Gas Expansion Task

[ScottMaurer19]

yes but unwilling to share at this time

Same here. This is one task that I found particularly challenging. The syringes that I was using on the last version didn't work, it took too long to expand the gas. With the new version I can complete the task in just over 5 seconds.

@PM2017 - unless you've got a 1500W heater you might have some trouble with pushing even tiny syringes.

You can do this task very fast if you do it right. Our current method is running at just under 1sec (and no, no insane 1500W heaters).

Same here. I feel like we have similar ideas... People seem to all be slowly catching on

[dmis]

Same here. This is one task that I found particularly challenging. The syringes that I was using on the last version didn't work, it took too long to expand the gas. With the new version I can complete the task in just over 5 seconds.

@PM2017 - unless you've got a 1500W heater you might have some trouble with pushing even tiny syringes.

You can do this task very fast if you do it right. Our current method is running at just under 1sec (and no, no insane 1500W heaters).

Same here. I feel like we have similar ideas... People seem to all be slowly catching on

I'm very curious to see if everyone here is discussing similar ideas or if we have all just come up with different ones and are assuming they are the same. I could imagine that there are a lot of ways to do this task, but I can really only think of my own.

[unknownuser2]

Hi all, I'm getting kind of desperate because my states competition is relatively soon and I still have no clue how to achieve this step. Is anyone willing to share what they did? I was thinking of something along the lines of a chemical reaction that produces heat and thus expands a balloon but I both don't think this would be enough heat and it is probably the production of gas that causes the next step.

[Dark Sabre]

Has anyone else thought about using a pressure sensor for this task? You would only need to make a minuscule change in pressure so the whole action would go faster.

As an electromechanical approach, a differential HVAC vacuum switch might be ideal for that. In the application, they sense the relatively small pressure drop that occurs when a gas furnace's inducer motor is properly running. If you put your gas generating mechanism on what is normally the reference side of the device, then ambient pressure would be relatively lower.

Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008FM9VUA/

[oofboy69]

Really the only thing i can think of doing is turning on a heating element inside a balloon with a sensitive switch very close to it, so that when the air heats up it pushes the switch. Does anyone else have any ideas they are willing to share?

[SluffAndRuff]

Nichrome?

[bgong]

Is it possible for me to impound a water heater to use during setup? I haven't been able to find any rules about impound.

[Kyanite]

Is it possible for me to impound a water heater to use during setup? I haven't been able to find any rules about impound.

I dont see why not, but there is also nothing saying you should be allowed to. Try and find another way or talk with event supervisors.

[ScottMaurer19]

Is it possible for me to impound a water heater to use during setup? I haven't been able to find any rules about impound.

I dont see why not, but there is also nothing saying you should be allowed to. Try and find another way or talk with event supervisors.

If it is not stated that it isn't allowed, then it is.

[PM2017]

Does change in temperature mean there must somehow be a conversion between potential energy and thermal energy (ie a matchstick burning) or can you bring something hot in contact with something cold?

I'm assuming the reason you would want to have the water heater is so that the device could pour the water to heat something else up, but this seems iffy to me.

EDIT: typos