Question about glow driver with replaceable battery

[Randy Powell]

OK, so what is the best (or minimum) mah rating for sub-C batteries used for a glow driver with a replaceable battery? I'm looking around for some n-cads for the thing and the spread seems to be from about 800mah to around 4500mah.

[Dave Adamisin]

I've been using a 4500ma nimh. It never seems to go flat. The nicad that cam with it was a 1500ma.

[Randy Powell]

Dennis,

I have a bunch of nmih batteries but they don't seem to hold a charge. I charge them up then a week later they are flat. The nicads seems to hold a charge a lot longer.

[PJ Rowland]

I have used 3200 Mah for a long time with reliable results. Try to get genuine Sanyo version - they seem better than the cheaper chinese ones.

When I say better ; I mean hold a better charge. - Get the plug Hotter.

[Bill Heher]

Batteries Unlimited - chain store- has Sanyo's up to 4000mAh. You pay a bit more, but no shipping and you can handle each different one before buying. I'm a simple kind of guy- but it seems the good cells like Sanyo, Saft, some Panasonics are significantly heavier than the cheap versions.

I found an 8000 mAh full "D" size ni-cad in the recycle bucket at work. Got a $1.00 plastic battery box from Radio Shack and charged it up, works great and was cheap!

[Garf]

I got a few 10,000 MAH NiMH D cells from Ebay. They worked great at first. The first one already blew out.

[Paul Wood]

Randy,
All the ones I've disassembled have a 1900mah nicad.  These are from the manufacturer (Dubro & Great planes).  I would use that as a minimum.
Paul

[FLOYD CARTER]

My glo starter uses a replaceable "sub-C" cell.  When I dismantled a cordless drill battery, I got 3 good cells out of it.  That gives me nearly a lifetime supply!  (well, only if I live a long time).

Floyd

[Randy Powell]

So, 2200mah should be fine?

[Steven Kientz]

2200 mah should be fine. Beware of the Nimh cells as they are less tolerant of overcharging.

Steve

[Jim Kraft]

I read somewhere that there are two kinds of NIMH batteries. One kind has a high current capacity, but fast self discharge rate. The other has a low current capacity, but a very slow self discharge rate. I use the high current ones for the ign. on my spark engines, and they generally need charging right before I go fly. They will loose quite a bit of their charge in a few weeks.

[Randy Powell]

So, I ordered some Sanyo Sub-C NiCad 2200mah batteries. Hopefully those will work OK.

[Steve Helmick]

Those will be fine, Randy. I bought one or two from Tower, tho one of the glow ignitors I bought came with a NiMH battery. The NiMH works fine if it's freshly charged, but discharges too quickly when it's not being used.  Steve

[Ward Van Duzer]

Sometimes we out-tech ourselves...

I luv my Glo-Bee, but since they are unobtanium I would go for a simple "D" sized flashlight battery in one of the larger plug lighters. Cheep. Always ready when I am.

Jimmy Casale used to use the standard red and white striped dry cell. At the end of the season he threw it away and bought a fresh one! (And I'll bet you don't fly as much as he did!)

KISS!

W.

[Randy Powell]

Ward,

Well, I wish sub-c size alkaline batteries were sold at the grocery store. I'd just by Duracell batteries and be done with it. I don't like the drivers for the "D" size batteries. It doesn't fit under the plane. I sometimes use a flight box with a 12volt motorcycle battery. That works fine, too.

[AT1984]

Randy,

Tower has a Duratrax "C" battery igniter (look under Duratrax), and also this rechargeable starter:

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXXB72&P=7

It's smaller and rechargeable.

Allen

[Randy Powell]

Allen,

Yea, I've used McDaniels and such before. Mostly wanted a removable battery like the one you listed. I had one that took a single "AA" battery and worked fine but went through batteries quickly.

In the end, the Tower unit for re-usable sub-c batteries works really well. I only started using the glow starter again so that my launcher didn't have to carry my flight box back to the pits after every flight. Though my pockets tend to be full of glow starters, chicken sticks, tachs and all manner of doodads.

This is similar to the one I'm using: http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXJ800&P=7

[Mark Scarborough]

Uh, might I suggest a superior alternative
http://www.rcatsystems.com/cube/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=46

[Bill Little]

(snip)I had one that took a single "AA" battery and worked fine but went through batteries quickly.   

Hi Randy,

I got some rechargeable NiCads and a charger at Wally World to use with my "Slimline" AA glow driver.  Pretty cheap and hold their charge really well.  I charge all four batteries and put one in the driver with the other three in a zip lock bag in the flight box.

We also have three of the Hanger 9 "mini" drivers which work very well and don't take much "pocket space".  (I usually wear BDUs with all the pockets full! LOL!!)

Bill