What blower is the best for air starting an AMT Air Start turbine
04-21-2013, 05:31 PM
#26
RE: What blower is the best for air starting an AMT Air Start turbine
The biggest drawback to getting your tanks filled....is being scuba certified. Every dive shop I've used over the years has asked for it as a new customer, despite dragging an airplane to the shop to show them what it will be used for.
A pony tank is a great option as you should get 4-5 starts easy from one and as long as the flight line isnt full, you can hot refuel to get more flights per start. Safety and courtesy to others are primary.
Great to see there are a few others out there still running the iron lungs. LoL.
It's aliiivvveee. It's allliiiivveeee. Wooop wooopppp proof beeewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
A pony tank is a great option as you should get 4-5 starts easy from one and as long as the flight line isnt full, you can hot refuel to get more flights per start. Safety and courtesy to others are primary.
Great to see there are a few others out there still running the iron lungs. LoL.
It's aliiivvveee. It's allliiiivveeee. Wooop wooopppp proof beeewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
ORIGINAL: cbooth1979
Just had both my tanks hydo tested and filled for $84. Im not saying it cant be done just saying that its probably the safest bet for someone just starting out with an airstart engine.
Just had both my tanks hydo tested and filled for $84. Im not saying it cant be done just saying that its probably the safest bet for someone just starting out with an airstart engine.
ORIGINAL: rhklenke
...and they have to be hydro tested every 5 years, which costs about a hundred bucks...
I'm with you Tony, I think starting them with a blower is fine - if you do it right as in your video, it starts as fast as with the compressed air. All gas-start engines run dry during the starting phase and its worked fine for years. If you're worried about the bearings, why not inject a bit of lube between flights as AMTdude suggested?...
Bob
ORIGINAL: Dr Honda
Becasue SCUBA tanks are a pain in the butt. They are large, heavy, and you have to take them somewhere to be filled.
Anyway guys... do what you want. All I can do is put the info out there.
Becasue SCUBA tanks are a pain in the butt. They are large, heavy, and you have to take them somewhere to be filled.
Anyway guys... do what you want. All I can do is put the info out there.
...and they have to be hydro tested every 5 years, which costs about a hundred bucks...
I'm with you Tony, I think starting them with a blower is fine - if you do it right as in your video, it starts as fast as with the compressed air. All gas-start engines run dry during the starting phase and its worked fine for years. If you're worried about the bearings, why not inject a bit of lube between flights as AMTdude suggested?...
Bob
04-21-2013, 06:00 PM
#27
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RE: What blower is the best for air starting an AMT Air Start turbine
There is more than one way to skin a cat.When I got my first AMT 180 I had the same problem,how do you start it.
I bought a starting wand for air starts.Which consisted of a 6 inch strip of aluminim about the width of a paint stirstick with an little electric motor mounted on the end. The motor had a cup shaped fitting on its shaft for the front nut on the turbine.I used a 2 cell to drive it.
I have 3 180's now and use the scuba pony tank route with an asu (automatic start unite)
PS I pay $20.00 a scuba tank fill glenr
I bought a starting wand for air starts.Which consisted of a 6 inch strip of aluminim about the width of a paint stirstick with an little electric motor mounted on the end. The motor had a cup shaped fitting on its shaft for the front nut on the turbine.I used a 2 cell to drive it.
I have 3 180's now and use the scuba pony tank route with an asu (automatic start unite)
PS I pay $20.00 a scuba tank fill glenr
04-21-2013, 07:27 PM
#28
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RE: What blower is the best for air starting an AMT Air Start turbine
my tank fills cost 8.00, hydro every 5 yrs total with fill about 75.00. I'm working my way out of airstart though. I have an elec start amt and just got a kingtech 100g. I have 1 airstart 280 left in my L-39. The tanks can be a pain but it's just another piece.
I've started mine with a makita blower, a black and decker blower and even a vacuum cleaner in blower mode. as long as you have clear access to the front of the engine and have the technique down it's no biggie.
I've started mine with a makita blower, a black and decker blower and even a vacuum cleaner in blower mode. as long as you have clear access to the front of the engine and have the technique down it's no biggie.
04-23-2013, 04:29 AM
#29
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RE: What blower is the best for air starting an AMT Air Start turbine
ORIGINAL: yeahbaby
The biggest drawback to getting your tanks filled....is being scuba certified. Every dive shop I've used over the years has asked for it as a new customer, despite dragging an airplane to the shop to show them what it will be used for.
The biggest drawback to getting your tanks filled....is being scuba certified. Every dive shop I've used over the years has asked for it as a new customer, despite dragging an airplane to the shop to show them what it will be used for.
