G-Wiz Partners - G-Wiz LC Deluxe 800 {Accessory}

G-Wiz Partners G-Wiz LC Deluxe 800

G-Wiz Partners - G-Wiz LC Deluxe 800 {Accessory}

Contributed by Drake "Doc" Damerau

Manufacturer:

Construction:
T' G-Wiz LC Deluxe has both a G-force sensor and a barometric sensor for launch detect, matey, motor burnout and accurate altitude determination. Well, blow me down! Because o' this, arrr, it is nay affected by Mach transitions. Ahoy! Havin' two sensors enables it t' add an additional output channel for clustering, arrr, stagin' or air-starts.

Pyro output 1 - Jumper select betwixt Launch detect for clusters and Burnout detect for stagin' or air-starts

Pyro output 2 - Fires at Apogee detect for drogue deploy.

Pyro output 3 - Fires at a fixed low altitude for main chute deploy.

T' G-Wiz comes in a pre-set main chute deployment altitude: 400 feet or 800 feet. Avast, me proud beauty! I have both units, matey, arrr, but this still limits your options.

Status LED shows e-match continuity before launch, and maximum altitude upon landing. Arrr! It is also able t' tell you how you have t' unit wired and t' jumpers set. Begad! Havin' lights instead o' a beeper can be bothersome because you have t' look through a hole in t' altimeter bay, arrr, instead o' just listenin' from t' ground. This can be a pain when your hole is 15 feet off t' ground.

It can use one or two batteries for operation. Ya scallywag! Blimey! One battery will power t' board and fire t' e-matches. Blimey! Blimey! You can also use two batteries by removin' a jumper wire. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Usin' two batteries separates t' board from t' pyro channels. Avast! Blimey! This ensures you have full power t' t' board durin' an e-match firing. Blimey! Blimey! There is nay a battery mount on t' board like some altimeters. Arrr! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! I like this feature because it allows me t' use whatever battery I want and put it wherever I want. I usually use two standard 9v batteries.

For armin' and disarmin' [for every altimeter I use], arrr, ya bilge rat, matey, I use t' push on / push off switches that PerfectFlight sells. Aye aye! I like t' mount all me altimeters with plastic PC board stand offs and stainless steel screws, arrr, onto a ¼" aircraft plywood board.

Flight:
I have flown both o' these altimeters a few times, without fail. T' "motor burn-out" channel works flawlessly for air startin' me large two-stage rocket. Arrr! Although I only use altimeters in big rockets, me bucko, arrr, its small size allows it t' fit in 29mm airframes.

Summary:
Havin' three output channels makes this one o' me favorite altimeters. Blimey! Aye aye! It's slightly harder t' use than some o' t' simple two channel altimeters out thar so a careful study o' t' directions is required.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5

Other Reviews

G-Wiz Partners G-Wiz LC Deluxe 800 By Dean Roth
G-Wiz LC Deluxe 800 review is provided courtesy of: G-Wiz LC Product Review G-Wiz Partners manufactures rocketry electronics that can be used to collect maximum altitude, control parachute deployment and ignite the motor of a two-stage rocket. With some creative thinking the devices can probably be put to other uses, too, like camera activation upon launch. There actually are two ...

Comments:

K.L.D. (December 10, 2003)

I purchased the G-Wiz LC Deluxe 800 as my second altimeter that could also handle staging. My first altimeter was the Missile Works RRC2 and it worked flawlessly. I build my first staging rocket that would use the RRC2 for deployment and the G-Wiz LC for staging. In building the coupler that would house the G-Wiz LC I found out its limitations. First there is no way to attach a switch to arm the unit. You have to jerry rig a switch to the battery to enable the system to be armed on the pad. Secondly there is no way to verify the arming of the unit on the pad unless you have a gaping hole to see the LED. I put the rocket together at the site and all the electronics LED armed as they should. Needles to say the G-Wiz failed to light the second stage and my new rocket fell 2000 ft to its death. Looking at the G-Wiz the LED was a solid red after the crash but all wires were connected. Talking the guys at G-Wiz they informed me to send it in for a look. They failed to find any problem and wanted me to pay an additional $6.00 to get my broken altimeter back. In conclusion the G-Wiz failed along with the support I received. I later used the RRC2 with my level two certification and it worked great.

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