13 Mar 2016 - and a mystery. Test run gives a stubborn zero on our "force measurer"which is a luggage weighing scale. To get good performance we need 100W of electrical power to deliver a thrust force of 1N which would show on these scales as 0.1 kg force. Scale sits at zero all the way. Big under-performance challenge here!
Test 1 looked good - so there is something there.
I plan to follow-up by trying:
A smaller nozzle for more of a pressure build up,
Balancing the balance beam instead of measuring reduction of the weight force of a large counterweight
Measure other kinds of model thruster on this rig for comparison
Beam balance about 45cm long made of "Make-a-Bracket Carinya" steel shelving pieces.
Idea is to assemble the motor on the vertical piece at the end nearer to camera.
Rocket motor applies an up force - pivots in beam centre - giving a down force at the other end to be measured with an electronic hanging scale intended for weighing luggage.
