Glow Igniter issue, I think.
05-21-2008 | 12:07 PM
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From: Riverton,
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Glow Igniter issue, I think.
I bought the Hot Shot 2 igniter and charged it all last night.
I have been tuning the engine this morning for about 30 min, no problem. ( used the igniter about a dozen times while tuning) Now it seems like the igniter is dead, as I can not get the engine started anymore.
Does that seem normal? Being that it is a new igniter, does it need to by cycled like any other battery to give it a full and complete charge, as well as hold the charge?
I have been tuning the engine this morning for about 30 min, no problem. ( used the igniter about a dozen times while tuning) Now it seems like the igniter is dead, as I can not get the engine started anymore.
Does that seem normal? Being that it is a new igniter, does it need to by cycled like any other battery to give it a full and complete charge, as well as hold the charge?
05-21-2008 | 12:25 PM
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From: Poolesville, MD
RE: Glow Igniter issue, I think.
ORIGINAL: jentzsch
I bought the Hot Shot 2 igniter and charged it all last night.
I have been tuning the engine this morning for about 30 min, no problem. ( used the igniter about a dozen times while tuning) Now it seems like the igniter is dead, as I can not get the engine started anymore.
Does that seem normal?
I bought the Hot Shot 2 igniter and charged it all last night.
I have been tuning the engine this morning for about 30 min, no problem. ( used the igniter about a dozen times while tuning) Now it seems like the igniter is dead, as I can not get the engine started anymore.
Does that seem normal?
The HS has about a 1300mAh 1.2v NiMH battery.
If left continuously connected to a glow plug you would get about 15-20 minutes time out of it.
Since normally we plug the ignitor in, crank the engine over, and remove the ignitor, a single charge may be good for an entire weekend ( though I carry several and charge them each night before flying... ).
I've often done exactly as you, with a stubborn engine ( usually a fuel problem ) trying to tune an engine, only to discover that the ignitor was depleted by the time I got the engine tuned up fully...
The very first charge as the manual states is supposed to be much longer. I believe it states 24 hours. It doesn't sound like you did this though.
05-21-2008 | 12:28 PM
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From: Riverton,
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RE: Glow Igniter issue, I think.
ORIGINAL: opjose
The very first charge as the manual states is supposed to be much longer. I believe it states 24 hours. It doesn't sound like you did this though.
The very first charge as the manual states is supposed to be much longer. I believe it states 24 hours. It doesn't sound like you did this though.
I like your idea of getting a few igniter's. I need to get a new plug for the engine, so I think I will pick up another igniter as well.
Also, is it possible to get a more powerful battery?
05-21-2008 | 12:41 PM
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From: Poolesville, MD
RE: Glow Igniter issue, I think.
Re: Battery
The HotShot 2 has a small grub screw that permits you to open the "CAN".
I believe you can change the battery, but I have never done so.
I do have the (GP?) anodized ignitor with indicator in the scew off cap from Tower too.
On this one I took a 2200mAh battery from a new RX pack I had, which had a bad cell, and cut off the tabs, then stuffed it into the ignitor.
It lasts quite a bit longer now.
TH sells loose battery cells to make your own packs.
These make excellent replacements for the cell in your ignitor.
In your shoes I'd just buy a second ignitor and carry two.
Use one primarily, and next year or so, look at changing out the battery.
Why waste what you already have?
The HotShot 2 has a small grub screw that permits you to open the "CAN".
I believe you can change the battery, but I have never done so.
I do have the (GP?) anodized ignitor with indicator in the scew off cap from Tower too.
On this one I took a 2200mAh battery from a new RX pack I had, which had a bad cell, and cut off the tabs, then stuffed it into the ignitor.
It lasts quite a bit longer now.
TH sells loose battery cells to make your own packs.
These make excellent replacements for the cell in your ignitor.
In your shoes I'd just buy a second ignitor and carry two.
Use one primarily, and next year or so, look at changing out the battery.
Why waste what you already have?
05-21-2008 | 04:52 PM
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RE: Glow Igniter issue, I think.
