What is your favorite battery, charger, and clip setup for sport flying?
Gentlemen, Start Your Engines
Stuka Stunt Main Forum · 23 of 23 known posts recovered
It is the same one we use for competition, because we simply like it the best.
We have a flight kit set up with the fuel jug on one side that is held on with a strap and a clip that I got in a fabric store. It snaps together and unsnaps somewhat like some key chains that I have seen where you can separate two sets of keys. We use a hand crank pump where we fill the tank, then remove a set number of "turns" on the crank to a measured amount of fuel remaining in the tank. This way we can adjust the length of our engine runs according to fuel, weather conditions, whatever. But you asked about the battery.
On the other side we have hatch that opens where we have a small motorcycle battery at the bottom. It is a standard wet cell, and we charge it (two or three times a year) with a small trickle charger designed for car batteries. Hook it up overnight, and it is done.
This powers an automatic adjusting panel (Hobico is one brand of these.) The panel has a meter so we can see the condition of the plug at a glance (burned out--no movement, good--small movement, flooded--greatest movement) and it pulses the voltage rather than simply reducing it with a resistor. It can sense the condition of the plug and feed greater pulses to it when it is flooded to burn it off quicker (or keep it from being flooded).
Most of the panels of this type have a knob that needs to be adjusted for the type of glow plug you are using. We found ourselves burning out a low of glow plugs using one of these. The type we use and prefer will automatically adjust its pulses to the type of plug that your are using. Thus if we switch plug types, or if someone wants to borrow the starter box, it makes no difference. Each plug type will still light the same. There is an adjustment inside to increase or decrease the amount of glow, but that adjustment will then hold true for any plug within a reasonable range that you use. The only time we have noticed that it needs to be adjusted manually, is with the use of Cox glow heads. They need more juice. For the Cox, we have to use a Cox clip. For the others, we use a DuBro long reach. It will reach into any cowl.
With this type of system, fuel and battery are together. We bring it over to the plane, fuel it up, then turn it around and hook up to the plug and start. Flooding with an inverted engine normally becomes a non-issue. The battery will last for several years, and needs to be recharged very infrequently.
High in features, low in maintenance. A good combination for us.
Leonard Neumann
As far as the gizzmoes that I stick onto the glow plug, I have become partial to the McDaniels (now Sonic-Tronics) brand for a couple of reasons:
They sure seem to fit best, and do not seem to lose their "holding power" as they age.
The company has a nifty replacement policy: simply send one (or more) to them and they will replace it with a new one for, I believe, $9.50 w/no meter or $14.50 with a meter, regardless of age or condition! I label mine and send them back every two years! If I could just quit losing them I would be in "tall cotton"!
Sonic-Tronics seems to be the new owner of this aspect of the business, but the folks are real, real friendly and anxious to help. Call-em at (215) 635-6520 eastern time with questions.
See Ya
Peabody
As a follow up to Peabody, we have one of those things as back up in our flight kit. Got it used. Didn't even bother to recharge it. It was sitting there about a year when the motor cycle battery went bad in the starter kit. We pulled it out, and lo and behold, it worked. It was still charged. We've had this thing for about five years (don't know how old it is), have recharged it a couple of times before the Nats "just in case", and it is still good. It doesn't seem to run down "just sitting there" like a lot of nicads do. I suppose continued use, charging and recharging, would eventually lead to failure, but I know a lot of people who use them on a regular basis, and they work. It is a good "pocket starter" if you walk to the flying circle with your tank already filled (and, I guess, if you just bring the jug along.)
Leonard Neumann
Agree with Peabody: I carry two out to the field, just in case.
The things are so handy.
When I'm done flying, the "glow sticks" go in my pocket, and everything else in my flying box. They go right on the battery charger as soon as I get home. Currell
I use a Cyclon 2 volt 5 amp-hr lead-acid battery and recharge with an old Glo-Bee charger. These batteries are about $5 at stores which service emergency lighting systems. My clip is a commercial one with alligator clips on one end, red and white wires and a black closepin-type clip on the other end. The closepin has a recess for the tip of the gloplug. I put some soldier in there and now it will work on Cox heads without shorting out. Battery works fine with Cox heads or Fox 2-volt plugs. I also have a small nicad with a meter as backup.
A couple (but not three times, I do learn) of times I have forgotten to unclip the battery and on takeoff the alligator clips pull loose and I flew around level with the wires flapping in the breeze. No harm done.
