I live in Michigan and our flying season is coming to a end ( although, I will keep a few planes ready for a nice day). I was wondering what type of things need to be done if the plane is going to sit for a length of time? anything special with the battery? covering? engine? Thanks.

Michael

I keep the batterys charged. I use after run oil if my engine
is going to set for any length of time. I remove all fuel from the
fuel tanks/engine before storage.I clean all my air planes
after each flying sesion and before i store them up for the winter.
At times i will turn the props over on my air planes off and on
thru out the storage months. I only use os,ys,saito,enya engines
and i have never had any problems with engines for the next season.
I also fly in the winter months some with snow skies( Its Neat) lol

Clean your planes of oily residue. Empty the tanks. Remove the glow plug from your engine and run a bunch of Marvel Mystery oil through it until you are certain that all the bearings are well lubed. Replace the glow plug and muffler, add some more Mystery Oil, and cap off the carb and muffler opening.

Try to store your planes somewhere that the temperature and humidity are relatively stable, especially if they are finished with dope. Keep your tramsmitters in the nice warm house. Charge all the batteries, and cycle them prior to the next seasons use.

I basically do the same as the others, charge all the batteries as a battery that is fully discharged and sitting can reverse polarity. I use ATF (automatic tranny fluid) in my engines and have for years and it works as well as the others. I also store my planes and equipment in a room where the temperature is controlled, never gets below 50 degrees and turn the engines over by hand ever once in awhile.

So once the battery is charged, I can leave it sit for a few months? I thought the Nicads would loose charge over time. They may be sitting from Nov. to March. Did you reccomend periodically recharging them? perhaps once a month?

Michael

Hi MSP1957
unless the batteries are in a high temperature area they will not discharge to a danger zone all that fast,test them periodically or keep them on a trickle charger if you're forgetful like me.
Have a goodun.

I'm wondering if anybody will admit to just hanging them up and waiting for warm weather?

Tom

Heres a good site for battery info including maintenence.

http://www.rcbatteryclinic.com/

Good luck

I will admit to just hanging them up and waiting for spring. Last week I took a plane down that had been hanging for almost two years in an unheated room in Wis weather with almost no storage preparetion, I fueled it, choked it [four stroke] and it started with first flip and ran flawlessly, flew great. So much for storage preparation.

I don't do anything but clean them up and put them in storage. I do store them with a full change and cycle them at the beginning of each season.

At this point I will admit I do nothing. Just hang and wait. Some of the oil slime does drip off by Spring.

Tom

Yeah..I am in Minnesota and I hung my s/s 40 w/ a 40 LA in my unheated/attached garage all winter and on the first nice day I fueled up and it started on the 1st try