QUestion about field supplies (Full Version)

All Forums >> [RC Airplanes] >> Beginners



Message

Droiddr -> QUestion about field supplies (1/15/2013 3:22 AM)

I have or intend to get (after a 10 year pause in the hobby)

Field box
GLow driver
GLow driver cable for power panel
Manual crank pump
'Pear' sized hand pump
Power panel
7AH lead acid battery
Misc tools (wrenches, hex keys, 4 way wrench)
Fuel tubing
Multimeter
Extra glow plugs
Props
12V starter

Any other suggestions?

Also do people still usually use a 7AH lead acid battery for field power, or do they use another type of battery?

See ya all later!



Gray Beard -> RE: QUestion about field supplies (1/15/2013 5:33 AM)

Most folks today don't use a power panel or those little batteries, they need replacing about once a year. A glow stick or driver and a battery connected to your starter is about all that is needed. The type of battery is a choice thing. Maybe John Buckner will post some photos to show you how he does it. He got me to use an 18 volt battery from Harbor Freight, $10.00 for the pack and $5.00 for a quick charger. People today try to keep it simple.



Droiddr -> RE: QUestion about field supplies (1/15/2013 5:49 AM)

Thanks.

Yeah, sealed lead acid have 4 years lifespan IF you treat em real good.

WHat are the alternatives for batteries (types) that are not too too heavy?




HighPlains -> RE: QUestion about field supplies (1/15/2013 6:48 AM)

quote:

Yeah, sealed lead acid have 4 years lifespan IF you treat em real good.

Yeah, but they last forever as a door stop, which is about all they're good for.

Search for John's posts on his starter. He has several threads on the subject. Use the 18 Volt pack or a 4S LiPo.

You well need screwdrivers that attach wings, servo screws and carburators.

A multimeter works well for testing plugs (without having to remove them), and battery checks as long as you use a resistor to load the pack to get a reading under load (300 to 500 mA).

If you feel flush, buy a glow driver with a rechargeable battery inside it with a cord to the plug with a locking connector. Much better than one that hangs a battery off the plug.

Throw in a filter to clean the fuel from the pump. I don't use them on the aircraft, but many do. Filtering from the jug works well enough.



CGRetired -> RE: QUestion about field supplies (1/15/2013 11:21 AM)

Maybe some fuel?



da Rock -> RE: QUestion about field supplies (1/15/2013 11:48 AM)

Consider going wireless.... ;) OK, consider not having dangling wires that might get into the prop when you're trying to start the engine.

You gain flexibility with the freedom not being tied to the box give you. And it's safer.

Rechargable glow starters work great. Having a LiPo battery on your starter works great. No wires to bother with. Nothing to hook a prop. The safety isn't the most important part, but it matters. The lack of cumbersome wires is just so darned convenient.

As for equipment, my intelligent charger is the best piece of equipment I've found in many, many years of RC. It's by far the best piece of "safety" equipment ever for keeping the planes safely flying. I've discovered failing RX batteries a couple of times thanks to the readings the charger displays. You discover failing packs at home, way before they go. And the smart chargers are way more convenient and easy to use.



gene6029 -> RE: QUestion about field supplies (1/15/2013 12:22 PM)

Looks like you have it covered pretty well. Only thing i might add are some rags (crying towels) & some type of cleaner to wipe down & clean up fuel residue. Best of luck with your re-entry into R/C....Gene



jetmech05 -> RE: QUestion about field supplies (1/15/2013 12:36 PM)

I have never used a power panel. Instead i used a rechargeable glow stick and starter and manual fuel pump



CGRetired -> RE: QUestion about field supplies (1/15/2013 1:00 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: gene6029

Looks like you have it covered pretty well. Only thing i might add are some rags (crying towels) & some type of cleaner to wipe down & clean up fuel residue. Best of luck with your re-entry into R/C....Gene


Plastic trash bags to go with the crying towels? [:@] [:D] Just kidding of course.

CGr.



