Well.....that depends on the definition of "better" in your particular situation.

For inexpensive, portable, marketable controllers to introduce the hobby to new people or for casual use in the park the answer is different than for long-term large group cluster and copperhead-capable controllers for larger sites or club launches...

For my first self-built controller, which is three channels with LED continuity indication and a buzzer for "panel armed", I use a three cell 5Ah LiPoly pack from my electric RC airplane days. It works VERY nicely.

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Bernard Cawley
NAR 89040 L1 - Life Member
SAM 0061
AMA 42160
KG7AIE

Actually, I didn't try them direct across the terminals of the 9V... until I read your post.

The 9V's were purchased new, and directly put into the launcher and are/were unable to ignite the Estes igniters supplied with my C11-5 and C6-7 motors purchased that same day.

So, it's clear that the problem is the batteries, but the launcher's face card does not specify any particular brand or 9V battery (actually, it was hard to see that it used 9V alkaline's because of the small size of the type, and the positioning of the LHS's price tag), and I went with what was available at the time (Sunbeam Super Heavy Duty)(a 9V is a 9V is a 9V isn't it? Apparently not). In a careful examination of the instructions, I did eventually find that they specify 9V alkaline 6LR61 type. I've lost the packaging for the batteries, so I don't know if they claim to be 6LR61's or not.

A recommendation to Estes would be to make the 9V requirements more visible on the face card, complete with the 6LR61 number, and add that to the troubleshooting guide.

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Dreaming of making the rockets I dreamed of as a kid (and then some).

"The Guide says there is an art to flying", said Ford, "or rather a knack."
"The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss."

Launching is Optional... Landing? That Depends on Trees.

6LR61 is just a size code, I think, for what we of a certain age know as a 9V transistor radio battery. (I'm old enough to remember that there used to be more than one size of 9V "transistor radio" battery....*sigh*)

But these Sunbeam "Heavy Dutys" (must be the name, being used by some Far Eastern company - I have never seen a battery labeled "Sunbeam" anywhere but in dollar stores) may have been just plain ol' carbon-zinc cells - not alkalines. And they don't age well on the shelf by comparison.

added: upon further reading, I find that 6LR61 is specifically an alkaline battery. The carbon-zinc types that are the same physical size are "6F22"

I misinterpreted what you wrote here:
as meaning you'd tried the igniter directly on the battery terminals. Sorry for the confusion.

That leaves the defective controller theory that John suggested as also viable until proven otherwise.

And it is truly sad that an interested kid's first experience with model rockets was that it didn't go.....

__________________
Bernard Cawley
NAR 89040 L1 - Life Member
SAM 0061
AMA 42160
KG7AIE

I RSO our NAR sections launches.

I have seen MANY of the new Estes controllers with the 9 volt battery.

They have only been out a few months, but they are showing up at our launches in pretty decent numbers.

All work PERFECTLY.

Only one person had a failure. He used a "heavy duty battery" which is NOT an alkaline battery. It was also failry old as I tested it and it had 7 volts. "heavy duty batteries" are to batteries what "World's Finest Chocolate" is to candy: Garbage.

Also, you must press in the safety key and keep it pressed in when you press the launch button.

As someone with 44 years of continuous Model Rocket launching experience I can state that in my personal opinion, the new estes controller is excellent and just as good as the Quest 9 volt controller.

ALL model rocket products are going to have failures in the hands of people who do not carefully read the instructions.

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-Fred Shecter NAR 20117 (L2)
Southern California Rocket Association, NAR Section 430

I use two old astron controllers alligator clipped to an actual WET CELL 12v Motorcycle battery.
I can reliably ignite 3 engine clusters with BARE NICHROME for igniters EVERY TIME.

Get a REAL launch system and you never have these irritating issues.

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When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!!

Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't !
Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY.
ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, TURMOIL, FIASCOS, and HAVOC !