Glo to Gas conversion: how to get it right fast !
#51
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With the new ignition the Saito 125 fired up easily and is happy again.
#52
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It was the bayonet type that required the spring. The replacement has the compression spring. So, at this point, who knows if the problem at the plug cap caused the problem near the ignition unit or what happened. The ignition unit itself is still firing. Glad that headache is off the work bench and back in the hanger.
With the new ignition the Saito 125 fired up easily and is happy again.
With the new ignition the Saito 125 fired up easily and is happy again.
I have had faillures with the soldered one (one due to a minor mishap, inverted engine and a nose over in landing causing the plugcap to catch in the grass, the other one due to vibrations. I could repair the one that failed due vibrations). But those repairs did not last "forever" so it got replaced and the repaired unit became my testbench-unit.
But whatever the cause, your Saito being happy again is the most important!
Last edited by 1967brutus; 02-11-2023 at 04:53 PM.
#53
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#55
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I first have to go to sea for a month or two and when I get back, I hope to have all parts availlable again.
For now I cannot say anything about prices, although I do not expect them to change too much.
Please have patience and remind me again mid May (my memory is not what it used to be
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Johnfrench13 (07-17-2024)
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Johnfrench13 (07-17-2024)
#57
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Like I said, remind me mid May, because I'm not a business, I am just a private person doing this for zero profit and as a hobby. Therefore I do not "take orders" and do not keep a waiting list, for reason that that would lead to volumes I cannot handle.
That is also the reason why I have shared all information needed to fabricate this system, to at least "lighten my load" a bit
That is also the reason why I have shared all information needed to fabricate this system, to at least "lighten my load" a bit
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Johnfrench13 (07-17-2024)
#58
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Fully agree on the "allready broken, what's there to lose" part, but one has to keep in mind that a 50 or 75 bucks ignition system keeps a much more expensive aircraft up...
There are planes in my collection that for peace of mind's sake would just get a new ignition if the old one only so much as looked back at me the wrong way. Then there are those where a repaired ignition would not keep me wake at night
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That definitely is some wording!
Just a couple of weeks ago my waco and radial fell out the sky,,all because of a damn $30 transmitter battery pack..
Thats $1400 au of a really cool plane ..so lost a plane
but recovered electronics and the engine was ok after getting wedged in the ground
#59
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Well, one could call it "extrapolated experience": Never lost an expensive plane that way, but the cheap ones that I lost helped me preventing to lose expensive ones...
Knock on wood...
Knock on wood...
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#61
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Are you one of the guys that contacted me via WhatsApp a week or so back?
#63
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Good morning to all.
I have noticed that there is a point which needs a little help to be easier to overcome: This is : how do you adjust the whole set for the very first run ?
I noticed that on most of the engines I have converted, 2stk or 4 stk, the solenoid 'curve' is very flat. That means that the gas qtty flowing will be roughly the same for any throttle aperture.
This is valid for the first hours of running, you may have to adjust the curve later.
You now have understood that the gas quantity is to be adjusted very precisely with the carb air in-flow. This is why the solenoid is used for (NO other way to achieve it by the way).
Well, here is how to do:
Start by changing the O ring gasket from the Hi needle. Any old one or Glow type, will leak. Change it, will cost peanuts.
1) you close your hi needle and then re open it one half of a turn. This is plenty enough. This gives a fixed quantity of gas to get in the carb since the curve is flattish. Turn off your ignition power supply.
2) Now, you prime your carb very generously, checking for no bubbles.
3) Turn on the ignition and put the starter to work with one hand, at the same time you will very gently move up or down your Throttle stick. Get some help if needed, to hold the plane if the engine is installed already.
At one point of the Thr stick travel, the gas input will match with the carb air input and the engine will start.
Let it warm up and then you adjust on the curve very lightly going up and down with the Thr stick.
Now if you did this and it still refuses to start. It means your adjustment was never good enough to allow a start (too rich or too poor).
You then close or open your needle by ONE ONLY click (this is roughly the same as 15% on the curve). and do it again. The engine should ignite, then it is just a matter of tuning your curve at that same Thr stick aperture.
Trouble shooting again:
* an engine which refuses any start and eventually ignites through the carb: this means your timing adjustment is wrong. Don't forget the spark should happen 28 deg before piston high point. It is easy to make it it wrong. I suggest you use a protractor to check on this angle precisely.
* an engine which stalls abruptly in full speed is probably too lean, open the curve point by a few % and run again.
* you should start at 30% Thr stick opening. not more. This is enough to overcome the internal frictions in the engine before it is broken in. It is also the easy point to get, in the middle of the curve.
* check that your Thr servo runs symmetrically ! if you don't, you will have to readjust the whole curve if you change the servo or its travel.
Hope it will help you, those systems are truly awesome and enthusiastic !
I have noticed that there is a point which needs a little help to be easier to overcome: This is : how do you adjust the whole set for the very first run ?
I noticed that on most of the engines I have converted, 2stk or 4 stk, the solenoid 'curve' is very flat. That means that the gas qtty flowing will be roughly the same for any throttle aperture.
