McDaniel glow starters

[Paul Taylor]

So i have two that are a few years old. Do most people just dispose of them or send them bak to the manufacture for repair?

[Steve Riebe]

If they no longer hold charge I would recommend recycling them with any other batteries because of the nickel and cadmium content

[Steve Helmick]

Buy a DuBro with the replaceable battery. You can carry an extra battery or an extra ignitor, or both. More options, at least.  Steve

[Les Akre]

Hi Paul

You can send them back to the manufacturer to be refurbished. I think it's a bit cheaper than buying a new one.

We use them for racing and they work much better than the other brands because they are one of the smallest you can get with a meter, and because of their design to push and twist to lock onto the plug. They are faster for engage and disengage than the others.

Les

[Randy Cuberly]

Buy an RCATS and forget about all those problems...costs about the price of 3 of the McDaniels or any of the other "kiddie starters"  out lasts 20 of them.  Charge it once a year if you want to.

The Adult solution...technology advances.

Randy Cuberly

[Will Davis]

Paul,

I just buy a new one each year, usually at Brodak's, then use the older ones to fly on practice days and the  newest on contest or  club meeting  day, I have 4 in my box right now , oldest was bought in  june 2008

I put a label on mine with the purchase date  and my name, when they  are quick to die, or will not take a charge i send them to the battery recycle bin  at work

Probably a good idea to check on having rebuilt ,but I have never done it

[Brett Buck]

So i have two that are a few years old. Do most people just dispose of them or send them bak to the manufacture for repair?

   As long as they hold a charge between charges they are still good. I haven't sent any of mine back for rebuilding but that's probably what I will do next time. The newer types since they went to Sonic-Tronics are much better than the original nicad types, and the barrel/clip part will last forever. The new batteries hold up much better and have very little self-discharge so I only very rarely charge them. The nicad versions would slowly fade over time, these will wirk perfectly for 3-4 years, then start self-discharging at a very high rate, at which point they are dead.
 
    I love these little guys, they work better than all the rest of the clip-on types I had used, and they are tiny.

     Brett

[peabody]

Yup....it's very viable to send two back....I spoke with the woman there (Linda?) and she said that they don't rebuild them, but that they recycle the batteries. I believe that they charge $15 per? anyway, it's below wholesale, even with freight if you send two or more....
Have fun!

[Steve Fitton]

My old McDaniels broke in half after several years of perfect service.

I got three new ones off of the web site, these were the NiCad ones that they are phasing out.  They were 11 bucks each.  I don't know how the NiMh ones work but thats what the new ones are now.

[Dan Bregar]

My first McDaniel glow starter lasted 11 yrs.. Still worked but I traded it in about 5 years ago for a new one at the Toledo Show. Good Product. 

[FLOYD CARTER]

The ones I use are threaded take-apart.  I salvaged some NiCd cells from a cordless drill pack which fit OK.  So I have enough spares to last a very long time.  I don't toss anything that can be fixed!

Floyd

[Perry Rose]

It's easy to un solder the neck and re solder it to another cell of your choice. The wire goes to the positive terminal the neck goes on the negative end.

[FLOYD CARTER]

Battery polarity doesn't matter for glo plugs. If the battery fits, it will work.

F.C.

[Gary Mondry]

Polarity doesn't matter until you try to charge it... 

[RC Storick]

About 4 years ago I had mine take a dump. I needed a battery ASAP so I could fly that weekend and the hobby shop here does not sell that brand. So I bought 4 D cell and wired them in parallel and took apart the case on my nicad starter. I then wired it all together. I still use that in a emergency. The batteries are not re chargable but still good after 4 years.

[Clancy Arnold]

Paul
In my article "Resurrecting a Dead Glow Plug Igniter" in the April 2013 issue of Model Aviation I said that these were not repairable.  Now I know they are soldered together, not epoxied, as the one I had for the article appeared to be.  The best thing would be to return it to the Manufacturer for repair.
Clancy

[john e. holliday]

I can still remember many years ago when I was still single an at home on the farm.   I had just finished a Veco Warrior and my brothers were down for the weekend.   So off to the ball diamond we go.   But, the old dry cell phone battery did not have enough juice.  My brother Bill grabbed his big flash light out of his car and with brother Bob holding the batteries and wire I got the old McCoy fired up.  After a few level laps and some climbs and dives I tried a wing over.   Felt something jerk as I gave full up and watched the plane re-kit itself.   Lucky the engine was not hurt and was used in several other planes.   Also went home and learned how to solder a push rod.