Air bag messing
Author
Discussion

ingenieur

Original Poster:

4,653 posts

211 months

Wednesday 11th October 2023
quotequote all
Anyone ever set off an airbag out of the car before? We have an opportunity as I'm replacing one of the airbags on one of our cars and I'd like to make it educational for the kids. Obviously safety will be top of the list and there's no reason at all why this can't be done safely, that's the way we'll do it.

Is there anything better than simply setting it off on the ground. Could I stick it next to a watermelon or something like that?

QuattroDave

1,817 posts

158 months

Wednesday 11th October 2023
quotequote all
Just make sure to use an appropriate sized airbag in an appropriate setting:

https://youtu.be/Fr-CNfi04IY?feature=shared&t=...


ingenieur

Original Poster:

4,653 posts

211 months

Wednesday 11th October 2023
quotequote all
QuattroDave said:
Just make sure to use an appropriate sized airbag in an appropriate setting:

https://youtu.be/Fr-CNfi04IY?feature=shared&t=...
We won't be doing that.

The test driver

1,267 posts

189 months

Wednesday 11th October 2023
quotequote all
aaarrrr a speciality of mine!

Make sure its anchored down well as can easily become a missile, but in essence bend back the bridging bar in the connection or insulate what ever pins you use, then bodge a wire to each of the gas generator pins, add 12V and pop goes the airbag.

I've seen airbags bend the top of skips when chucked inside and set off face down, so used to mount them into a bench mounted vice with the bench screwed to the floor.

ingenieur

Original Poster:

4,653 posts

211 months

Wednesday 11th October 2023
quotequote all
The test driver said:
aaarrrr a speciality of mine!

Make sure its anchored down well as can easily become a missile, but in essence bend back the bridging bar in the connection or insulate what ever pins you use, then bodge a wire to each of the gas generator pins, add 12V and pop goes the airbag.

I've seen airbags bend the top of skips when chucked inside and set off face down, so used to mount them into a bench mounted vice with the bench screwed to the floor.
Didn't realise they were so powerful. Good to know so we can make sure we mount it securely and stay at a safe distance!

rigga

8,806 posts

231 months

Wednesday 11th October 2023
quotequote all
We used to have to set them off when replaced , couldn't send them back to the factory, had a dedicated lead, with enough slack on it to be well away, inside a cage, and bang. They do make a noise.

ingenieur

Original Poster:

4,653 posts

211 months

Wednesday 11th October 2023
quotequote all
rigga said:
We used to have to set them off when replaced , couldn't send them back to the factory, had a dedicated lead, with enough slack on it to be well away, inside a cage, and bang. They do make a noise.
yes, even though you don't hear about it much it had crossed my mind that there would be parts of the automotive industry where controlled detonation of air bags is a regular part of the work due to the obvious issues surrounding handling of explosive devices. Not sure where and when... but since you mention it I am now not surprised to hear that it happens.

sixor8

8,566 posts

298 months

Wednesday 11th October 2023
quotequote all
ingenieur said:
Didn't realise they were so powerful. Good to know so we can make sure we mount it securely and stay at a safe distance!
They are designed to meet a rapidly moving, heavy object coming towards them, ie the head and upper torso of a human in an accident with enough of a rapid deceleration to set them off. eek Like those idiots in the video, if one object is stationary, there is a LOT of force. Good luck! smile

DaveH23

3,355 posts

200 months

Wednesday 11th October 2023
quotequote all
For everyone's benefit can you please record this OP.

We need to see the outcome of you sending a child in to orbit recording an automotive educational video.

Bobupndown

2,973 posts

73 months

Wednesday 11th October 2023
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Bought a leather interior on Gumtree from a BMW to make mancave seats. Welded up frames for the front seats and bolted them on, very comfy but one of the seats at wrong angle and electrically adjustable. Got a spare car battery and disconnected the wires under the seats, trial and error to see which wires controlled which motors. Stupid me didn't even stop to think there was an airbag in there as well as all the electric motors. Connected 2 wires to the battery and the side bolster air bag goes off. Nearly s@@t myself, fortunately I was at the front of the seat and not the side or it could have done serious damage. Now have to sew up the stitches again on the side

ingenieur

Original Poster:

4,653 posts

211 months

Thursday 12th October 2023
quotequote all
Bobupndown said:
Bought a leather interior on Gumtree from a BMW to make mancave seats. Welded up frames for the front seats and bolted them on, very comfy but one of the seats at wrong angle and electrically adjustable. Got a spare car battery and disconnected the wires under the seats, trial and error to see which wires controlled which motors. Stupid me didn't even stop to think there was an airbag in there as well as all the electric motors. Connected 2 wires to the battery and the side bolster air bag goes off. Nearly s@@t myself, fortunately I was at the front of the seat and not the side or it could have done serious damage. Now have to sew up the stitches again on the side
Love that. Would have been so easy to do and so obvious what went wrong once it had been done!

Decky_Q

2,088 posts

207 months

Thursday 12th October 2023
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Haha great story!

Jader1973

5,160 posts

230 months

Thursday 12th October 2023
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Be very careful.

I know a bloke who set one off by dropping it - massive bang and when we went outside to see what had happened he was looking a bit pale.

Smint

3,639 posts

65 months

Thursday 12th October 2023
quotequote all
Commercial workshops we used had a repaired hole in the foor...butterfungus, ROOF, they had a play with an airbag.



Edited by Smint on Thursday 12th October 10:21

Abbott

2,864 posts

233 months

Thursday 12th October 2023
quotequote all
ingenieur said:
there's no reason at all why this can't be done safely,
Followed by

ingenieur said:
Didn't realise they were so powerful.
Suggests you don't know what you are doing and for the sake of your children you should not "play" with a live airbag

ingenieur

Original Poster:

4,653 posts

211 months

Thursday 12th October 2023
quotequote all
Abbott said:
ingenieur said:
there's no reason at all why this can't be done safely,
Followed by

ingenieur said:
Didn't realise they were so powerful.
Suggests you don't know what you are doing and for the sake of your children you should not "play" with a live airbag
Yes mum.

The test driver

1,267 posts

189 months

Thursday 12th October 2023
quotequote all
ingenieur said:
Abbott said:
ingenieur said:
there's no reason at all why this can't be done safely,
Followed by

ingenieur said:
Didn't realise they were so powerful.
Suggests you don't know what you are doing and for the sake of your children you should not "play" with a live airbag
Yes mum.
If your local to Silverstone give me a shout, I'll lend you some expert advice. biggrin