An Interesting Take on Electric Power

[Chuck_Smith]

Not putting this in the electric forum because it's a general modeling thing.


Anyway, I guy I work wirh is an avid RC modeler. I've been talking to him about electric power. He's a engineer geek like me and gives me good technical input.

What made me take pause the other day was something he said that really got me thinking. He told me "electic is getting so good and progressing so fast that in ten years you won't be able to find glow fuel anymore."  He's a smart cat and usually pretty dialed in so I can't dimiss his observation.

Food for thought...

What say you guys? Interesred in reading if you think we CL guys are going to become even more esoteric or if we'll adapt.

But then, I still gig with tube amps...
Chuck

[Mark Mitchell]

Anything is possible but is could also transpire that glow fuel will be legislated out of existence.  Lawnmowers are feeling the heat from new regulations so why not internal combustion powered models?  Even the smallest niches of the aeromodeling hobby could attract the Eye of Sauron government regulators.

[Richard Koehler]

My source for fuel has already cut his stock in half, and I expect will no longer bother with glow fuel in several years. All the local hobby shop carries is car fuel and not much of that.

[Garf]

I mix my own. It's not that difficult.

[Tim Wescott]

Even in the absence of EPA nuttiness I wouldn't be at all surprised if electric supplanted glow fuel, for just the reason your engineer friend cited.  This is based just on observed trends: electric power is getting easier and less expensive to implement for larger and larger models, and I see more and larger electric-powered models at my local flying field, and fewer glow powered models.

I'd be surprised to see no glow fueled models in ten years, but I would not be at all surprised if the vast majority of models flying at any given time were electric.

[Howard Rush]

Fuel shouldn't be difficult unless dragsters and sprint cars go electric. 

[Randy Cuberly]

Even in the absence of EPA nuttiness I wouldn't be at all surprised if electric supplanted glow fuel, for just the reason your engineer friend cited.  This is based just on observed trends: electric power is getting easier and less expensive to implement for larger and larger models, and I see more and larger electric-powered models at my local flying field, and fewer glow powered models.

I'd be surprised to see no glow fueled models in ten years, but I would not be at all surprised if the vast majority of models flying at any given time were electric.

PHHHHHTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT>>>...Phooey I probably won't be around to see it anyway.

Mixing fuel is easy and setting an engine  (a real engine) up for "no nitro" is easy and economical.

Randy Cuberly

[Dave_Trible]

I would suspect we may get down to one big supplier, say Byrons and a few private labels off them.  I'm sure I'll need it.  I have a good part of my net worth invested in competition IC stuff,  just bought a new one and would like a couple more.  All for you electric guys but until I really see a clear advantage, win the lottery and grow to dislike the grunt and stink of my good ol' torquers then I'll be buying fuel.

Dave

[Fred Cronenwett]

I was thinking about all of the changes that our hobby has seen over the years concerning our devices that spin the props...There have been a few

The timeline might not be correct and I may have missed something, but the idea is the same, Technology marches on and we either adapt and move with the flow or maybe get left behind. I currently fly both glow powered and brushless electric power with my CL scale models. My Brushed electric systems are in storage and I can't sell them for paper weights.

The last RC swap meet I went to there were a whole lot of glow engines for sale, but I did not see many electric powered systems there. The one guy selling brushed electric powered systems was not getting much for the stuff.

Ignition was replaced by Glow engines
Four strokes tried to replace glow engines
Glow powered Turbines have been replaced by Real Turbines (RC Jets)
Brushed electric with Nicads tried to replace Glow power
Gasoline powered engines replaced large glow powered engines (RC giant scale)
Brushed electric with Nicads were replaced with Lipos and Brushless electric power
Brushless electric power with Lipos is replacing Glow and other engines

We always have a choice on what we want to use, Speaking for CL scale there has been huge changes with electric power being used along with other electronic controls.

Land Softly,
Fred Cronenwett

[Tim Wescott]

And before that, ignition replaced rubber -- the first year that Brown Jr. motors were in production, they won free-flight duration against a bunch of rubber-powered ships.

[Trostle]

Tuned pipes fit in there  somewhere.

[Bill Morell]

I guess we will miss our glow fuel along with our Twinkies.......

[Avaiojet]

I guess we will miss our glow fuel along with our Twinkies.......

I'm not a chemist and I'm not saying this to be funny, because it's true!

I once owned a 1969 Volvo. It was my work vehicle, had the back seat removed to fit a short ladder and all.

My busy pinstriping and sign painting days. Probably mid 70's.

Anyway, it was late, I was in the boons and I ran out of gas. All I had was my can of turpentine for my paints.

Yes, I poured the can into the tank of the Volvo and it started up. Sounded like a diesel but it ran and got me home. The girl also. 

Left the Volvo running till it ran out of gas again. Funny because the police came to my door and advised me of the "unattended" car. It's actually a violation.

So, with that said, I'm not saying these engines will run on bananas, but possibly something else that ignites? Possibly?

Charles

[John Stiles]

The last RC swap meet I went to there were a whole lot of glow engines for sale, but I did not see many electric powered systems there. The one guy selling brushed electric powered systems was not getting much for the stuff.



Land Softly,
Fred Cronenwett

I made that observation as well....and another observation: My nearest hobby shop was beginning to lose money in the glow engine/planes category, then one day the whole place burnt to the ground. He claimed over a million bucks worth of stuff[don't know yet if the insurance paid that much]. Anyway, I'm getting sorta spooky about so many old guys passing away, leaving a pile of stuff for the wives to deal with. Most wind up in yard sales or on ebay. I'm not in the best of health, and am thinking since nobody is interested in my "stuff" maybe I should liquidate, and take up dominoes at the Senior Citizens Center. I don't want to wait till everything is obsolete, including me.

[Avaiojet]

and take up dominoes at the Senior Citizens Center. I don't want to wait till everything is obsolete, including me.

It's Cribbage, not dominoes, which they play.

Charles

[don Burke]

It's Cribbage, not dominoes, which they play.

Charles

Since I live at a 'Senior Penal Colony', not only cribbage, but Ping Pong, Pool, Poker, Mahjonng, Bunco, Bingo, Bridge, and 'Hand and Foot'.

[PerttiMe]

Are you guys worried about "non-availability of fuel", or electric becoming the power source of choice for the masses?

You practically "cannot" get ready mixed fuel for diesel model engines. That hasn't stopped people who want to run diesels. They mix their own.
Lots of people mix their own glow fuel too. The club that I'm a member at has been buying a barrel of methanol every year, to sell to members.

If the availablility of methanol is your concern, methanol is not the only substance that can be used to run a glow engine.

[John Stiles]

Since I live at a 'Senior Penal Colony', not only cribbage, but Ping Pong, Pool, Poker, Mahjonng, Bunco, Bingo, Bridge, and 'Hand and Foot'.

Gomme that address!