J-3

What does the typical $50 dollar glow driver do for me versus installing an onboard Nicad and a throttle activated switch?
Is it just the control of the current vs the maximum current a battery would provide?

What brand glow driver would you recommend?

I am considering one for an inverted Saito 65.

Thanks in advance for you comments.....Brian

JNorton

My Feedback: (2)

Typically the glow driver is easier to adjust.

The battery and throttle operated switch work just fine if installed properly.

My Father-in-law flies his cub with the glow battery on an outside toggle switch only. No throttle control. Seams just fine. He hasn't experienced any excessive glow plug burn out either. He just turns it on and leaves it connected for the full flight.

John

J-3

Thanks John, That is what I was thinking about doing, but I thought maybe I am missing something with the glow drivers. Fifty bucks is a lot of money to light a glow plug. The engine is behind a cowl and I would like to install the glow battery and throttle switch and be done with it.

JNorton

My Feedback: (2)

Depends on the airplane. If the wing loading is already high you want to use the smallest battery for the least weight. This is where the electronic on board glow drivers excel.

Some guys say that if you leave the glow plug on all the time you'll be replacing lots of plugs. With mildly tuned (a little on the rich side) 4 Strokes I have not found this to be the case.

It is pretty easy to use a wheel on the throttle servo. Place a roller type micro switch on its side with the roller riding the wheel. Make a cutout on the wheel near idle to turn the switch on and you have a home built glow warmer that works very well for little money.

John

kadet

My Feedback: (5)

I run Saito engines and have never needed an on board glow. Even inverted, the Saito's run great. If you are having problems with flame outs, try a long reach plug, higher nitro fuel, 20-30%, or re set the engine up. I have a Saito .91 in my Funtana 90 and have never had a flame out, and it is mounted inverted. This is just my experience with Saito, and what works for me, good luck.

iflyj3

My Feedback: (7)

As some have mentioned here you can use a switch off the throttle servo. I have even seen an on board driver powered by a "D" cell standard flash light battery that was turned on the entire flight. I ask if that wasn't a problem since it was not rechargable. His reply was it used one battery per flying day, so what!

As it has already been mentioned, the on board glow driver is usally settable by some method independently of the throttle servo.

The biggest advantage I find is most of the onboard glow drivers will automatically turn off the power to the glow plug when the radio is switched off regardless of the current status. If you use a mechanical switch on the throttle servo, you must remember to make sure the glow is off. If you forget, a "C" cell will last about 20 minutes from the last flight.

I need all the help I can get. As you get older there are three things that go. The first is the memory and I can't think of the other two!

huey-pilot

My Feedback: (17)

Another advantage of the $50 glow driver is you can connect it to the receiver and then you have control using the channel you chose and you can turn it on at any throttle setting. I haven't needed an onboard glow driver for any of my single cylinder engines but I have had some of my twin cylinder engines give me problems with one cylinder quiting at low power settings.

feihu-RCU

Brian -

I have used for year, a single 2000mah nicad wired to an inverted OS 70FS and with a toggle switch mounted on the side of the airplane, and never had a plug failure. The on board nicad is used for starting and is left on during the entire flight. A fully charged 2000 battery can last about 40 minutes and provides you with a beautiful reliable idle.

I have previously used a servo controlled mechanical switch and have encountered radio glitching when the throttle is at and passing thru the switch activated position; so I do not recommend a mechanical switch.

With a fully cowled engine, the starting is simplified by not having to connect an outside battery.

Incidentally, you can charge the 2000 bat with a transmitter wall charger because it will charge at about 200 ma overnight.

I have not tried this on a two cycle engine.

That I my experience for your information.

feihu