Jim Thomerson
Did you ever forget the NiCad and take off with it hanging on the nose? I have heard of people doing that, too. The smaller it gets, the easier it is to forget. And it is easy to do, especially when you are flying alone or in a big hurry. Adds a bit of nose weight. Kind of embarrassing at contests (where it usually happens). That's one thing about our set up. If we were to forget to unhook the battery lead (which would be pretty hard to do since the box is sitting in front of the wing), that plane isn't going to go anywhere.
Leonard Neumann
I use an Eagle-Picher CF2V30 (2 volt, 30 amphour) battery feeding current through a three way switch (on-off-on) and resistor setup to get 2, 1.75, and 1.5 volts. The glow plug clip is an old Sullivan or Perfect that has been attached to a clothes pin. The indentations at the plug and spade that engages the fins are adjusted for quick disconnect so it will come off the plug if the plane is released with the battery still connected. I make my own charger designed by engineers at Eagle-Picher, and deep cycle my battery and recharge it once a year (whether it needs it or not).
For fueling, I use a Sig 5oz syringe so I can measure the amount of fuel I put in the tank (or draw out).
Cyclon batteries mentioned above also put out a larger battery than the 5AH. I believe it is a 27 AH one.
Bigiron
For fueling, I use a Sig 5oz syringe so I can measure the amount of fuel I put in the tank (or draw out).
Cyclon batteries mentioned above also put out a larger battery than the 5AH. I believe it is a 27 AH one.
Bigiron
Well, I use a McDaniels job most of the time, but I keep a GloBee backup (with the Cyclon battery).
A note to Len, I use a laundry detergent jug for fuel. Seems to keep better in the sun when the plastic is colored.
Randy
LAST EDITED ON Nov-24-00 AT 02:24 PM (EST)
BigIron and anyone else --
Check me out here, please. I measure the Fox plug at .25 ohms (old meter dug out of the attic, but with fresh batteries it zeroed out OK) -- seem right? With a 2 volt battery, that gives an 8 amp circuit.
Dropping to 1.5 volts with a resistor in series, I calced a .0833... ohm resistor and a 6 amp circuit.
The 'tweener of 1.75 volts comes out at 7 amps and a .0357... ohm resistor.
All these numbers smell of fish. Did I do the math wrong, or read the meter wrong, or what? I know all this (including the math) is at the eighth grade Science Fair level. But one advantage of getting a little long in the tooth is that you stop being embarassed about your ignorance.
If the numbers are right, I doubt Radio Shack has an .083 or .036 ohm resistor on the shelf. The practical answer is???
Leonard's tractor battery and Hobbico panel are looking better all the time!
Larry Fulwider
Larry, use long leads or coil a wire to add the extra resistance. Bell wire or some other small diameter wire will work. Just remember that it must be large enough to carry the current.
Good luck,
George
Good luck,
George
LAST EDITED ON Nov-24-00 AT 10:56 PM (EST)
Larry I use a 2 volt 30 amp hour battery from Eagle Picher. To get what glow I need to start, I use a 0.22 ohm 5 watt ceramic resistor. That giges me 1.5 volts with a K & B 1L os 1S plug. I have a switch setup so I can get 1.5, 1.75, or 2 volts. I charge my battery once or twice a year. At that time, I usually deep cycle it a couple of times to avoid premature sulfation problems. ( I do that because it was recommended by the engineers at Eagle Picher.
I have schematics for the switch and box wiring If you want them. I also have the schematic for a charger for that size battery.
You can also use .20 ohm resistors if you wish for the power leads.
Bigiron
Hmmmm....
I kinda like the old battery-with-leads method. Eleven (!) years ago, I bought a 6-volt alkaline lantern battery. I took the bottom off and turned 1/2 of the cells around and put it back together. That gives 1.8 volts i think... Enough juice to get that plug good and hot. I added a standard clip-on plug socket and I like it fine.
As I said, my battery is 11yrs old and is still is going strong, so who knows how long these things last?
By the way, you will never forget to remove the clip from the glow plug. That does happen with the nicad starters from time to time but they sure are light and convenient!
I kinda like the old battery-with-leads method. Eleven (!) years ago, I bought a 6-volt alkaline lantern battery. I took the bottom off and turned 1/2 of the cells around and put it back together. That gives 1.8 volts i think... Enough juice to get that plug good and hot. I added a standard clip-on plug socket and I like it fine.
As I said, my battery is 11yrs old and is still is going strong, so who knows how long these things last?
