I just built my field-box and I am ready to equip it with the electronic goodies. I know I need a power panel, gel battery and a quick charger. I welcome any suggestions as to which models and manufacturers are the most reliable and easiest to use. I am on a limited budget so I need to stick with the basic stuff instead of the high-tech digital wonders. I have seen the SIG Power Panel and the Hobbico Deluxe Power Panel, but did not see anything about a gel battery to power it.

I do not know anything about this equipment other than I have to have it in order to fly, so I do not know which features would be nice to have. The plane is a SIG Kadet Senior ARF using a TT-Pro .61 engine with a K&B long reach glow plug. The radio is a Hitec Laser 4 kit with one 600 mAh transmitter nicads and one 600 mAh receiver battery. I'm not sure if I am going to use a hand or powered fuel pump. I will also be getting an portable electric starter to crank the engine.

You really don't need a power panel. You only need a starter, which can clamp to any 12 volt source, like a motorcycle battery. A cordless ni starter for the glow plug, and a hand crank fuel pump. You should be able to get all of the above for under $50. You can always add a power panel at a later time, when funds allow.

I have a $100 right now to spend on field-box equipment and will put another hundred or so with it in about three weeks. I wanted to get the Gel battery and Power Panel first, that way I could cut the openings in my field-box so that I can stain and finish it.

I am still putting the plane together, which will take about another week before it's finished and ready to fly. I will be float flying the plane along with grass take-offs and I'm using silicone to seal the openings of the wings, fuel and tail wheel hatches. Once I put the silicone on and bolt everything down I can't move it for a couple of days to allow it to set. So I figure that in the meanwhile I can work on the field-box getting it ready.

As deadeye said you can get away cheap if you want to but i wouldn't recommend it. Do yourself a favor and get an electric starter. It's really comfortable if you have a cranky engine. Especially the smaller ones. Get a good starter from the beginning. A 12 V battery is mandatory. An electric fuelpump is not a must-have but it sure is nice. I got a windshield washer pump from a scrapped VW Golf for a couple of bucks. That is the tank and the pump in one so you don't have to carry the whole fuel can to the field. If you get a powerpanel you don't have to have a cordless glowdriver which is more expensive than one with a cord. Plus you don't have to charge that ni-cad cell either.

This is a hopefully a onetime investment so I recommend you to spend a little now instead of having to do it again later.

Good luck!

I use and recommend a Cermark power panel. It allows me to charge and/or load test either my Rx or Tx pack at 300mah. Great for topping off mid-day at the field.
It also has a glow driver and glow charger. I prefer a single cell glow starter that I can keep in my pocket. I mounted the 12v battery inside the field box and I can charge the battery through the same banana plug females that the electric starter plugs into. You must make sure the panel is off to do the main battery charging or you smoke the panel. Either way, you can mount the battery and pretty much forget about it. Electric fuel pumps are nice and they can be purchased pretty cheap. I'd try to build as complete a field box as you can. It's the one thing you won't crash and will be with you for a while...The panel will cost about $100.00

I really don't think you need a that expensive panel. I would't spend more than maybe 30-40 bucks on just the panel. If you didn't mean the whole fieldbox, taildraggerdave?

. If your going to build your own box thats great.
If your going to buy a kit version from TH it's all trash.
I had all warped wood and I did the best but I called them and they offered to send me a prebuilt box.
I turned it down and I received $34.05 credit.
The other Guys gave you good info.
However I would go with TH's Deluxe power panel Item # TA2375.
It allows you to charge both NiCads and NMH batteries.
Don't waste money on a NiCad recycler because NMH batteries are taking over and they have no memory.
Jel cell 5-7 amp is more then you'll ever need and dry lead acid is OK and both are better then WET acid batteries.
4X8 1/4 PLY at the local lumber yard will get you about 5-6 field boxes.
The TH boxes even say in the instructions to use balsa scrap for the drawers to ride on and to shim up the sides.
The box i'm building the drawers will have grooves in the sides and will ride on 1/4 in square hard wood to keep them in place and snug.
Fun building.
GL

I have a 7ah 12v gel cell in my box with a Hobbico Deluxe Power Panel II.

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXACW7&P=0

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXL370&P=0

I got the little charger for the gel cell as well:

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXJC38&P=M

Let's not forget the Locking Glow Plug Clip:

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXUC32&P=M

I really never use the power panel, other than to supply 12v to my starter - I did however manage to spend like $55. Truthfully, it is nice to have a back-up. I have never needed to use the power panel as a glow ligher - but I can if my cordless glow lighter has a problem.

