Going to Electric Only?
 

Has anyone here sold off all their glow models and equipment and moved to electrics? I'm considering doing this. I love the smell and flight times with glow, but my recent experience with electrics and the minimal equipment needed to haul to the field and not to mention the lack of cleanup afterwards has me strongly thinking about selling all of my glow equipment and moving to electrics. My electric ExtremeFlight 3D model has the power to weight ratio of a bottle rocket. Even my massively overpowered Big Stik can't keep up with it. Also, ever day I'm discovering the magic of profile foamies that can be flown at the local park next to my home.

My initial reluctance to convert to electrics was due to the high cost of lipos and ESCs. But now that I've accumulated the basic equipment and several batteries, it's not as intimidating any more.

RE: Going to Electric Only?
 

Hey Denver,

The JeffCo modelers hold a 3-day auction (Fri - Sun) at the JeffCo County Fairgrounds in early February. Clean your stuff up, inventory it (minimum value is $25), come up with a description and sell it.

Simple, huh ...

RE: Going to Electric Only?
 

Of course if need of money is reason to sell then not much choice. However, otherwise I would keep both as I have done, have the best of both worlds.

RE: Going to Electric Only?
 

five F's.. that's great!!! :D

CGr.

RE: Going to Electric Only?
 

I went just the opposite.......I started in glow in 1979. Then a few years back I thought I'd try electric so I bought numerous planes, batteries, ESC's etc. Tried it and I JUST HATED IT!!!!!! I sold all the electric JUNK and went back to glow and never looked back. When I say JUNK I don't mean that I bought cheap stuff......quite the contrary I bought really high end stuff but electric to me is so boring and the time involved in charging batteries for an 8 minute flight is just intolerable. Nothing but glow and gas for me!!

RE: Going to Electric Only?
 

it's not a money thing, but I find myself flying the electrics when I go to the field. The last two times I didn't even bring the glow model.

I don't know. Maybe I'll keep it. It's my beloved Big Stik with a big old honk'n glow OS engine up front. I'll probably regret selling it.

The other thing is i'm always buying glow fuel. The cost is not the issue. But I always seem to be low on fuel and need to make a detour to the LHS before I fly.

RE: Going to Electric Only?
 

While I almost never buy l anything used on the internet I do however enjoy a good buy out of local flyers whenever the opportunity arrives and it invarably is when someone makes just such a proclaimation: I,am going all, Controlline, RC, Giant Scale, Freeflight, combat, pylon, Glider, helicopter, Parkie and of course the most popular proclaimation of all Electric.

All my best buys have started with just that statement. Now for the interesting part I would hazard a guess that only perhaps a quarter of them really make it stick with most of the balance buying back equipment to continue with whatever was their previous venue while just dabbling the newer venue.

John

RE: Going to Electric Only?
 

There is a couple of things you can do about needing glow fuel......next time you need fuel buy 2 gallons, one to use and 1 in reserve, when the first gallon is low or gone you have a gallon to use....now you have a gallons worth to get to the LHS to repllace your reserve.
Ever thought of gas? I started making the switch about 3 years ago...cheaper than glow not as messy.....and I like the vertical I get with gas....There is a bit of a learning curve to gas but once mastered it's great......

I have a friendly running verbal battle with the ion pushers (electric guys) at the field......There is one friend of mine that has a Mustang that is quick....I just can't get over the prop not turning with the throttle at idle

RE: Going to Electric Only?
 

I still own a few nitro and gas planes, but the only time they have run in the past 2-3 years is on the driveway. I fire them up every 6 months or so to keep them in running order, just in case I get the itch to fly one. Two thirds of my hangar is now electric, mostly Eflite 450 and 15 size. The key is to pick a size or two and stick with it, I only use 3 different sizes of LiPo packs and have enough of each size for more than an hour flight time for each size pack without recharging anything (All of my packs are from HobbyKing and did not break the bank.). I also have a LiPo TX pack, so that is no issue either. You just have to decide if your nitros are something you want to hang on to. You could always convert them to electric as well. I have recently begun to consider converting a few of my 40-size nitros, the only problem is the size no being schoolyard friendly like my other electrics. It really all boils down to what YOU want to do, each option has pros and cons.

RE: Going to Electric Only?
 

I didn't get into electrics till about a year ago and I love them as well. I almost considered coverting all my models to electric but I just can't get rid of all my glow stuff. Yeah the are a pain to clean up and take more field equipment but I love the sound of a screaming 2 Stroke on a tuned pipe and I love the gas and go ability I get from the glow. for me I think a balance between the two is better than getting away from either one. I think if you get rid of all your glow stuff you may regret it.

