Reliability!?!
well i have found the eating glow thing to have one of the following causes:
1) Too Lean engine setting.
2) Too small, or big of a prop causing over-heating
3) Cowling not cut out enough for suficiant cooling.
4) Too high voltage.
5) Corrosion due to something.. haven't figured out what, but i've seen it happen.
6) They don't last forever.