Multiple pyro detonation

[JMeG]

Okay, a director wants 3 simultaneous LeMaitre pyros, positioned next to each other, to be detonated at once. Off the top of my head they are a loud report theatrical flash, a small flame projector and a coloured star.

 

Are there and safety issues (i.e. strange reactions, increased blast radius etc.) with this? I've never had pyro so close before :)

 

Cheers

[Brian]

There should be no odd chemical reactions. The safety distance will be the maximum of each effect in each direction.

 

As all devices are going at once you don't need to worry about cross-ignition.

 

Watch that all devices are secure - especially the flame projector which is a tall device - you don't want the blast from the TF knocking it over, really, you don't.

 

Before you use the effect with cast or audience present you should do a test firing to confirm that all your safety precautions are adequate and that your risk assessment has covered all the necessary angles.

 

Make sure that your fire stewards know what to do and make sure your PEL allows the use of the devices.

[Dominicg]

Usually is a good idea to temporary disable any smoke / fire alarms in the effected areas.

 

And double check before the performance; I know people who’ve learnt the hard way.

[Locksmith]

A quick question, How do you intend to wire the pyros? 1 circuit or 3 separate circuits? I'm only asking because we once wired 2 on a single circuit, but the first one blew the wire apart and the second didn't fire. (I didn't wire them). Is there a correct way to do this?

[Nicktaylor]

I would run wires from a six way control box to each pod. You can select if you want individual or any number of firings, simultaneously. I have no idea what the going rate for the control box is, mine works out at about £10 a week.

[Brian]

A quick question, How do you intend to wire the pyros? 1 circuit or 3 separate circuits? I'm only asking because we once wired 2 on a single circuit, but the first one blew the wire apart and the second didn't fire. (I didn't wire them). Is there a correct way to do this?

I guess the quick answer is 'In such a way that your wiring isn't damaged by the device igniting'.

 

Seriously though, wiring pyro devices in series is common practice and poses no real problems as long as the igniters are all the same type. It does require hardware which is not part of the average basic pyro kit of bits though.

 

As Nick has suggested it may be easier to run as 3 seperate feeds from a 6-way firing box.