By the way, you will never forget to remove the clip from the glow plug. That does happen with the nicad starters from time to time but they sure are light and convenient!
aeroman47
Kelvin heath · Nov 12, 2000 02:16 PM
#9 source I also use a Nicad glow driver. I think mine was made by Dubro (it's pretty old) but the bottom of the case screws off and I can replace the sub C cell as needed. I also have a Sullivan starter on a Southern RC nicad battery pack. So I am wireless and very portable. These are items learned Q-500 racing a fair number of years ago. If the batteries need changing in the starter pack, I get the cheapest RC car battery pack I can find (the last one was used), cut it up and replace the starter and glow driver batteries at the same time. I have small wall chargers for both.
Kelvin,
How do you have the starter set up? I saw a guy using a Sullivan starter with an attached battery pack that he made. I loved the setup, but didn't get a chance to ask him how he did it.
Randy
Randy,
This is an old Southern RC product. I think I saw that Dave Brown makes them now, but I could be wrong about that. It is a simple molded nylon box. It has a cradle to fit the starter. The starter is held on with two large tie wraps. The box has room for enough sub-C cells to power the starter. It came with a small plug-in wall adapter/charger. Mine lasts four to five flying sessions between charges. Just pick it up and run, no wires to tangle.
Kelvin
This is an old Southern RC product. I think I saw that Dave Brown makes them now, but I could be wrong about that. It is a simple molded nylon box. It has a cradle to fit the starter. The starter is held on with two large tie wraps. The box has room for enough sub-C cells to power the starter. It came with a small plug-in wall adapter/charger. Mine lasts four to five flying sessions between charges. Just pick it up and run, no wires to tangle.
Kelvin
Leonard --
Ahh, the heck with it. Let's go first class! Your setup is bullet-proof and the ultimate in flexibility. What is the point in having a big, strong, handsome wife if she can't lug a tractor battery to the flying field for you?
I know a lot about electricity until I get to that technical stuff like ohms and volts. The panel solves all those problems, and I don't have to do any math -- just solder a little.
Decision is made. I'll use the Cyclon I bought as a tail weight for my '84 Buick. The Buick is a little nose heavy.
Thanks to all!
Larry F
Larry, just a bit of clarification here. It is not a tractor battery. It is a motorcycle battery. They are small, they are light, they are not bad to carry. The particular one we are using is 5 1/4 inches wide, 5 1/2 inches tall, and 3 inches deep. I sized the box and the battery according to the power panel which is 6 inches wide, but you don't even have to go this big. If all you are going to do is use it for the glow plug driver, then a smaller battery would work just as well. Price doesn't vary much, however, so the smaller battery with its smaller amperage (recharge it three times a year instead of two) will cost you about the same. You will drop a little weight, however, but it still isn't bad. Our starting caddy includes a gallon jug of fuel on one end and the battery and starting panel on the other, and a full gallon of fuel weighs more than the battery and panel.
Leonard Neumann
The motorcycle batteries I have been mentioning are available at Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Farm Supply shops, motorcycle shops--easy to find. And a 2-amp automotive trickle charger will work fine for recharging. But another battery that will work well with the starter panel is a gel-cell. In thumbing through Tower's catalogue I noticed two--their Torquemaster (TL1201) that weighs 5.25 pounds and costs $17.99 and their "4.5 amp maintenance free starter battery" (TL1216) that weighs only 3.6 pounds and costs $12.99. For $19.98 you can get this one with an overnight charger (TZ6375).
If you have a dedicated battery shop in your town you may be able to get something similar locally, but this gives an alternate choice. And for starter battery purposes, only, these smaller batteries are fine.
Leonard Neumann
Leonard --
I was just funning with you! I knew it wasn't a tractor battery.
Checking back through my notes, I want to make sure I got this right. It is 12 V (not 6 V), right? Hurry back, as I am on my way to Wal-Mart.
Well, I didn't hurry, but it is a 12 volt, yes. There are a number of different sizes available in these motorcycle batteries, and any will work with the power panel if that is all you are using it for. Then it is just a matter of how long they will go between charges.
Leonard Neumann
You just choke it a couple of times, maybe turn the compression screw in a little, flip it a couple of times and go fly. What's all this glow plug and battery and starter stuff?
49% just kidding,
Jim Thomerson
Just a thought. For those of you, who, like myself, are thrifty (also known as cheap), I have a couple of batteries that came out of defibrillators. They are sealed, 2.7 amp/hour. If you know an emergency medical technician, ask about their discarded batteries. They have to be replaced on a regular schedule regardless of use. As distressing as it is to get to the flying field with a dead battery, think how distressing it would be to have the EMTs arrive on scene with a defibber that didn't work.....