RE: Going to Electric Only?
 

I started in glow, dabbled in electric for a few years, and now have returned exclusively to glow.

RE: Going to Electric Only?
 

Denver,

These are all good options. If you decide to go all electric, have you considered an electric conversion on the Big stick? All the components are getting cheeper for the conversion.

I have a Piper Cub (80 in. wingspan) that I had an OS FS 90 installed. It flew great but I pulled the entire nitro set-up out (less the throttle servo and linkage) and installed a E-flite Power 60, Phoenix 80 ESC, and a 4200mah 5S battery. It flies OK. It is lacking a little power but I have a larger battery with a higher C rating on order to see if I can get more performance out of it. If all else fails, I will put the OS engine back in it.

RE: Going to Electric Only?
 

GAH!

I almost had a heart attack at the though of going electric only; No, I'm keeping my glow, thank you very much! :D

RE: Going to Electric Only?
 

Converted to electric quite a few yrs ago and sold all my glow and gas stuff. Have an old Yellow Aircraft Cap 10B I built around 95 with a Quadra 42 converted to electric a couple of yrs ago. Pulls every bit as good as the quadra with a little better take off and climb because of the extra torque of the electric. Everything down to the indoor foamys which are great for indoor flying for the winter.

RE: Going to Electric Only?
 

Something odd about an airplane that sings to ya to let you know it's ready to fly.....then the prop stops turning when the throttle is at idle....It's some kind of a plot.....just kidding

RE: Going to Electric Only?
 

Yeah, I program the Turnigy Plush ESCs to play Jingle Bells. Drives the indoor fliers nuts.:D

RE: Going to Electric Only?
 

Ha.. you can change the tune for each season.. that will truly drive them nuts!!

I have a few electrics, but will never leave glow power. In my opinion, it's more consistent (power wise). And, I don't have to wait for batteries to recharge between flights... with sufficient receiver battery capacity, when the battery goes low, it's time to go home. And, I don't have to keep spare batteries just to fly more than once.

CGr.

RE: Going to Electric Only?
 

One of the reasons I switched over was, I found my actual air time was much more with elec. I carry an average of 6 planes in my van and a heli or two. A Twist 40 gets flown a lot and takes about 1/2 an hr to 40 mins to charge. A buddy has the same plane with an OS 46FX and they're neck and neck for speed. 25 batts in my flight box so there's no real downtime. Some planes are 40 in. WS 3D type planes. If you like to experiment, take a few sheets of dollar store foam and design anything you want. I use a little 1000 watt generator and 3 chargers on the go all day. Nice to be retired. :DNot trying to convince anyone, just saying what it's given to me.

RE: Going to Electric Only?
 

I have all three, Gasers, electrics and nitro, I love them all, but the easiest and cheapest I think, in the long run is the gasers. They start easy and the fuel is cheap and will run forever on a tank of fuel. I do like the convience of electrics, but you need to think about what you need if you get into to bigger models. Like a new battery charger that will handle 4 cell and up lipo batteries. All of my electrics are park flyers. I like them cause I just fly them in the back yard. i do have to say, I've never had a dead stick on an electric model. speaking of ESC chimes, on my P51 it plays "Deep in the Heart of Dixy" :D

RE: Going to Electric Only?
 

Ironic part is, I owned a small motor shop till I retired and am the engine guru out at the field. Still glad to help the guys out with engine problems.:D

RE: Going to Electric Only?
 

Go gas and small electrics and you won't look back. Small electrics for quick and ease of operation and gas for power and long flight times for big planes.

RE: Going to Electric Only?
 

Gasser were the last to go for me,Mike. The prop noise from the 20 in. props is almost like a gasser with a real quiet muffler. Big + is the lack of vibration and ease of starting but the gassers are very good in that respect. You can buy a motor, speed controller, and suitable batts for the 1/4 scalers for the price of new equivalent gas motor.

RE: Going to Electric Only?
 

If gas and electric were all there were then I would find another hobby.

RE: Going to Electric Only?
 

go electric and never look back! There is nothing that can't be flown with electrics now days. Cleaner, more power, no vibration, no hassles, just good clean fun. Buy yourself a high quality charger, use only good name LiPo's and you will never have an issue even after 100's of flights.

RE: Going to Electric Only?
 

If all there were was gas and electric you'd find another hobby!!!!!!!!!For shame!!!!!!!!! Friends don't let friends fly electric.....
I love gassers....have you thought of a gasser with Coleman lantern fuel.......
Just kiddin you ion pushers......
Good flyin to all even you electric guys