I do have something to add to that.
As I already mentioned... the SCUBA tanks are a pain... but if you aren't on a coastal city... Dive Shops aren't very easy to find. Being in Pitt PA... I would have to drive 35 minutes to get to the closest dive shop that can fill a tank. So... for me... spending 1-1/2 ~ 2 hours for the trip (drive and fill)... and the cost of the fuel to drive up and back is NOT worth even dealing with the tank. Heck... even if I do burn out a set of beings pre-mature... the money saved will easily pay for a new set.
The second thing is....
If you don't have the ASU... then there isn't any benefit to using a SCUBA tank. (if you are doing a manual start with a bottle) Actually... you may cause more damage to the bearings. You will spin the wheels faster before the ignition... and you may not be moving as much air though the combustor. (and down the bearing tube) With the blower... I'm moving so much air... I've never seen more than a tiny wisp of an orange flame come out the tail pipe. (normally from the air bubbles burping out) And, if I have to abort the start... I'm turning the wheels slower, with a lot of cooling air.
Just as a final FYI... That AMT engine was the one I got my waiver with, and it's the one I learned how to start a turbine. (it was my first engine, and I had a tendency of starting, running for a minute or two, and shutting it off) Over the past 2-1/2 ~ 3 years... I'm sure I've had well over 100 starts, and the bearings are still smooth as silk. I'm sure if it was bad for the bearings... it would have shown me by now.
I hope I'm not coming off as harsh, or argumentative... but I get a feeling the thread has several "FOD" responses. Basically, opinion from guys who never tried this method. Unfortunately... I see that a lot on this site. As soon as you move away from the "Normal"... guys will Poo-Poo on you. Causeitflys is our local CD... and I'm sure if there was a problem with what I'm doing... he would have said something to me.
Just my 2 cents... take it for what it's worth.
04-23-2013, 02:48 PM
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RE: What blower is the best for air starting an AMT Air Start turbine
With the knowledge gained from starting it twice with Bucks scuba tank and data terminal etc etc , and after watching Dr Hondas video I was able to get a successful start sunday eve using only my gas powered leaf blower, a bottle of propane and a glow ni starter. I don't have a data terminal at this point so I don't know what my rpms were or my EGT or when it was ramping ( I knew it was by watching the fuel line). Due my blower being gas powered and loud I couldn't even hear the jet engine and the different sounds associated with the starting process. In spite of all of this it started right up with no issues (that I know of anyway).
I may shop for a quieter electric powered blower and I may still buy a data terminal but otherwise I will just keep starting it like this way for now.
I may shop for a quieter electric powered blower and I may still buy a data terminal but otherwise I will just keep starting it like this way for now.
04-23-2013, 03:10 PM
#31
RE: What blower is the best for air starting an AMT Air Start turbine
Congrats amigo, once you get used to the starting sequence it will be a piece of cake.
I highly recommend acquiring the edt. It's a great tool and will help with the auditory cues during start up.
Cheers
I highly recommend acquiring the edt. It's a great tool and will help with the auditory cues during start up.
Cheers
04-23-2013, 05:04 PM
#32
RE: What blower is the best for air starting an AMT Air Start turbine
ORIGINAL: turnnburn
I may shop for a quieter electric powered blower and I may still buy a data terminal but otherwise I will just keep starting it like this way for now.
I may shop for a quieter electric powered blower and I may still buy a data terminal but otherwise I will just keep starting it like this way for now.
Craig
Congrats!
03-10-2016, 06:31 AM
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I just manually started my Mercury yesterday after 5 years. It started on the first try. My issue was my push and twist glow driver would not stay on by itself. My question is what is a good glow driver that fits down around the glow plug and stays locked on?
03-10-2016, 08:20 AM
#36
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I tried the leaf blower and it was to loud, and did not work for me.
For the smaller AMT motors I used a cheap $75 2 gallon aircompress from Harbbor Freight, it was enogh air for one start and cool down, then I would pug it into my van in a small power converter and fill it up.
Now I have moved on to an AMT 450 defently takes more air, so I use a larger air compressor and put a larger power inverted and 2 car batterys in my trailer, this compressor can start and cool the 450 2 times with out need recharged.
The best part of the air compressor, just use a simple 1 way valve like you would with propain, connect your air tank with the regulator maxed out and use the cheap little blow gun addaped to the 4mm air line .
http://www.harborfreight.com/air-too...sor-97080.html for AMT 180
http://www.harborfreight.com/air-too...sor-62380.html for AMT 450 If you get this one for a 180 or 280 you probly could get 4 starts with one fill, so fill it up at home go fly 4 times and be happy unless you have power were you are at.
