GlowBee Fire plug Battery

[Motorman]

I've got a bunch of rechargeable 2V 5AH batteries that fit my Glowbee fire plug. I want to make a smaller rig that doesn't need the rheostat.

Many years ago a guy (RIP) was telling me about a transistor you can hook up in place of the rheostat and get it to work. A Delco 501 (no longer made) which crosses over to a Sylvania ECG-105. Does this make sense to anyone? Doesn't a transistor have 3 wires and a battery 2, how would you wire it?

Thanks,
MM

[Dan McEntee]

  I think you may be thinking of resistor and not transistor. If you put a long enough cord on it, you'll get a voltage drop that way also. I think Jim Thomerson has made mention of this on a few occasions and I have seen him use it. Put about 3 foot of lamp cord on it and try lighting an old glow plug with it while checking the voltage under load and that will tell the tale for you and if I'm remembering correctly, it will make it simpler for you also. Use a battery fresh off charge also.
  Type at you later,
   Dan McEntee

[Garf]

This is what I use. To power this thing I used an early model car NiCad battery pack. You could put a few of your batteries in series. The input doesn't need to be 28V. I used 7.2V.

[Garf]

LM 338K

[Garf]

Another option-Nickle Zinc. This thing lasted 5 flying sessions on the factory charge.