Hot Shot?

[Paul Taylor]

So how long to most of you guys put your Hot shot type glow starter on the charger. I put mine on the night before I go fly.
It has the meter on it but it only goes half way over when I attach it to a engine. Hmmmmm

[Larrys4227]

When I was using that type of ignitor w/indicator, it would always go on the night before.  I believe it had a Sanyo RED-cell 1200Mah, but can't remember. For the last 4-5 months, I've been using the HotShot Super ..... 5000Mah and almost the size of a hand grenade. I charge it every 3-4 weeks, and the most it has ever taken on a charge is 3000Mah. I've cycled it a couple times and its max capacity is around 5500Mah.

I carry it in my pocket at the field .... lots of guys have ignitor-issues and I like to help them out.

Its a heavy sucker tho .......

Forget about those little voltage indicators on the tops of ignitors .... most of the time they dont work, and if they do work, they aren't accurate.

FlySafe!  Larry (Larrys4227)

[Randy Powell]

I gave up on this sort of starter as a regular thing. I finally broke down and built a starting box with power panel, 12 volt battery and a starter in the box (just in case --- how many times at contests, after the thing has started on the 1st or 2nd flip forever, does it decide on your first official flight to be contrary? Starter time!). The charge on the battery lasts pretty much all season (I finally charged it the other day on a trickle charger and it was fully back up in about 4 hours). I keep a ni-starter type unit around for burping the plane and if I have to start inverted or whatever, but I don't rely on one anymore.

[john e. holliday]

I had a ni-starter that I left in the woods up in Iowa one year as it cost me an attempt in stunt.  It did not have the replacable battery like I have now.  But, I charge them up about every 3 or 4 flyng sessions.  Also have my pit box with power panel.  DOC Holliday

[Dick Byron]

I always have at least 2 of everything. I have 3 nicad starting batteries. Never a failure. I have 2 power panels too. Always prepaired, most of the time, LOL 

[Harleyman]

So how long to most of you guys put your Hot shot type glow starter on the charger. I put mine on the night before I go fly.

Yup, like you, I usually put it on the night before.  After that, It seems to be good for a number of sessions.  But how long it lasts will depend on how much flipping you need to get the motor started.

Last year I broke down and purchased a couple of those little orange McDaniel Ni-Starters, I'm very happy with them, they really work well.

[Steve Helmick]

IF they're NiCad, you're supposed to discharge them before you charge them, or it reduces the capacity of the battery to take a charge.  So, charging your ignitor the day before you go flying might be damaging the battery. A NiMH battery doesn't care about that nonsense. The last ignitor I got came with a NiMH, so I got a couple of Sub-C NiMH batteries (from Tower) to put in my old DuBro ignitors. I kinda like the ones that have a replaceable battery. I've got a charger at home and one in the flying kit, for contest trips, too.

If anybody has a good idea for discharging an ignitor before charging, other than plugging it onto a glowplug, I'd like to hear it. I don't think real quick (a short) is a good plot.  Steve

[Richard Grogan]

If anybody has a good idea for discharging an ignitor before charging, other than plugging it onto a glowplug, I'd like to hear it. I don't think real quick (a short) is a good plot.  Steve

I would imagine a .5 or 1 ohm @10Watt bathtub resistor(ceramic/wirewound) would offer a good load for discharging. It will get pretty warm and you can even heatsink it if necessary, and it wont get anywhere near as hot as a plug! Probably no more than 5 bucks from your Electronics Surplus store or electronics parts house( If there are any left!)
Or.. like you said, put a plug on it!

[Jim Kraft]

I do not discharge my nicads before charging and have never had a problem with them. I use sub C nicad batteries with a short length of zip cord to a Sullivan stainless steel head lock connector.  I solder the wires to the battery and wrap it with electrical tape. I have not had much luck with the replaceable battery types as after awhile they will not stay on the glow plug any more and they do not seem to make a good connection with the battery for some reason. By having the battery separate, you do not have all that weight hanging on the plug. I only use about 18" of the Zip cord to keep the resistance down. I do not think memory is a problem in nicads as long as you do not discharge them exactly the same amount every time and then recharge. I generally replace the batteries every 3 to 4 years or when they won't hold a charge anymore. This is the best system I have found so far. What really got me started using this is when I started running the old OS 4 strokes as there was not room to put the self contained ignitors on the plug without it getting into the prop.

[don Burke]

I charge my RCATS once a year whether it needs it or not!  Li-ion battery.  My pit box also has a 12v BATTERY & power panel in it for regular clip with leads and the electric finger.

[George]

IF they're NiCad, you're supposed to discharge them before you charge them, or it reduces the capacity of the battery to take a charge.../quote]

Steve,

I THINK that idea came from some folks who constantly discharged (from flying) their NiCad packs the same amount day after day (followed by recharging) until the packs developed a "memory". I understand that memory can be undone by cycling (full discharge, then full charge) a couple of times. For that reason, many chargers have a "cycle" feature available. I don't think you need to do it every time.

If this info is incorrect or outdated, please correct me.

George

[Richard Grogan]

IF they're NiCad, you're supposed to discharge them before you charge them, or it reduces the capacity of the battery to take a charge.../quote]

Steve,

I THINK that idea came from some folks who constantly discharged (from flying) their NiCad packs the same amount day after day (followed by recharging) until the packs developed a "memory". I understand that memory can be undone by cycling (full discharge, then full charge) a couple of times. For that reason, many chargers have a "cycle" feature available. I don't think you need to do it every time.

If this info is incorrect or outdated, please correct me.

George

When discharging /cycling a NiCd battery pak, it should never be discharged below .5VDC per cell(33%@1.5V/cell). Below that, especially near 0VDC, will cause permanent to the cell.

[Guy B Jr]

I like the one that uses a replacable alkaline "C" cell. Just have to have an extra one in the flight box. Nothing to remember to charge.

[dave siegler]

IF they're NiCad, you're supposed to discharge them before you charge them, or it reduces the capacity of the battery to take a charge. 

NO!  Modern Nicads only show memory if they are discharged and recharged to exactly the same level each use.  They also discharge about 1% on their own.   I guess if you charge them several times and don't fly you could get them them in memory mode, but it isn't likely.  Deep discharges to less than .8v / cell shorten the life of a nicad.  If you feel you must discharge, stop at 1V.

Most Nicads are killed by over charging with a cheap charger or extemd discharge.  Most chargers supplied with your nicad or your drill charge a low rate like the batter capacity /16.  So if the battery is discharged 16 hrs will charge the battery. 

The charge rate is low, so 8hrs on a slightly discharged battery should not hurt it.    However if you put a fully charged cell on this charger for very long term (like a week) it will cook the battery.
 
The best thing you can do for Nicad life is get a charger that will sense the fully charged condition.  The voltage on a Nicad dips slightly as it comes up to full charge.  A good charger will detect this and cut out when the dip happens.  Get a charger from an RC car guy, and use it often and you will have less problems.

Dave