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I wanted to install a remote glow igniter on my new Lancair. Any ideas on making one at home. Any pictures?

rajul

My Feedback: (58)

You could just get the one from Sullivans.

nick.wright

My Feedback: (16)

Would be easier to just go buy one. I've had mixed results with them, but for $10, why not just buy?????

Robby

My Feedback: (18)

Nick ...
Where do you 'buy' one for $10. ??

However, there is a thing on making one on Geistware's site:
http://www.geistware.com/rcmodeling

rajul

My Feedback: (58)

Check this out http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXBC35&P=7 You may be able to get it from Quantum at the same or lower price.

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

I have made them, but found over time that it is a lot easier to just get one like the Model products that you were given a link to. They are so much nicer to work with and easier than screwing around making one. They work very well. I use them on quite a few planes.

MHawker

My Feedback: (16)

They are getting cheap so I'd also consider buying one pre-made v.s. making one myself; which I've done.

I bought a push-on-push-off switch, C battery holder and a C battery from Radio Shack to make the one on my Cap. Works fine. I just have to remember to turn it off when I land and turn it off before I take off.

nick.wright

My Feedback: (16)

Roughly $10 from Hodges Hobbies. Might be a little more, might be a little less.

Al Stein

I wasn't sure whether the need was for a connector for the glow plug -- and the one linked above is very nice, but a way cheaper one consists of a dressmakers snap for the center electrode and a plain wire connection to a mounting lug -- anyway wasn't sure if we were looking for something like that or for a complete onboard circuit to supply and control glow heat when needed.

If you wanted an on-board glow control, it can be done easily with a radio controlled electronic switch -- one simple example is at THIS LINK. You would just use the relay to control a circuit including a glow battery and the glow plug instead of using it to turn a motor on and off as it was originally envisioned as doing.

jwoolridge

If you want remote glow either make one out of an old charge lead for a glow igniter or buy one. If you want on board glow by or make one then put a switch on the positive and put your glow igniter on the remote glow permanetly. Then u just put the glow igniter in the fuse. I have a sullivan remote glow modified this way in my hheli (rappy 30) all I do to start is turn the switch on and put the starter to it. once going I turn the switch off and fly. I never leave the switch on in the air. That just drains the glow igniter and kills the plug faster.
James

nick.wright

My Feedback: (16)

The only problem I've had with them is I can't get a good connection somewhere sometimes. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I seem to have a hard time making a good ground connection on my big 4 strokes. Some places on the engine will ground, some places will not (dont ask, I dont know). The closer the ground wire in the remote is to the plug hole on the engine, the better whole system works.

rajul

My Feedback: (58)

Yep, that's a good point

Al Stein

Drain on the equipment is why people use a switch controlled by radio. Powering the glow plug doesn't JUST kill the plug and the battery: it also keeps the fire lit in tough situations like when the beautifully cowled right engine of an impeccably finished scale twin is hot and trying to run at low RPMs on final approach from its maiden fight... At that point the cost benefit analysis swings real hard toward the side where having the glow plug powered up IS worth the trouble.

There's a couple of easy ways to do that, too. You can use an electronic switch (like the one I left a pointer to above) in two different ways... either by giving it a channel of its own so you can turn it on and off at will with your transmitter, or by y-connector-ing it into your throttle channel and setting it to turn on when the throttle is below a quarter or whatever level is appropriate for your engine (and for your risk acceptance level... I'd never bother to do all this for a SPAD or a foamie).

To use a mechanical setup instead of the electronic one, you can start with James's extended onboard glow igniter and add a microswitch into the circuit... and turn the switch on and off by hitting it with a wheel collar mounted on your throttle pushrod. (Just like the second electronic setup, you then set it to turn on when the throttle is low enough that engine flame-out could be a problem... also note that you would want to keep the additional switch James mentions as a master, so that when you cut the throttle at shut-down time the master switch cuts the glow power instead of just allowing the low-throttle switch to power the glow until it and/or the battery die.)

The trouble with this mechanical setup is that if it comes on automatically, only at low throttle, then you need yet another addition to the system to turn it on for startup. That could be a simple mechanical thing to turn on the existing microswitch, it could be a fancier wiring for the master to give it three positions (on, microswitch controlled, and off), or it could be the addition of yet another switch. So the mechanical setup quickly takes on more complication that the electronic one and since it has mechanical things going on, it's often less reliable.

*Crash*Johnson*

My Feedback: (7)

I've seen where they connect a switch to the throttle, and when the arm hits idle, it activates the glow plug ignitor.
That way you dont have to remember to turn it off before you take off...

--EDIT-- I just read Al Stein's description and realized it was the same as mine. Sorry

nick.wright

My Feedback: (16)

Quick question about the original post---Are you looking to make a remote glow extension for a HotShot (or similar igniter), or are you looking for info on an on board glow driver, complete with battery????? This thread has branched out both ways.