heritageflstc

My Feedback: (6)

Hi,
I have 2 Ram 750p turbines, and they are air start. My question is, can I use my 5hp 20gal compressor for the air source for starting?

Thanks, Kevin

John Casey

My Feedback: (4)

If it can maintain 125 psi or better for more than...... say 30 seconds

What is the max holding pressure of your 20 gallon tank?

20 Gallon tank going to the field?

(I still use a scuba bottle).........No laughing...you guys

heritageflstc

My Feedback: (6)

The pressure on the tank is 150psi. No the compressor is for messing around the house and bench running turbines.
The reason I asked, is that I already have the compressor and don't want to spend 179.00 on a scuba tank right now.

John Casey

My Feedback: (4)

If they have the aluiminum covers you can convert to electric start
with a jetjoe.com starter $24.00. 6 volts...not 12

heritageflstc

My Feedback: (6)

This is what they have.

Harley Condra

My Feedback: (4)

Kevin,
How are you going to start them at the field?

As a point of info, you will spend more than the price of a scuba tank and regulator than to upgrade to autostart or electric start.
Here's a suggestion if you are interested::

Carlos at RTI can probably give you a price quote for the "electric start" upgrade. That would probably be the cheapest upgrade for your engines. It uses the same ECU and startbox, but adds a battery pack to the startbox, removes the air valve from the startbox (replacing it with a switch to spin the starter motor) and adds an electric starter motor and Bendix to the front cowl. Electric start was an interim change to the RAM's that came along between "airstart" and "autostart".

You can reach Carlos at RTI at 786-556-3243 or 305-387-3243


Harley Condra
BVM REP
JetCat REP

Bobman

My Feedback: (5)

Kevin,

I routinely start mine at the shop with 120psi from a small compressor with no problems. As John said, 30 seconds (or less) of air is all that's needed to spin it up, I'm sure your 5HP will have no problem doing that.

Keep an eye out at the local dive shop for a small pony tank & regulator used, they can be had pretty cheaply. Also may want to check with your local volunteer fire dept. as they sometimes "abandon" old equipment. It'll need to be re-certified by the dive shop, but that's pretty cheap.

Bob

fast jets

My Feedback: (2)

Wren starting wand works great.

John

heritageflstc

My Feedback: (6)

I have a regulator and hose setup, just no tank.
Also, what does AVT mean and how is it adjusted?? I am setting up my ECU's.

Bobman

My Feedback: (5)

If I recall correctly it's the throttle channel travel from full speed to idle. I can email you the manual tomorrow from my office if you need one. It goes thru the ECU setup easily. In a nutshell, you need to bring your throttle to full, ajust your radio trim / endpoint to stop the led on the ECU from flashing, press the set button, bring your throttle to idle, adjust the trim / setpoint again to stop the led from flashing, press the set button, & then step thru a few more options. The setup changes just a little bit depending on which version of ECU firmware you have. The newer firmware allows you to set glowplug parameters and max case pressure.

This is from memory, so I may be off a little bit on the steps.

When you get a pony tank spend a few $$$ and have the whole thing checked over by a professional. The tanks are capable of holding upwards of 2500lbs of pressure in them, not something to treat lightly....

Bob

heritageflstc

My Feedback: (6)

Ok, well I got everything to set, I believe. When the display goes to the start screen, is it normal for the IGN led to blink?

Woketman

My Feedback: (6)

When I had air start RAMs, I would often start them with my cheapo Craftsman little copressor. Always worked just fine. But as someone else already said: watcha gonna do at the field???

Bobman

My Feedback: (5)

Yep.... means that your plug should be lit & it's looking for propane & air.

Bob

heritageflstc

My Feedback: (6)

Well, a couple problems. I can the turbine to start on the propane, but when it ramps onto kero, it quits spinning and is flaming out the rear alot. Any ideas, or it's going in the trash can.
Thanks.

Woketman

My Feedback: (6)

Are you certain that you do not have the propane and fuel lines reversed?

Angus McDonald

I'll second what John(fastjets) recommends, a Wren starting wand...works perfect

Angus

heritageflstc

My Feedback: (6)

I checked the connections at the turbine and the startbox. Looking at the turbine from the front cover--- 1 air, 2 propane, 3 CP, 4 oil/fuel, 5 fuel. Right?
Something else. After the turbine stopped spinning, even with full air blowing through it, the shaft felt as if it was dragging in one spot. Could that mean bearings? The startbox says that the turbine only has 24 cycles on it.

Bobman

My Feedback: (5)

I'm not at home right now so I can't check mine, but the lines sound correct. Do you have check-valves in any of the lines? Are they installed the right way? The manual details where they go, but I believe they have to be on the propane line & fuel line, been awhile since I looked though.

If you're starting on propane only then the bearings may be "dry". Make sure that there's fuel going to the turbine & not just air in the line. Also make sure that the oil line into the case isn't pinched off / blocked / leaking. I use a small "T" inside the front cover to split the line with a short piece going to the bearing feed & a longer piece going to the fuel inlet. Wouldn't hurt to put a little kero mix directly into the oil line to make sure that theres lube before the next start.

Bearings could be bad as it should spin smooth, although it could also be something else rubbing in the case. BTW, the number of starts showing on the startbox doesn't mean much, it's easy to zero out.

Don't trash it. If you *do* decide to get rid of it shoot me an email first, I could always use spare parts.

I'll check my connections this evening & make sure that you're in the right order.

Bob

heritageflstc

My Feedback: (6)

Any ideas why a glow plug does not engerize? It worked in the engine that I refernced before, but now in the my other engine it will not glow. I have tried 2 already. I checked the wiring and have 5 volts going to the connector when ign is on. Even tried another harness.

Nighthawk117

My Feedback: (41)

Check your ground wire on the plug, and the ignition switch itself, they also fail. Do you have the check valve in the fuel line after the pump and before the turbine? Do you have another start box you can try? I have mine here on the bench if you need anything. Eric

Ruizmilton

My Feedback: (29)

Also check for a damaged thermocouple, you should use one that's ungrounded, if it's grounded your battery power will be shortcircuited and have no glow plug power. to confirm check continuity from each of the Thermocouple conectors to the thermocouple wire, if you have continuity, it's either the wrong one or it's damaged

heritageflstc

My Feedback: (6)

Well, I guess it was the thermocouple. I replaced it with the one from the smoking turbine that I posted about above and the glow plug lit. I started the turbine with no problems.
I did for get to close the propane shutoff and smoke came from the startbox. Is that normal????? Other than that it ran great.

Nighthawk117

My Feedback: (41)

Yes it is, at least with mine too