Lowflyer has received some excellent advice here.

Instead of model Diesel fuel, unless you just happen to have easy access to it, use the active ingredient in model Diesel fuel, ether. Find a can of John Deere starting fluid and give your model's carb a very quick shot of that. That will get her going, even without the glow plug battery connected in many instances.

However, I do agree that the little 1.2 volt nicad pocket boosters aren't of much use in the winter time. Using a power panel with a separate 12 VDC battery is probably the best way to go. Why did I say separate? Because if you are using the same 12 VDC battery to power both the power panel and the electric starter, by the time you factor in the loss of capacity due to cold weather, you might not have enough juice left to do a proper job of powering both devices. It has happened to me.

Lighter fluid, as mentioned by someone else, is a good substitute if you can't find a can of John Deer starting fluid. Why John Deere brand? Because of all of the brands of starting fluids on the market, to the best of my knowledge, John Deere brand has the most ether percentage. Ether is the chemical that will start your engine in cold weather.

I wish I could handle cold weather well enough to fly in it these days, but it has been over a decade since I could fly in cold weather. It was a lot of fun.


Ed Cregger