I have a Non SE/SX titan. The turbine runs fantastic and I love it but heres the thing..

On start up, one of three things will happen, Just for the record I have not recorded any data relating to my observations but I have noticed a relationship between the bad starts and my ECU battery level.

The following three scenarios will be assuming the ECU battery was fully charged the night before.

1) The start up sequence will be normal.

2) The start up sequence will begin normally. When the Kerostart solonoid begins to click I will see smoke being ejected from the turbine, I assume this is the fuel smoldering or partially combusing. The turbine will not light and recently I have learned to simply abort the start immediately if I see this occouring.

3) This has only happened once, In my most recent start attempt last weekend. The start up will begin normally. When the solonoid begins to click nothing happens, No smoke no nothing. When I touch the kero plug during this type of start event. I can hold my finger on it for quite some time before I notice its hot. Normally you can only touch it beifly before you must pull away.

When Scenarios two and three happen. I wack my ecu battery with a 2 amp charge until the voltage is above or near 9V. The next start attempt is always fine.

The only thing I can think of is that I lengthened my ECU battery wires significantly in order to have the battery far forward in the nose cone. Maybe there is something els causing this? Does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks, Pete

Pete,

Put a glow plug in it.

Bob

Thats it.

What type of battery are you using?

I run Kero Start in all my JetCat engines. I used to have probelms all the time like you are having till I switched to a 4000 mAh Li-poly packs for the ECU. I never had a missed start ever since.

In the past I was using 5000 mAh nickel metal packs.....that was the problem.

I am currently using some A123's......they are awesome!!!

Derrick

Pete, here is a calculator for voltage drop. 16 gauge is as small as it goes. Shouldn't be going any smaller anyway.
http://nooutage.com/vdrop.htm


Doug

Awesome! I appreciate it guys!

Pete

Kero ignition really needs Li-Po or Li-fe. A good NiMh pack which is topped up just before you fly the first flight will do OK, but in cool weather you'll need to charge every other flight. Long leads are also a problem as you are saying, even 14 swg wire I don't go over 20cm-8". Most of my models I have with the Li-Po next to the ECU, so I can plug it into the unit directly. The 2500 Li-Po JetCat supply I shortern the wire as much as possible, but mainly use Thunderpower or Graupner 2s packs...all the way to 5400 mAh. I use the car buggy 2s packs in hard cases where possible.

Dave Wilshere

If you need more amps to suppliment your Kero start and have the new enclosed IO board you can plug an external battery into the charge socket for start up and then use the on board battery for flight, I use a three cell A123 with a modified ECU to accept the voltage and have never had a failed start due to the battery.

Mike

Found a pic of the board.

Mike

Pete,
I have hundreds of kero starts on all different types of jetcat motors. Your problem is most likely a battery issue. Kero start is very demanding on batts so a lipo or in my favorite A123 is the way to go. A couple of other things to look at is the fuel actually moving thru the line to the kero plug when you hear the sol valve clicking. Many times a pump that would work perfect for propane start will need a little extra kick to get going during the kero start sequence. This is easily adjusted in the unaccel 1 screen. Sometimes it takes a click or two up in this setting to get things running smooth. Once you get dependable starts there will be no going back to propane start, you will love it.
V..

even Jetcat has gone to using lipo batteries as a standard for their new Kero Start turbines. I would look at the ga of wire and batteries.

If you are using Li-ion batteries, they don't like the kero start turbines. On a freshly charged battery, you may get one start if your lucky.

Thanks guys,

Also, Something I failed to mention. I noticed that during a good start, as SOON as that kero valve starts clicking and moving fuel you can hear it burning. Its very quiet and you have to put your ear close to it but it is burning. Thats how I know if it will start or not.

Since I need the weight of my battery in the nose, I think I may just have to live with topping off before each flight, Oh well..

Pete

You never did say what type of batteries you are using

Pete, when you say " i need the weight of my batteries in the nose" i assume you are talking about Nicads. What i did when i got rid of my nicads was add LEAD!!!!!! and A123 batteries to make up the difference!!! Every time i see that statement it makes me laugh.Trust me, you are FAR better off with lead and 123 batts than having useless Nicads in there just for weight...ugh[:@]
V..

Sorry guys, Im using Nimhs..

Pete,

Nimhs do not have the discharge amperage like Nicads. Get a LiMag or LiPoly and end your problems.

Beave

I am not so sure that the Nimh is your problem. I am using a 3300 mah pack on my P70 kero AND my Titan kero. I get three perfect starts and flights per charge. IF you can touch the plug and it is only warm to touch the voltage may not be high enough. I found that the old plug worked at 5.7 volts but the new ones needed 6.5 to provide ignition. Another thing is to make sure that the kero is all way up to the keroplug for ignition as the pump pulses only small amounts of kero into the plug.

D.W.