RCU Forums - View Single Post - Electric to glow basics please
View Single Post
Old 11-26-2022, 03:36 PM
  #4  
khodges
My Feedback: (1)
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: newton, NC
Posts: 5,538
Received 12 Likes on 12 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by roadshredder
Hello all, this is my first post to RCU. I'm about to build a small 41 inch span airplane from Flying Models plans. It's a sport model designed for electric but I'm going to build it for an OS .20FP that I have several of. Plans are on the way! What I would like is general information about what to do to convert an airplane designed for electric to glow power. What to do/what not to do regarding firewall, wing, fuselage etc. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated. The conversion should be somewhat simpler due to the fact that the airplane hasn't yet been built so I can do the mods as I'm building. I have experience with building both from plans and from kits.
Ya gotta learn sometime, and since you're building from scratch, rather than converting a completed plane, it shouldn't be too much of a challenge. Rule #1: never be in a hurry. Stop and think things through before gluing something you can't unglue, and do a mockup to see how things fit before proceeding.

Most of the build will be the same for glow or electric. The airframes will be about the same, but as you mention, the firewall may need reinforcing or modifying. You have the options of running the engine upright, sideways or inverted, my guess is that upright will be easiest. Right thrust will be needed, same as for electric, and the engine mount will be different for the glow engine. For electric, you have the battery to power the motor, change that to the fuel tank. You will have to run a fuel line from the tank to the engine, the tank has to have a breather (and most tanks will include a diagram on how to properly vent it). There is also a fill tube; you can do that a couple of ways. You have a dedicated third line with a plug, or you can fill through the vent, or pull the line off the carb and fill the tank from there. You will still need a battery to power the receiver and servos, but you can get by with a much smaller one, about 750-1000 mAh should be plenty for a plane that size. You'll need a throttle servo to control the engine, I suppose you could say that replaces the ESC of the electric motor. The servo hooks up pretty much the same way the control surface servos do. Remember to balance the plane properly, just as you would an electric, and you want your fuel tank either on the c/g or forward of it, as the c/g will shift a little as the tank empties, and you balance the plane with an empty tank.

If you have a chance, look at glow-powered planes at your flying field, and ask questions of those who are flying them. Honestly, I cannot imagine why you want to go to glow. The fuel is expensive, and you need more support equipment for a glow engine than you do for electric, and glow is messier, you'll be cleaning the oil residue every time you fly. The noise of a fuel engine is the only reason I might consider one over electric. I want my planes to sound like planes.

Good luck on your build. Remember Rule #1

Last edited by khodges; 11-26-2022 at 03:39 PM.