CGRetired -> RE: QUestion about field supplies (1/15/2013 1:09 PM)

I have one of those Radio South re-chargeable glow drivers. They are nice because they have a series of LED's that indicate the current flow to the glow plug which insures that the glow plug is working. It doesn't mean it's any good, it just means it's working.



jester_s1 -> RE: QUestion about field supplies (1/15/2013 2:47 PM)

What's the pear size fuel pump you're talking about? I will agree to go ahead and have a spare fuel pump of some kind, along with a quick charger. If you aren't going to use any Lipos yet you can pick up a smart charger for $25-$30 in the classifieds. I learned early on to prepare for contingencies at the field as I had a few different days when I lost my flying time due to a switch being left on and depleting a flight battery or once a fuel pump giving out on me. Spares of all the small stuff is smart- every screw, clevis, etc in a compartment box will save you many flying days. A bottle of thin and medium CA will come in handy, as will a roll of clear packing tape to do field repairs on covering. Of course later on you'll be probably bringing multiple airplanes so having one grounded isn't so big a deal, but a basic fix it kit still comes in handy for getting all the flying you want to do in for the day or for helping someone else get theirs.



HighPlains -> RE: QUestion about field supplies (1/15/2013 3:09 PM)

quote:

Spares of all the small stuff is smart- every screw, clevis, etc in a compartment box will save you many flying days...

Naw, not really needed. Just go to the trash cans at the fields where some non-RCU instructor is working. Plenty of carrion to pick over for small parts.[X(]



Gray Beard -> RE: QUestion about field supplies (1/15/2013 5:10 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: CGRetired

I have one of those Radio South re-chargeable glow drivers. They are nice because they have a series of LED's that indicate the current flow to the glow plug which insures that the glow plug is working. It doesn't mean it's any good, it just means it's working.

Hence, deep pockets!![:D] If Dick can afford one of these then he makes too much on his retirement!! Truth is I had the old one before Lipos and you can tell the condition of the plug like when the engine is too flooded/primed. A glow stick is about $15.00 with a battery though.



CGRetired -> RE: QUestion about field supplies (1/15/2013 5:17 PM)

Heck, Gene, I bought it a few years ago.. and it wasn't THAT much.. [;)]



Droiddr -> RE: QUestion about field supplies (1/15/2013 6:24 PM)

Hi,

Thanks for all the insight all of you.

I will buy a glow starter (the quick clip type one with a sub-c battery). It does not have wires, it just stays on top of the engine. Highplains: you mentionned one with a rechargable battery but with a wire to the actual plug?
I am thinking about buying a great planes glow driver, 19$ without battery. Are they decent? THe dubro quality ones are 35$!!!
Are there issues with a glow starter that is one piece?

I already have an older dubro glow starter, but it might be bad. I will buy a sub-c battery and check it. It could be my spare, as opposed to connect a wired glow starter to my power panel.

I will certainly not buy a power panel reading this post and others! I have one and will keep it but don't know if I will use it.

As for the starter, great advice on the 18v pack from harbor freight. I live in canada, so I don't know if they exist here, but I am sure I can find a place with decent prices. Would a 14.4V nicad pack do the trick as well?
I also see that people use LIPOs. I may try that instead, depending on the cost.

I have a hand crank fuel pump already, and one that looks like a pear, the type you squeeze the air out and then connect the fuel line and it sucks up the fuel, then you pump it to the tank. This would be a spare of course should the cranked one go bye-bye.

I already have most if not all the tools.
I will add supplies such as screws, CA and others.

As for a smart charger, do they make some that can charge lipos li-fe, nimh, nicads etc? and be versatile enough to detect problematic RX battery packs as Da Rock mentionned? I don't want to buy 10 chargers! :)

This site and the people here are great!




eddieC -> RE: QUestion about field supplies (1/15/2013 6:26 PM)

A small first aid kit. 

You'll really regret not having it should the need  arise. 



HighPlains -> RE: QUestion about field supplies (1/15/2013 7:10 PM)

quote:

A small first aid kit.

A bottle of thin CA will close most wounds.



Gray Beard -> RE: QUestion about field supplies (1/15/2013 7:17 PM)

There are a lot of chargers on the market that will do it all. I have an old Triton and even it will do everything but the new one is much better, AC/DC and has a balancer.



kiwibob72 -> RE: QUestion about field supplies (1/15/2013 7:26 PM)

Aside from the bits and bob's that have found their way into my field tool box, CA, a screw driver, alan key set, a socket to remove the glow plugs, re-chargeable glow driver, an engine starter and for powering it, a small portable re-chargeable 12v car jump starter pack and a fuel pump is all I tend to need (excluding fuel). Aside from the jump starter pack, that all fits into my tool box that I use, so there are limited boxes I need to lug around, which keeps it nice and simple.
On a side note, a 'stab in the ground' tail holder is something I need to stop the planes moving forward when started, it's a must have that I'm lacking and need to fix.
The ONLY reason I have not converted my starter to Lipo, is that I don't use lipo on anything, since my heli's and planes all use 5cell/6v Nimh packs like I always have, I never brought a good multi-chemestry charger, and can't be bothered with the expense.



