Elektra II Runs Unbelievably Well!!

[Mark 42]

Continuation from:
http://www.pulse-jets.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=4290

I fired it up a couple of hours ago... MAN!
It ran far better than I ever expected it to.
It started itself without even adding any external airflow the first time!

I was all set to play the gas flow rate and add air with a nozzle
hooked up to an airhose from my compressor, and it just popped
off and started running!

I later founfd that playing the throttle a bit usually kicks it off,
but once or twice I had to give it a small squirt of air.
I bet I could have just blown into the intake with my breath
and it would have fired off!

It really runs strong. I had to take it off of the sawhorse because
it wanted to slide off from the thrust. It even scooted the whole
assemble (wooden frame, heat shield & engine) across the
asphalt a couple of times. I'm betting it has a couple of pounds
of thrust. I need to mount it on wheels and measure the thrust.

I am uploading some video to Youtube right now & will post
the links in a little while.

I think the modifications that I did (some Erick Beck's suggestions)
made a difference.

I'll be back... I'm going to check on my uploads...

[Mark 42]

Video: here is one of the runs. You can't hear me talking about
throttling it in the background, but you might here the throttle
fluctuations. I didn't expect it to start w/o a squirt of air into the intake.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi6E3Zxb5ww

Video: another run. You can't hear me yelling into the
microphone trying to narrate... this is LOUD!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zvk1S-m3NaI

My neighbor didn't even really care. My wife went over after
I got done with a few runs over the course of about a
half an hour to an hour... she says his reaction was something
like a chuckle and "Oh, so that's what that was".

[Jim Berquist]

You did something RIGHT!! Larry's going to love this one. Self starting....

Are Too! Are Too!!!

Jim

[Mark 42]

I Might be... but, naw, I don't have time for that.
I have to admit that such an unexpected success really
is exciting. I expected some fine tuning, but it just
fired right off. I really can't get involved in another hobby!
But if I see a Go-Kart chassis cheap, I might buy it for the future.

I think what might have helped it run so well...

I domed the sides of the combustion chamber (bottom
& lid of the electrical box). I just laid them on sandy dirt
and pounded with a large hammer. I think I did the lid
by heating it so it would stretch easier.

I lengthened the intake to 7.15 inches at the centerline.

I made the intake flush instead of protruding into the
combustion chamber (per Eric's suggestion).

I moved the spark plug directly across the CC from the intake.
I used a very wide gap (about 1/10 inch) and the 12,000 volt
Neon transformer.

I found that it even restarted without electricity to the spark plug
once it warmed up. I still haven't got it good and hot though...
there is still some paint left on the end of the exhaust tube.
(My son doesn't like the smell of the burning paint, so that's
good that it's almost gone).

I would do video of it running hot in dim light, but it doesn't get
dark around here until almost 10:00 PM now tha summer is here.

[Jim Berquist]

That was a good show! Larry's going to love seeing it self start.

Now to the Nitty Gritty! You have a Addiction problem Son! Denial is the first obstacle for you now! Your last thoughts before falling to sleep is how to better the engine! Bigger, Better, Faster, Fess Up!!!

You have tried to integrate the pulse jet into your sailing life.

You have brought your son in as a enabler so as you can attach one to his scooter!

Your wife scampers next door to ease the nabors!

You probably have delusions of grander about building some massive engine you can store in the bilge on your boat. You will use the engine to escape the storm of the century with NORAD following your thermal image!



It was good? HUUU?

Jim

[Mark 42]

"Hello, my name is Mark, and I'm a rocket scientist..."

"Hi Mark! Welcome."

Step one... admit there is a higher power.

It makes me wish I were still in college so I could get credit for
it and call it "Work".

BTW, when I say it runs unbelievably well, I mean that I'm just
astonished that it works so reliably and simply. No tinkering
with the fuel feed tube or adjustments, it just worked out that
it's all sized just right. Some of it is from reading, most of it
is Larry & Eric's prior work, some intuition, and a good bit of
plain old luck.

I can't believe it actually worked. I expected some fine tuning
at a minimum, and accepted the possibility that it might not
work at all. Even a blind nut finds a squirrel every now & then.

[Jim Berquist]

Make Shure you Oil all of those parts! You Don't want them to bind and die from to much friction!


Jim

[Mike Everman]

Good grief, Jim, what in the hell are you talking about?

[Irvine.J]

I don't think I want to know!
I vote we all get drunk and crash at Eric's house. Party on Wayne!

[Mark]

Good grief, Jim, what in the hell are you talking about?

I think it might be hyperpole - obvious and intentional exaggeration, all those moving parts on a valveless pulsejet. Just a guess of course.

[larry cottrill]

UNBELIEVABLE! Ran the first time out, and self-starting, too!

Your described mods to the combustion chamber sides are of special interest. We have always known that the flat-sided chambers of the Elektra engines must be highly suboptimal.

Great work! Get your wife to ceremonially cut off your shirttail for you.

L Cottrill

[Jim Berquist]

It was a Dry Joke Mike. Cool engine , It's going to be interesting to see how much it puts out.


Jim

[Mark 42]

Some of the joke goes back to my statement that I don't need
another hobby, and Jim's respons, in this thread:
http://www.pulse-jets.com/phpbb2/viewto ... 9796#49796

Sorry for the confusion.

I'm thinking maybe if I use a 1.5" length of 4" diameter exhaust pipe
and make two domed lids in place of the octagon shaped box I can
make the same engine w/o having to weld up all those conduit knock-outs.

[Mike Everman]

No worries, Jim.

[Jim Berquist]

Dangle your fish scale on that one and let us know what it does! It sound pretty strong. No bad for a junk box engine......

Mike the only thing I'm worried about is finding another job... I've been sitting on my but for two months now......Got work for Me???

Jim