Swanson glow plugs?

[Terry Caron]

How do Swanson Fireball Hot (#H30) plugs compare to T'bolt R/C Long, Enya #3 or OS 6/A3 for longevity?
Recommendable or no?

Thanks.

Terry

[Randy Cuberly]

How do Swanson Fireball Hot (#H30) plugs compare to T'bolt R/C Long, Enya #3 or OS 6/A3 for longevity?
Recommendable or no?

Thanks.

Terry

Good question!  Where do they come from and who carries them?

Randy Cuberly

[Terry Caron]

Hi Randy -

I saw 'em on eBay, made in the USA.

Terry

[Randy Cuberly]

Interesting!  I may have to get a couple and try them in my piped PA65.  Always nice to have another plug source.

I typically use Thunderbold R/C Long in piped engines for stunt and Enya #3 in conventional engines.  Sometimes howerver its difficult to find both of those.

Maybe someone else will chime in here, but if not I'll let you know what I find out!


Thanks,
Randy cuberly

[Bill Mohrbacher]

Swansons were designed by Ben Shereshaw for Herkimer who wanted their own glow plugs when the glow era started.  They were sold as OK plugs.  Larry Scarinzi did a lot of work and testing for Ben.  I think Swanson was Ben's son in law or brother in law.  Anyway, along with Arden and O&R they were the first plugs on the market.  After OK they made and still make plugs branded under other names.

They are USA plugs.

[Terry Caron]

Very interesting historical notes Bill.
A search revealed a few mixed comments on Swansons and, given the low cost and long production claim, I just thought it odd that they aren't more often mentioned.
Perhaps they've only recently been marketed under this brand?
In any case, at the price they seem worth trying so I have a card on order.

Terry

[Jim Kraft]

I was looking through an old 54 Air Trails mag the other day and noticed it was the NAtS issue. I noticed that they had a lot of info on the planes and engines listed for the contestants. It was very interesting to note that almost all of the Fox 35 stunters used either Champion or OK glow plugs. Even the type and number of coats of dope were listed along with what kind of starting battery, fuel, and prop. We do not get that kind of info anymore. I guess some one would complain if their prop or fuel was not included in the write up even though it probably was not used anyway. We do loose a lot in order to keep everybody happy.

[eric rule]

RSM Distribution has carried Fireball Glow Plugs as a stock item for the past 20 years. Fireballs come in Hot, Standard and Cool heat ranges as well as the Standard R/C version with idle bar. Made in the USA they are good plugs and well priced. They are available in both long and short reach. Check them out on my web site www.rsmdistribution.com They are located in the Engines section of the site.

[Bill Johnson]

I bought a card of the hots recently. Sorry, Eric. I didn't know you carried them! I got mine off ebay.   
I've only run them on test stand engines so far but hope to fly one tomorrow. My research showed that at one time, there was an issue with them leaking between the body and center post. That was decades ago, though, and they have a new sealant that I haven't heard any complaints about.

In a bench test, they delivered a little more RPM then a T-Bolt long R/C across arrange of props and RPMs in an OS 20 but, being a non-idle bar plug, wouldn't handle extremely rich mixtures, 4 stroke, as well as the T-Bolts.

We'll see how well they hold up as compared to the Enya #3 over time. My problem is that my planes don't last as long as a can of fuel, much less a glow plug 

[Sean McEntee]

I use Glo-Devil RC Longs w/h idle bar.  They work very well. 

http://www.radicalrc.com/category/Glow-Plugs-171

[Frank Imbriaco]

Back in the 60s and 70s, we bought them at our local NJ hobby Shops . They were made  in Wayne, NJ  under the Fireball logo and most of the Union, NJ MAC guys used them. Ben S. occasionally stopped at the field and Larry S. flew there  every warm weather Thursday eve as he was a UMAC member dating back to the late 40s.
I went through many of them flying combat with high nitro fuels.
I recall that  Swanson (spelling?) Products was the parent company.  Unfortunately, I know longer have any left  from that era .

[Mike Greb]

Back in the 80's I had a large number insulation failures around the stem.

[Terry Caron]

There are interesting posts on SSW about Swanson plugs, the consensus seeming to be that failures are due to high stress uses (i.e. combat), otherwise giving reasonable life.

Pat Mackenzie posted a pic of his sectioned plugs (http://www.clstunt.com/htdocs/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=103&topic_id=98139&mesg_id=98139&page=&topic_page=2), response #32, showing the weak point (unsupported insulator/seal) of the Swansons compared to some others.

Terry

[George Hostler]

I have some carded NOS Swanson Fireball Hot and Medium, bought them off E-Bay about 10 years ago. The ones I have don't seem to stand up too well to time. They fired off really good when new out of the package. After use and sitting for a bit, they don't glow red hot like they used to, engine slows RPM when battery clip is removed. One I had fired off a year ago wouldn't even fire, only sizzle. I just dumped a couple. OTOH, HST N3 hot plug from Taiwan lit red hot and saved the day.

I don't know what gives because in the late 1970's, they were my favorite plug. I guess the catalytic platinum on the element has gone bad. I don't know how the latest batch works, they may be okay.

[Terry Caron]

I received the Fireballs yesterday and have benchrun a couple in a pair of Fox .35 Stunts.

DISCLAIMER: this is not a definitive test report. 

Initial findings on 8.4 N/28 O remix of Omega 15%, with a 10-6 APC, ambient temp ~97 deg F, 700' ASL:
At the same needle setting, they showed ~100 rpm drop (after warm-up) compared to T-bolt Long R/C and OS #6/3a, and similar to a Fox Gold R/C Long.
Peak (pinched) rpm was so close as no matter, 10.5K +/- with all plugs.

At <$3.00 each I consider them worth trying for longevity.
Just my $.02.

Terry