Brief:
T' XCIC-1 XAVIEN Cluster Igniter Controller is an air-start board that lights igniters as soon as it detects launch. It uses a G-switch t' accomplish this. There is nay a timer t' adjust t' moment o' ignition, arrr, but t' goal o' this unit is t' light outboard motors at t' moment o' launch detection.

Construction:
T' package arrived with a pre-wired battery holder switch. Avast! These are nice heavy wires with pre-soldered contact ends and heat shrink tubin' at all the connections. Aye aye! T' battery holder and switch are excellent quality.

T' control board itself is a small unit measurin' only 1" x 1.25" and weighs only a few grams. T' board has two terminal blocks: one for t' power and one for t' igniters. T' board has two bright surface mounted LEDs--a green one for power indication and a red one for igniter continuity. Blimey! Once t' board senses about 2.1Gs, it can deliver up t' 10 amps peak power for three seconds usin' a 9V battery.

T' XCIC comes with 5 pages o' instructions that are clear and concise and comes with a one-year warranty.

Why use a delay timer?
T' beauty in this unit is that it creates a safer launch condition. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! I have seen cluster rockets where t' rocket has outboard motors in t' cluster that are nay strong enough t' safely lift t' rocket by themselves. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! At launch, ya bilge rat, matey, the weak outboards light but nay t' central motor. T' safest cluster scenario is to have a central motor that can safely lift t' rocket by itself. Begad! Once that central motor is lit, it's safe t' light t' other motors.

Another advantage t' usin' timed ignition is bein' able t' use various propellants. Arrr! It's never a good idea t' mix propellant types off t' pad because of t' various times it takes t' light and for them t' come up t' full chamber pressure. Avast! Well, blow me down! Usin' a timer for air-startin' makes this irrelevant. Let's not forget t' cool factor o' air-startin' motors.

Flight:
In order t' test this unit, I scratch built a carrier vehicle. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! I kitbashed two US Rockets Aero-Roc kits and added a few additional US Rockets parts. Begad! It ended up lookin' like their Sentra SRB kit. Ahoy! Begad! I installed t' XCIC-1 and 9V battery on a small board in t' forward section o' t' rocket. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! I ran t' two igniter wires through a "tunnel" that I made from a cardboard ¼" Aerotech igniter holder. T' ejection charge from t' central motor be exhausted out the side o' t' rocket through a couple o' ¼" holes. Aye aye! T' outboards were aft ejection and contained t' chutes and shock cords. Begad!

For this test I used an F25-6 for t' central motor and two D12-5's in the outboards. Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! As you can see in t' picture, arrr, t' central motor lit, me hearties, but the G-force caused one o' t' outboards t' fall out o' t' back as it lifted off the pad. Begad! T' cluster start board did its job because you can see t' motor that fell out be lit. Well, blow me down! T' other D12 did light but it can't be seen in t' picture.

Summary:
Overall, this is a nice little board for a very reasonable price. Blimey! Its simplicity makes it easy t' use in many applications. Its size and weight means it can be used in small projects or be easily incorporated into large projects.

PROs: Small, me bucko, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, lightweight and reasonably priced.

CONs: A programmable delay would make this a more versatile unit.