RCU Forums - View Single Post - Power Panel - how advanced do I need to be?
Old 08-31-2007 | 09:14 PM
  #27  
da Rock
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From: Near Pfafftown NC
Default RE: Power Panel - how advanced do I need to be?


ORIGINAL: piper_chuck

Yup, knew it would happen. Every time the subject of power panels comes up, an imagined safety issue with cords is used to justify personal preferences.
Jeez, what a screwed up interpretation.

"Imagined" ??? Not hardly.
Compare the safety of having to arrange a flight box so that neither of two cords will get into the prop while starting compared to having NO cords at all.

So what about me? I advised the poster to consider the options and explained my advice with observations. I prefer the convenience over all else. And added the real safety issue as icing on the cake.
And left the decision or justification to the reader.
I didn't imagine that it's very convenient to have a portable starter, nor that their NiCds can be charged more conveniently, nor that the portable glowstarter is way more convenient than one on the end of a cord attached to a heavy box (heavier for the bloody big lead battery it would have to hold), and that trying to juggle two cords from one box isn't close to being convenient. And dealing with a flight box day in and day out, into the car, into the house, etc is a lot easier and convenient if the sucker is 7 pounds lighter.

So let's start your model with your powerpaneled flightbox..........
Move the heavy flight box up to the airplane so the two cords will reach.
Arrange the glowplug cord and attach.
Use the starter.
Put starter back into box but don't move box as it'll pull the glowplug cord off.
Reach over prop, or walk around airplane and pull glowplug cord.
If you went around the airplane, come back and
move box from in front of airplane so you can taxi.

Let's start the model with portables.
Attach glowstarter.
Use starter.
Move around airplane and remove glowstarter.


See any imagined anythings?

As for safety, having a safe proceedure for a potentially unsafe situation doesn't erase that unsafe situation. Not having the situation does. Which is safer?