and have experimented with the regulator pressure which is too high as evidenced by the distance from the end of the nozzle. The igniter was a lighter however I think the basics are here, now for the software control part . Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