This is valid for the first hours of running, you may have to adjust the curve later.
You now have understood that the gas quantity is to be adjusted very precisely with the carb air in-flow. This is why the solenoid is used for (NO other way to achieve it by the way).
Well, here is how to do:
Start by changing the O ring gasket from the Hi needle. Any old one or Glow type, will leak. Change it, will cost peanuts.
1) you close your hi needle and then re open it one half of a turn. This is plenty enough. This gives a fixed quantity of gas to get in the carb since the curve is flattish. Turn off your ignition power supply.
2) Now, you prime your carb very generously, checking for no bubbles.
3) Turn on the ignition and put the starter to work with one hand, at the same time you will very gently move up or down your Throttle stick. Get some help if needed, to hold the plane if the engine is installed already.
At one point of the Thr stick travel, the gas input will match with the carb air input and the engine will start.
Let it warm up and then you adjust on the curve very lightly going up and down with the Thr stick.
Now if you did this and it still refuses to start. It means your adjustment was never good enough to allow a start (too rich or too poor).
You then close or open your needle by ONE ONLY click (this is roughly the same as 15% on the curve). and do it again. The engine should ignite, then it is just a matter of tuning your curve at that same Thr stick aperture.
Trouble shooting again:
* an engine which refuses any start and eventually ignites through the carb: this means your timing adjustment is wrong. Don't forget the spark should happen 28 deg before piston high point. It is easy to make it it wrong. I suggest you use a protractor to check on this angle precisely.
* an engine which stalls abruptly in full speed is probably too lean, open the curve point by a few % and run again.
* you should start at 30% Thr stick opening. not more. This is enough to overcome the internal frictions in the engine before it is broken in. It is also the easy point to get, in the middle of the curve.
* check that your Thr servo runs symmetrically ! if you don't, you will have to readjust the whole curve if you change the servo or its travel.
Hope it will help you, those systems are truly awesome and enthusiastic !
Last edited by Billy603; 05-23-2024 at 08:44 AM.
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Good morning
I followed the entire discussion and found it very interesting.
I tried to upload to an Arduino and the compilation gave me lots of errors and I don't know how to correct it, I don't know much about Arduino.
any help is welcome
THANKS
I followed the entire discussion and found it very interesting.
I tried to upload to an Arduino and the compilation gave me lots of errors and I don't know how to correct it, I don't know much about Arduino.
any help is welcome
THANKS
#66
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Good afternoon.
Well, Arduino always sends compilation errors whichever errors it encounters ...
Check those points:
* Do you have all the needed libraries installed and updated ?
* do you use the proper Port ?
Have you tried using Xiaoo boards ? much smaller and easier to use. Those are ones I use wjthout any problems.
I can't give you a precise help because I am not a Arduino specialist and do not have your whole set here in front of me.
This kind of trouble can so easily be avoided by asking Bert (aka Brutus) for a completely functional set, Arduino is so poor in help that I finally gave up trying with those.
When you eventually will be successful with your Arduino set, you have to make a solenoid set. This needs a lathe and how to use it properly !
My advice: ask Bert !
Have a good day
Well, Arduino always sends compilation errors whichever errors it encounters ...
Check those points:
* Do you have all the needed libraries installed and updated ?
* do you use the proper Port ?
Have you tried using Xiaoo boards ? much smaller and easier to use. Those are ones I use wjthout any problems.
I can't give you a precise help because I am not a Arduino specialist and do not have your whole set here in front of me.
This kind of trouble can so easily be avoided by asking Bert (aka Brutus) for a completely functional set, Arduino is so poor in help that I finally gave up trying with those.
When you eventually will be successful with your Arduino set, you have to make a solenoid set. This needs a lathe and how to use it properly !
My advice: ask Bert !
Have a good day
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L = (1/2) d v2 s CL (07-09-2024)
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#70
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Normally I use 3 x 6 mm magnets (3 mm dia, 6 length) and I drill a 3 mm hole in the propdriver.
Glueing with a decent 24 hr epoxy, cured in an oven at 75 deg C. Cure time gets down to 1 hr, and the fit is unbreakable.
Glueing with a decent 24 hr epoxy, cured in an oven at 75 deg C. Cure time gets down to 1 hr, and the fit is unbreakable.
#72
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Normally, the best way to drill a propdriver that is slightly conical, is to first mark the location with a centre punch (give it a good whack with the hammer, so you have a deep pit that will prevent the drill from "walking away"), then start the hole by using a 1,5 or 2 mm dril, and IMPORTANT: use a freehand drill, perpendicular to the surface where you want to drill the hole, and ONLY drill a very shallow hole (no more than 1 mm deep). Repeat that with increasing larger drills until you have the drill size you need, but always just ONLY drill until the tip of the drill is in.
Once you have that done, you have a good starting point for the drill, so now you can use the drill press and make the final hole, perpendicular to the propdriver, and drill to full depth,
Please let me know if this description is clear to understand.
If not, I will try to make a few pictures, but I will need time for that...
Last edited by 1967brutus; 07-25-2024 at 08:41 AM.