I think that aeropal has the right idea, go cordless. This is not the cheapest route - but it is really convenient.

If possible, I would get a good starter and power it off of NiCd's as aeropal sugested (take the $55 you would have spent on a power panel, gel cell and gell cell charger and buy a cordless set-up for your starter). You would be surprised how much more powerfull your starter becomes when it's hooked up to NiCd's (much better than a 7ah gel cell).

I have the Hobbico TorqMaster 180, it work fine (and it fits those nice starter battery holders from Ricks).

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXL398&P=0

Then just get some sort of cordless glow lighter. I use a Radio South box - it's great (but expensive). See:

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXDZ42&P=7

You can just get one of those stick lighters - they use a single NiCd battery (i.e., one cel). They work fine as well.

Then you just need a charger than can charge them all (your Starter NiCd, your glow stick lighter, and your field packs). Perhaps a Triton would do (since it can do pretty much everything):

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXCJG7&P=0

You will have to power it from your car battery. Don' forget to order the proper charge leads. Perhaps use an old PC power supply for home use (lots of posts on that topic).

Moses

Edit:

By my calculations it would cost about $250 for a Hobbico TorqMaster 180 starter, Rick's battery holders, two cheap 6 cell NiCd stick packs, a decent glow stick, a Triton and some charge leads. You would be in great shape with this set-up (wish I went this route). You could cycle your packs and everything (very important).

Don't forget some sort of loaded volt meter (to check your batteries at the field). The Hobbico Digital Voltmeter MK III is pretty good and it uses the same leads as the Triton.

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXWW16&P=0

.The battery is a good by as is the snap on for the glow plug.
The rest of the items are priced way to high.
I have the ACCU-GLOW power panel and I also built my own adjustable voltage regulator.
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How do you justify that the portable glow starter is better?
Recharagable batteries are only 1.2 volts per cell.
I use a large D cell 1.5 volts and it snaps into a small case and I soldered clips on the wires.
I also built my own box and installed a switch right over top of the [power panel.
That switch is wired to a female plug and I plug my wall charger into that so I never have to remove that 7 amp 12 volt battery.
I also unsoldered the clips from the starter and soldered on bananna clips so I can run it from the power panel.
With the price of the plywood,stain,screws and fiberglass tape I have about $55.00 to 60.00 tied up in the box with all I need and have just about everything you have but I didn't see the need for the most expensive items.
Last summer my friend was fly fishing with his $700.00 bamboo fly rod.
I used an $8.00 bamboo rod I picked up at a hardware store.
I bagged my limit everyday.
He never caught one fish
>>>>You would be in great shape with this set-up (wish I went this route). You could cycle your packs and everything (very important). <<<NOT TRUE!!
NMH batteries are taking over and in another year ni-cads will be history so your wasting money on a recycler.
Also you can make a good one from # 1157 car light bulbs.
I just leave my batteries run down every three months like I have been doing for years on my ham radio gear.
But it's fun collecting all the goddies

Moses,

You left out a good fuel pump.

I have already built the box using 3/8" plywood. It's a bit on the stout side and should last a couple hundred years. It's fairly basic in design 20" long, 10-1/4" wide and about 8" high. Fuel on one end with the battery compartment and power panel on the other end. Good size drawer located at bottom middle with a large open tray up stairs. The area for the battery is 4" deep and 9-1/2" wide with a sloped top for the power panel display. I suppose that if I were to leave out the battery and power panel I could take the top off and put my transmitter there instead, just lay some foam in it to cushion it. I could also put some rockers on the flightbox and use it as a baby cradle too.

The more I think about it the more I want a gel battery and power panel whether I need it or not. It will give me more piddlin' time installing it, plus no self-respecting flightbox should be without one anyway.

A hardy-made manly flightbox should be mandatory for all fliers, just like the AMA card. A $1.99 plastic toy-box from Walmart to me just doesn't cut it. You might as well take up sewing if you're going to go that route. Building your own is the only way to go, so throw out the Viagra and pick up a saw and hammer; your wife will love you for it! I've also heard that wearing a good leather tool-belt stimulates hair growth. ...and tooth loss but hey, you can't have everything.

If you're getting an electric fuel pump, get the slimline boxxer. slightly more $, but highly reliable and quieter. my hobbico pump leaks, but I'm keeping it as a spare. By the way the boxxer works, don't seem to ever need a spare or manual pump..........

.
I have a hand crank pump on the box I built but what bothers me is the fuel sitting in the pump while it's not in use.
I have used the smaall pit stop bottles and it's a lot less work.
Just squeeze and fill