Project:Fire Pong Meeting 2016-06-18

Fire Pong Meeting 2016-06-18

Played a sparkers some more
- Tested using a spark plug - used slightly less current; sparks not just in spark gap!
Discussed heat proof insulators
- Ceramic beads for craft - cheap, might be able to find good size

Went to The Bead Shop, but they do not do ceramic tube style beads
At Anchor, discovered long fuses for 10p each! Perfect internal diameter
- Back at space - blow torch to desolder caps - works well! WE HAVE A WINNER!

Tested updated arduino switching code (allows over-lapping puff sequences)
- 400ms offset between puffers seemed nice, but we'll have to see all 12 in a row before we really know
Another sparker blew... this time it was shorting out on the damp grass... we must make sure they're elevated well. This also really rules out running in the rain.
Tested different nozzle designs:
- 15-22 mm copper expansion: nice flame, but flames lick around longer, causing more heating, and melting of insulation on sparker wires over the lip of the barrel
- 15-28 mm copper expansion: like 15-22 expansion, but more pronounced heating
- Tin can: even worse heating, although nice flame
- Conclusion: standard 15mm copper tube creates a nice flame, doesn't suffer from much heating and is easy to attach the sparker electrodes to, so we'll stick with that
Start button was triggered in damp grass... s/w change to only detect start when button depressed continuously for 500ms - more reliable

Ian:
- Power calculations for 6V lead acids (how many do we need to run for 2 hours, cased on average or 2 sparkers operating continuously?
- Think more about the sparker mounts, but don't sweat it - we can always tape on those ceramic resistors!
- Remember to bring offical WiiMote on Saturday.
Mouse:
- Continue looking at supply / regulator section
- Review parts and order list and order remaining bits for small puffer segments (BSP fittings etc)
- Make event packet construction and parsing code for clients and command modules
- Hook up 2 relay boards and connect to serial and start to write code for actual pong game (with buttons)