FIRE or OH %&#@ !!!
 

Had a little excitement at the field the other day. One of the guys got a new field box and had not the chance to set up his leads for the electric starter. He used two alligator clamps and they rotated causeing a 12v direct short. Smoke rolled off the main battery wires and the plastic bananna pin covers melted badly. I got a minor burn pulling things off. we imediatly dismantled the panel and cut off all the melted wire. It is fixable, but that kind of stuff gets HOTright now!

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that why I never liked or trusted a feild box. I used mine for a year or so and sold it and went wireless. a whole lot safer

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Don't put your finger in a electrical socket.  Don't lick a cold metal pole.  Don't poke the bear with a stick to see if it is just taking a nap.  I suppose we need to add don't shove alligator clips into sockets designed for bananna plugs, or what ever it was that was done.  If you put a fuse between the battery and everything else and now it is safer than the non-fused "wireless" stuff with respect to shorting.  Seen peeps throw a wireless glow booster in their pocket, it shorts out on some coins, etc, then they do the hippity-hop dance for a bit as they remove the smoking hot booster out of their pants. Nothing is safe if used improperly.

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John.. that brings up a funny story.  When I was in the Navy (before the Coast Guard), I was on the ship's pistol team.

We went to Jacksonville Florida, Cecil Field Naval Air Station, to be exact, and were competing as a team for the 5th Naval District title.  I was an alternate for that day's competition.. we switched roles every other day.

Anyway, as an alternate, I did minor chores like supply ammunition to the competitors, scored targets, and so on.  Well, about 11:00 AM, the team captain came up to me and told me to get my guns and report to the firing line.  I asked what was going on.. he said that Chief Wilson had hurt his hand.  I let it go for now, wanting to get ready to shoot.  After all was said and done, I saw Chief Wilson with his right hand (his shooting hand) all wrapped up and it looked a tad bit swolen.

It turns out that the security people found an aligator in one of the drainage trenches that went around the runway, captured it, and put it in the back of their truck.  They stopped by the pistol range to check out the competition and the scores.  Well, Wilson was walking by the truck and saw the aligator lying there, and thinking it was dead, reached over to touch it.  That thing, about a 4 foot gator, whipped around and bit him on the right hand.

So, in addition to not poking a sleeping bear, don't touch a lying down aligator!!!

Now, to return to the subject matter.  I don't own a flight box.  I used to have one, but it ended up being more of a pain in the butt than I thought it would be.  I bought one of those emergency car start battery packs from Sears, rewired it to accomodate my needs, and have had that thing for many years now.  Everything I use, electric starter, fuel pump, glow driver charger (via a 12 - 120 volt converter) and anything electrical will plug into the three ports I put on this thing.  Oh, it came with a cigarette lighter port as well as a banana plug jack, and I added one more.  It charges up via a 120 vac plug on the side with LED indicators to show when it is fully charged.  </p>

So, I have everything external and separate which can make things a bit awkward, but I have that complete flexibility to do what I wish with just about everything in my inventory and am not limited to size, capacity, or anything.  I like it.

CGr.</p>

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Hey Coastie...its a weapon not a gun......squids are for kids....just kiddin just kiddin...my Daughter has made 3rd class and is now in Yorktown VA.
ok the subject matter......a fuse should be a must as Jown said...fuses are put in a system to protect the hardest item in the system to replace....the wiring......heal quickly

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good point, because it was defenitely the field box that caused the alligator clips to touch.........

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Im stationed at NASOceana, Virginia Beach Va, Tell her congrats, from a fellow 3rd, all she has to look forward to is more BS and little bit better pay http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/js/f...sn/biggrin.gif

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Why is it right to blame the field box because the owner/operator is an idiot? He should have properly prepared his equipment at home and even done a test run there to make sure all operated properly. Find the problems when/where you have the time and tools to fix them properly and safely.

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Bad field box, stupid field box!!! You piece of crap field box, you made me install my glow plug wire into the 12 volt starter side!!! Big hunk of junk!!! If you were a bike Iwould toss you down on the ground and jump on your spokes!!! Big stupid junk!!!http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/js/f...n/rolleyes.gif

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:):):DGray beard, too funny!!! Yeah, just be careful of the glowing metal, I don't know how many times I would just get done welding something for work and as soon as I stop, the apprentice with me reaches over and touches it while saying "wow, that loo,......AAAAAAAA!!!!!!" I just shake my head and walk away. But then again, this is why we put warning labels on fan belts saying "do not change while running", people are really that stupid?? I guess so, otherwise warnings would be implied, but just think of all those pictoral stickers on equipment, the best one is lawn mowers, the fingers getting chopped off because you decided to stick your hand under the deck while running, now the picture isn't grose, but more comical, the digit firing off like a missile while they just hold they're hand in the blade.

