1/2A Glow Head Power

[Tim Wescott]

I never seem to have trouble with complex stuff. It's always the
embarrassingly simple things.

I want to start 1/2A engines using a Ni-starter. I had an old Cox
starter connected to an adapter cord made from a remote glow plug
starter, but I was only getting 1/2 a volt at the head and no glow. I
measured, and found that there was a healthy drop from the wiring to the
head, with an unknown drop from the starter battery itself (the starter
makes a glow plug light up just fine).

I have a new Sulivan clip, but before I buy any more stuff to mangle, I
want to know:

what do _you_ do to light up your 1/2A glow heads?

--
www.wescottdesign.com

[MJKolodziej]

"Tim Wescott" <t...@seemywebsite.com> wrote in message
news:usmdnctvUJkXuo7W...@web-ster.com...

I use 2 alkaline "D" cells in parallel and a Cox clip. I have a buddy that
runs a small wire around the cylinder, then he holds the wire to the + of a
D cell and holds the - end to the top of the glow plug. Yeah, he flies
around with the wire flopping around.
mk
don't forget to have a small bottle of glow fuel to squirt in the ports to
prime with. That's a good ol' smell.

[Randy Maheux]

I use a 1 1/2 volt dry cell, though I too have used 2 alkaline "D" cells in
parallel. I use a Cox clip to connect either to the glow head, though I
have used 2 large alligator clips for this connection.

"Tim Wescott" <t...@seemywebsite.com> wrote in message
news:usmdnctvUJkXuo7W...@web-ster.com...

[iceri...@gmail.com]

> >www.wescottdesign.com- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

I picked up a 2 volt sealed wet cell from Battery Depot and charge it
once or twice in an entire season. I have about 5 foot of wire
between the battery and clip and get a solid 1.5 volt at the glow
plug.

[Fubar of the HillPeople]

They still have those old big assed cylinder dry cells? Used one of those in
the late 60's for my .049 Baby Ringmaster. Makes me wanna buy an erector set
cept I've seen what they go for on Ebay.

"Randy Maheux" <rma...@cfl.rr.com> wrote in message
news:4b13b57f$0$4956$9a6e...@unlimited.newshosting.com...

[Tim Wescott]

On Mon, 30 Nov 2009 10:48:24 -0800, Fubar of the HillPeople wrote:
(top posting fixed -- twice -- TaW)

> "Randy Maheux" <rma...@cfl.rr.com> wrote in message
> news:4b13b57f$0$4956$9a6e...@unlimited.newshosting.com...

>> "Tim Wescott" <t...@seemywebsite.com> wrote in message
>> news:usmdnctvUJkXuo7W...@web-ster.com...
>>>I never seem to have trouble with complex stuff. It's always the
>>> embarrassingly simple things.
>>>
>>> I want to start 1/2A engines using a Ni-starter. I had an old Cox
>>> starter connected to an adapter cord made from a remote glow plug
>>> starter, but I was only getting 1/2 a volt at the head and no glow. I
>>> measured, and found that there was a healthy drop from the wiring to
>>> the head, with an unknown drop from the starter battery itself (the
>>> starter makes a glow plug light up just fine).
>>>
>>> I have a new Sulivan clip, but before I buy any more stuff to mangle,
>>> I want to know:
>>>
>>> what do _you_ do to light up your 1/2A glow heads?
>>>
>>
>>I use a 1 1/2 volt dry cell, though I too have used 2 alkaline "D"
>>cells in parallel. I use a Cox clip to connect either to the glow head,
>>though I have used 2 large alligator clips for this connection.
>>

> They still have those old big assed cylinder dry cells? Used one of
> those in the late 60's for my .049 Baby Ringmaster. Makes me wanna buy
> an erector set cept I've seen what they go for on Ebay.
>

They have slightly shorter, slightly wider, square, "Hobby Batteries".
Functionally the same, if you can find a fresh one. I went to NiCd
starter batteries when I went to the LHS and got a five year old "new"
hobby cell.

--
www.wescottdesign.com

[Tim Wescott]

OK. Finally got the necessary round tuit.

Per advise from the forum on stunthanger.com, I put a pair of alkaline
'D' cells in parallel with, 18-gauge (or maybe 16) wire and the Sulivan
clip: things started right up. With a cylinder swap, I even got a high
power run. Tee hee! Now if only it'd stop raining, or maybe if I just
put boots on...

I did add some heat shrink to the top of the Sulivan clip (the part that
engages the button on the head) -- the two bits of metal were awfully
close together; the heat shrink should keep things from getting mashed
together too easily. Maybe I'll build a holster for the clip, but if it
works...

(This is actually part of the ongoing Nobler thread -- I have a half-A
Cap 232 model that's been crashed about a bazillion times. It should
help get me in shape for the Nobler. I had been running it with a Davis
Diesel head, but I kept blowing out head seals, so back to glow).

--
www.wescottdesign.com