ORIGINAL: JohnBuckner
For the average glow flyer a power panel is a complete waste of money. Who ever said above that using a power panel glow lighter and a starter plugged to the panel is not dangerous and imaginary (I think that was the word) is deluding themselves about the simple mistakes we can all make.
Guess there are lots of us out there that are delusional then.
I have seen wire prop strikes occur on a continuing basis every year since the late seventies roughly when starters and power panels started to become popular. And its not just the newbies.
And I've lost track of the number of times I've seen glow sticks pop off and hit the prop, end up dead due to the pilot forgetting to charge them, watched people fail to get a plane started due to a weak glow stick, etc. I've already described the very simple method I use to keep the wire completely away from the prop.
Power panels are nothing more more useless somewhat unsafe stuff to delude the newbie into buying to make his box look impressive.
Wow, imagine that. I've been flying and boating for years and never realized that the power panels that I use every time I go to the pond or flying field is a completely useless piece of equipment. You should tell that to the person who charged his dead glow driver on my power panel at the boat races last week. He certainly didn't think my power panel was useless. Or to the countless people who I've helped get an engine started when their glow stick wasn't up to the task.
One last thought storeing a fuel can in close proximity to all that wire that frequently is poorly done by the installer Or completely neglected thereafter, terrifies me. Flight box fires (wherever that box may be at the time) can and does happern with some degree of regularity.
On this, we agree. That's why the fuel is at the other end of my flight box and why I avoid electric pumps.