nextofkin -> RE: QUestion about field supplies (1/15/2013 7:27 PM)

as far as starters and glow driver goes I use a magnum starter with a 4cell 3600 lipo and a 10000 mhr nimh D size battery with a spare AA glow driver from Thower Hobbys
nextofkin



HighPlains -> RE: QUestion about field supplies (1/15/2013 7:37 PM)

quote:

I will buy a glow starter (the quick clip type one with a sub-c battery). It does not have wires, it just stays on top of the engine. Highplains: you mentionned one with a rechargable battery but with a wire to the actual plug?
I am thinking about buying a great planes glow driver, 19$ without battery. Are they decent? THe dubro quality ones are 35$!!!
Are there issues with a glow starter that is one piece?

I don't like the ones where the rechargable battery is in a one piece unit. The one that CGR shows above has the glow connector a wire to the driver/battery box. This allows you to place the battery far to the rear of the prop, which give a bias to the dirction the clip and the direction it would go if it falls off while the engine is running. The prop is the cause of 99% of the type of photos that nobody wants to see, keeping stuff from getting into the prop arc resolves most issues. This is why power panels are not trusted, because of all the loose wiring on both sides of the prop with the operator closely coupled.

I built my first cordless starter around 1982-3, using a aluminum box I bent up and a couple of RC car packs in series. I've built a couple more since with a more refined plastic box from an electronics supply house. I seen in recent years some very small units made with LiPo batteries just strapped to the starter. The battery technology has improved to the point where there are people flying inside of small airplanes that are powered by less than 100 lbs of batteries, motor and brushless controller for a half hour per charge. This exceeds my expectations of the possible from just a few years back.

Include a link of things you are thinking of buying, and 10 people can give you 15 opinions.



Murphey -> RE: QUestion about field supplies (1/15/2013 8:11 PM)



I really only take my plane and transmitter the field. If I need tools or hardware, I just borrow them from the guys at the field. There is a small problem with using somebody else’s fuel , however, is that I don’t know for sure the oil content, but my motors seem to not be worried about it so I guess I’m OK with that too.. The way I figure it, it saves carrying all that equipment to the field and if the guys there can’t afford it…they should just get out of the hobby. By the way, the end of the runway is another good place to find stuff…and it takes the load off of my buddies a bit…I think they appreciate that! Just kidding (sorta) of course…it’s too cold to fly today!
M



Gray Beard -> RE: QUestion about field supplies (1/15/2013 8:22 PM)

The number of the Harbor Freight battery is 67029 and the quick charger only takes three hours, the charger is only $5.00 but you must follow the instructions or you can cook the battery if you do an over night charge. With a full charge my little starter will roll over the DLE 30 so it's a pretty good system for only $15.00. Look it up on the HF web site so you can see what it looks like. There are a lot of the 18 volt drill batteries that won't work on a starter due to how they plug in or fit.



kwblake -> RE: QUestion about field supplies (1/15/2013 8:38 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: da Rock



As for equipment, my intelligent charger is the best piece of equipment I've found in many, many years of RC. It's by far the best piece of "safety" equipment ever for keeping the planes safely flying. I've discovered failing RX batteries a couple of times thanks to the readings the charger displays. You discover failing packs at home, way before they go. And the smart chargers are way more convenient and easy to use.


Hey Rock.  What kind of charger do you have.  I don't have a problem with mechanical stuff.  But when it comes to anything to do with electricity, I know enough to stay away from it.  I bought a Thunder AC 6, mostly because it was cheap, but the chinglish manual just throws me.  I guess it just has me intimidated to a point where I bought a Hobbico LiFe charger for my LiFe batteries.  I would like to get into some electrics in the future, but this AC 6 manual is just a major pain for someone who just can't get electricity.  All those volts, amps, milli-amps, ohms, diodes, resistors ...............




ATVAlliance -> RE: QUestion about field supplies (1/15/2013 8:43 PM)

AC 6 will charge LIFE batts.  Just so you know. 



Page: [1] 2 3   next >   >>  

Valid CSS!




SITE MAP!   : :   FORUM RULES

RC Universe is a service of Internet Brands, Inc. Copyright © 2001-2013.
0.09375