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5 Cylinder radial glow driver

A

Alexander Villarreal

New to GSN!
Hey Folks, Are there any Lipo powered 5 cylinder onboard glow drivers available to buy in the United states? I found this one, but it's overseas; https://modelradioworkshop.co.uk/shop/glow-plug-switch-devices/5-cylinder-lipo-glow-driver/

I have tried the Electrodynamics Driver and the Sullivan driver. They both work off large heavy 9000 mAh, 1.2 volt NiMh batteries. In my experience they have not been reliable. Cylinders keep cutting out on me. I would like to be able to supply a solid 1.5 volts to the plugs at low throttle and idle.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.
 
A

Alexander Villarreal

New to GSN!
AKNick said:
Seems you'd need a DC-DC Step Down Regulator. The only issue I see is most regulators like that don't require a demand like a glow plug would around 3A (ie: MIC49500-1.2WR). There should be plenty of sources for step down regulators, but that low of voltage will be hard.
Time to convert that sucker to gasoline! What engine is it anyways?
https://www.ch-ignitions.com/5-cyli...num-xl400-various-spark-plug-cap-options.html
Click to expand...
Its an OS 300FSR 5 cylinder glow engine.
 
R

RichardGee

New to GSN!
I tried running a LiPo with a McDaniels (Sonic Tronics) 9 cylinder glow driver and burned up all 9 O.S. 'F' plugs!
An EXPENSIVE lesson!
The McD chops / pulses the output.
No regulator can stay ahead of this pulsed output and when it cannot, you hit the plugs with far too high a voltage.
Better check with the maker of your glow driver to see if this is possible.

Sullivan makes glow drivers that can be run on batteries up to 12 volts.
 
AKNick

AKNick

640cc Uber Pimp
RichardGee said:
I tried running a LiPo with a McDaniels (Sonic Tronics) 9 cylinder glow driver and burned up all 9 O.S. 'F' plugs!
An EXPENSIVE lesson!
The McD chops / pulses the output.
No regulator can stay ahead of this pulsed output and when it cannot, you hit the plugs with far too high a voltage.
Better check with the maker of your glow driver to see if this is possible.

Sullivan makes glow drivers that can be run on batteries up to 12 volts.
Click to expand...

Was your LiPo regulated to the designed mfgr's input voltage requirements? I guess I don't understand how that could fry the plugs with the regulator output voltage was stepped down properly. man that would be spendy! Those puppies are not cheap!!
On another note, I saw somewhere that converting these to gas from nitro actually reduces the top end power quite a bit. just something to think about if you were debating going that route.
 
R

RichardGee

New to GSN!
AKNick said:
Was your LiPo regulated to the designed mfgr's input voltage requirements? I guess I don't understand how that could fry the plugs with the regulator output voltage was stepped down properly. man that would be spendy! Those puppies are not cheap!!
On another note, I saw somewhere that converting these to gas from nitro actually reduces the top end power quite a bit. just something to think about if you were debating going that route.
Click to expand...

Indeed! Spendy!
So, to adequately regulate the current demanded by (in my case) 9 glow plugs, the regulator must handle minimum 20 amps. In the case of a 5 cyl., minimum 12 amps. Because of the way the McD works - it pulses the plugs at the input voltage, but for a limited duty cycle - it "fools" the plugs into "seeing" an average of 1.5v. Problem is, when the McD pulses the plugs, a high amperage regulator is unable to chop the peak voltage quickly enough. There is a time lapse, or, hysteresis at work... So for a split second, the plugs are getting upwards of 7+ volts (2S Lipo) before the regulator can chop the peak voltage. The second that happens, the plugs go "POOF!"

Sullivan makes glow drivers. I have an O.S. 5 cylinder and I purchased a Sullivan 3 cyl. driver and 2 cyl. driver. They can both run off one LiPo pack. I spoke with the folks at Sullivan at the last AMA Expo about doing this. MUCH smaller and lighter than the McD option.

And then, as you stated, there is the IGNITION option. My buddy had his OS 5 cyl. converted by Ray English in Sparks, NV. Works GREAT.
 
R

RichardGee

New to GSN!
Alexander Villarreal said:
Hey Folks, Are there any Lipo powered 5 cylinder onboard glow drivers available to buy in the United states? I found this one, but it's overseas; https://modelradioworkshop.co.uk/shop/glow-plug-switch-devices/5-cylinder-lipo-glow-driver/

I have tried the Electrodynamics Driver and the Sullivan driver. They both work off large heavy 9000 mAh, 1.2 volt NiMh batteries. In my experience they have not been reliable. Cylinders keep cutting out on me. I would like to be able to supply a solid 1.5 volts to the plugs at low throttle and idle.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Yes. Sullivan Products sells a 5 cylinder glow driver which works with LiPos.
http://sullivanproducts.com/product/onboard-glow-plug-drive-five-c/
 
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