This thread got me to wondering so I had to go out and see what size battery I had in my igniter. I always thought it was A 2300mah but it was only A 1300mah. I tend to forget it's on the charger and leave it on for days, I would like to say it's an age thing but I always forgot them so it's just A me thing.
Anyway, I don't leave them on the engine very long and they seem to last me A long time between charging.
A safety thing here, I have had and seen them shake off the engine, hit the prop and go flying off into space. I have also seen the leads from the igniter run off the power panel get caught by the prop, that gets ugly real fast too.
Anyway, I don't leave them on the engine very long and they seem to last me A long time between charging.
A safety thing here, I have had and seen them shake off the engine, hit the prop and go flying off into space. I have also seen the leads from the igniter run off the power panel get caught by the prop, that gets ugly real fast too.
05-21-2008 | 04:55 PM
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From: Poolesville, MD
RE: Glow Igniter issue, I think.
ORIGINAL: Gray Beard
A safety thing here, I have had and seen them shake off the engine, hit the prop and go flying off into space.
A safety thing here, I have had and seen them shake off the engine, hit the prop and go flying off into space.
The bump was fairly small and went away quickly.
05-22-2008 | 07:31 AM
#9
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RE: Glow Igniter issue, I think.
ORIGINAL: opjose
You were lucky... mine elected to hit me right in the middle of the forehead.... much to the delight of on-lookers.
The bump was fairly small and went away quickly.
ORIGINAL: Gray Beard
A safety thing here, I have had and seen them shake off the engine, hit the prop and go flying off into space.
A safety thing here, I have had and seen them shake off the engine, hit the prop and go flying off into space.
The bump was fairly small and went away quickly.
05-22-2008 | 08:10 AM
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From: blank, FL
RE: Glow Igniter issue, I think.
ORIGINAL: opjose
Yup perfectly normal especially if you left it plugged in.
The HS has about a 1300mAh 1.2v NiMH battery.
If left continuously connected to a glow plug you would get about 15-20 minutes time out of it.
Since normally we plug the ignitor in, crank the engine over, and remove the ignitor, a single charge may be good for an entire weekend ( though I carry several and charge them each night before flying... ).
I've often done exactly as you, with a stubborn engine ( usually a fuel problem ) trying to tune an engine, only to discover that the ignitor was depleted by the time I got the engine tuned up fully...
The very first charge as the manual states is supposed to be much longer. I believe it states 24 hours. It doesn't sound like you did this though.
ORIGINAL: jentzsch
I bought the Hot Shot 2 igniter and charged it all last night.
I have been tuning the engine this morning for about 30 min, no problem. ( used the igniter about a dozen times while tuning) Now it seems like the igniter is dead, as I can not get the engine started anymore.
Does that seem normal?
I bought the Hot Shot 2 igniter and charged it all last night.
I have been tuning the engine this morning for about 30 min, no problem. ( used the igniter about a dozen times while tuning) Now it seems like the igniter is dead, as I can not get the engine started anymore.
Does that seem normal?
The HS has about a 1300mAh 1.2v NiMH battery.
If left continuously connected to a glow plug you would get about 15-20 minutes time out of it.
Since normally we plug the ignitor in, crank the engine over, and remove the ignitor, a single charge may be good for an entire weekend ( though I carry several and charge them each night before flying... ).
I've often done exactly as you, with a stubborn engine ( usually a fuel problem ) trying to tune an engine, only to discover that the ignitor was depleted by the time I got the engine tuned up fully...
The very first charge as the manual states is supposed to be much longer. I believe it states 24 hours. It doesn't sound like you did this though.
i also keep a spare ignitor on hand as my backup to my pluginthewall rechargable unit that uses alkaline batteries and that way if it dies too I can pop in a new battery quickly that's fully charged and keep right on keeping on with whatever i was doing
05-22-2008 | 09:44 AM
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From: FrederickMD
RE: Glow Igniter issue, I think.
This year I gave up on the battery powered igniters and went with the corded igniter that plugs into the power panel. Now I can judge the health of my glow plug, control the heat of the plug on startup, and it lasts as long as my field battery. No heavy weight to flop around when the engine is running either.
Brad
Brad