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Well, in defence of the student, he is new and I let him use it that way. He is a good student just inexperienced. On the other hand I should have known better.http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/js/f.../msn/tired.gif

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I'm just laughing at the other guys. Ihave always had a power panel and still use one today in my big flight box. Ihave the auto jump starter for my starter though, Iget a lot more zing out of it. Ihave a big flight box that is holding all my tools and parts plus field gear, yes, it's on wheels. Iuse the PP for my fuel pump and my battery went dead in my glow driver so I went back to using the PP for my glow too. The PP glow driver comes in handy during the winter when I want more heat to the plug or am using a remote for my glow plug on a cowled engine.
Ireally did plug in my driver into the starter slots once {more then once} on a big bipe I have with a cowled engine, you can hear the plug go pop and the prop moves!http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/js/f...wink_smile.gifThis plane took about 45 minutes to remove the cowl, replace the plug and get the cowl back on. First time I did it it was a Sunday morning and I got up early with maybe a slight hang over, it was an IMAA event and I was working the show so I was trying to hurry so I could get in a flight of my own, POP!! Four days and I only got in one flight.
Ilike the power panels but it's not my only power source at the field.
I'm just laughing at some of the statements the guys posted. Sort of got the feeling they thought the PPs were a deep thinking tool.http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/js/f.../msn/50_50.gif

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Hmm, if the warning label is on the fan belt, how do you read it while it's running?

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Ya gotta whip your head real fast and squint to see it, but I read it and was luck enough to turn that dang thing off, I tell ya man, it's like and engine or something, it just won't stop, take yur fingers off like a gator!!! Trust me when I say, never, NEVER!!!! listen to a shop teacher about safety when he's missing 3 fingers, he obviously forgot what he preaches, not once but 3 times.

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Actually the guy that is missing three fingers will know more about shop safety than the guy that isn't missing fingers. 

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here is my field box story,

I received it for christmas with all the necessary equipment, a few days later, we were considering flying so i decided i'd prep it today and test the starter, glow charger, etc. I plugged the battery into the panel and then plugged in the electric starter w/ alligator clips onto two conectors metal connectors that came with the field box (this was all happening upstairs on the carpet floor next to my work bench; i know, a smart move). pulled the trigger on the starter, this was my first time doing this, and puff, a cloud off smoke begins and i see the wire on fire. I yell at my parents and my mom goes and tears the fire extinguisher off the garage wall, and is yelling at me to step away from it cuz i was still watching it smoke! hahaha. But before she came upstairs the smoke had stopped and my other brothers were freaking out. the culprit, a bad wire that connected the panel to the battery! I thought it was for sure my stupid connection method, but the wire was faulty. my dad tore the burnt stuff out and replaced the wire with a larger one. works fine! just my little field box story.

Jake

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There is one rule I have learned, from the military and otherwise..." When they make something Idiot proof, they make a smarter Idiot." http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/js/f.../msn/50_50.gifo well Ihave shorted out my field box before, ITs not hard to do, espeically if you dont pay attention, but its all attention to detail... Glad the glow fuel didnt go up*shudder*http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/js/f...used_smile.gif

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Insulate connections that would be otherwise exposed to "mistakes" in judgement. [:@] Wrap them with electrical tape at the very least or something better if you have it available. Relabel anything as necessary so that YOU understand it at a glance.

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Started last year in this hobby. Put together my field box and noticed no fuse. Didn't think that was right so $3 later from the auto parts store I had a 20 amp inline fuse. Soldered it on and the big question is did I ever have to replace the fuse. Once and if I didn't have the fuse, no telling the damage or pain trying to get at the battery in a hurry thru 4 screws.

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I never underestimate the power of human stupidity. http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/js/f...bout_smile.gif

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I know a attorney who did just that - stuck his hand under a running mower to clean some grass out of it and cut off 2 fingers and part of a third. After 14 hours of sugery they where back on, but it took him the better part of a year to fully recover. When asked why he did it, he said "I don't know" [sm=confused_smile.gif]

Hogflyer

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Probably didn't see the label telling him to look at the other label.:D

Seriously - Who needs a warning that says: Careful! Coffee may be HOT! Isn't that why you bought it?

Or "Edge may be sharp!" on a knife. Can we just get real here?

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Hey Jetmech.. "...get your guns" those were his words... not mine. I remember clearly!!! http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/js/f.../omg_smile.gif http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/js/f...ular_smile.gif(Ialso remember that gator!!).He was a ChiefFire ControlTech. I was a Third Class Electronics Tech. Note.. he was a CHIEF. Who was I to question his words.. http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/js/f...wink_smile.gif

Hey.. congrats to your Daughter!!! Yorktown. Nice assignment!!! I wish her the best.

CGr

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I have to admit it was a good story

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I think someone placed a lawsuite against McDonalds? Some coffe was spilt and it hurt....! :eek:
Since then everyone has the label.

I think it is mainly an american thing (no offense ment), it is to easy to place lawsuits or something, we don't see that kind of excessive labeling over here.