Transitioning from Electric to Glow Powered Planes

by mmerry2 | October 25, 2013 | (24) Posted in How To

Intro

I won a glow-powered RC plane in a raffle this summer.  Before that, all I ever flew was electric RC aircraft.  I thought it might be interesting to talk about the transition, so if you only fly electric, you can understand what’s different with glow-powered engines and figure out if it’s something you’d like to try.

Please watch this video below or follow along with the article here.

First of all, these small combustion engines are called glow engines, because ignition is accomplished by a combination of heating from compression, heating from a glow plug and the catalytic effect of the platinum within the glow plug on the methanol within the fuel.

 

They are sometimes also called nitro powered because they contain nitro methane.  They typically range in sizes from .1 to 1.6 cubic inches, which is an engine displacement.  Lots of times you drop the decimal point and if you mention a 40-sized engine, you are really talking about .40 cubic inches.   If you need engines with larger displacements, you get into the gasoline engines.  Gas engines have a spark plug like the ones on your lawn mower or car.

Want convert glow engine sizes to brushless motor sizes?  Check out this link.


What else do you need to fly?

So the plane I won was an Alpha 40 RTF (or Ready to Fly), made by Hangar 9.  It’s considered a high-wing trainer, which is perfect for a beginner.

It’s supposed to be ready-to-fly, but what else do you need to get this thing airborne?  You need these 5 things:

  1. Glow Fuel.  Fuel with 10% nitro methane is recommended for this particular engine.
  2. Fuel pump:  you need a way to pump fuel into the fuel tank.
  3. Glow Driver:  you have to heat the glow plug to give your engine ignition.
  4. Electric Starter:  to turn the engine to get it running.  You can start them by hand, but an electric started is easier and safer for a beginner.
  5. Field Box: They make these field boxes that have everything you need and you carry them to the flight field with you.  I bought a Hobbico UltraTote because it includes 12 volt lead acid battery for DC power, a 12volt electric fuel pump, a 1.2 volt glow driver, a 12 volt electric starter and a place to hold a jug of fuel.  It also has this Deluxe Power Panel that lets you connect all these things to the 12 volt battery via banana plugs.

You don’t need to get a field box like this.  There are alternatives.  They make manual hand crank fuel pumps that work very well, pumping fuel pretty quickly.  Some pilots attach these directly to a red gasoline tank and store their glow fuel in there.  They have portable glow drivers that have a rechargeable battery in them and without cords.  Instead of turning the engine with the electric starter, you can turn them by hand or use a safer option and turn it with a chicken stick.  This is more dangerous and more work, so I would suggest using an electric starter for a beginner.  Now that we got everything we need, let’s go to the flying field and fly this thing.


Getting Ready for Flight

Let’s walk through the engine startup procedure.  I have to admit, I was really intimidated by the engine start procedure initially, but after doing it several times it gets easier and becomes faster to do.

STEP 1.  ADD FUEL.   First, you need to add glow fuel in the tank.  There are 2 hoses coming from the fuel tank.  One is called a fuel line and it goes to the carburetor and the other is called a vent line and it goes to the muffler.   Disconnect the vent line from the muffler so it can act as a vent.  Connect the fuel line to your fuel pump hose.  Since my pump is electric, I just move a switch to start pumping the fuel into the tank.  The switch has 3 positions.  The middle position is off and the other 2 positions either suck the fuel from the fuel tank or suck the fuel from the fuel jug.  If the fuel starts traveling in the wrong direction, you just need to reverse the switch direction.  If you have a manual pump, just turn the crank by hand.  Again, if the fuel travels in the wrong direction, just crank the other way.  So, you fill up the fuel tank.  It usually fills up in less than 30 seconds, but it really depends on the fuel tank size.  You know it’s done when fuel starts coming out of the vent tube.  Shut off the switch immediately and reattach the vent and fuel lines.  Make sure you connect them to the correct places.

STEP 2.  SECURE PLANE.  Place the plane somewhere will it won’t move.   My club has these nice stands that are perfect.  You can also have someone help by holding the wings or standing in front of the tail while the plane is on the ground.

STEP 3.  PRIME ENGINE. When the engine is cold, it’s a good idea to prime the engine.  Note, this part may vary for different engines.  Turn on your transmitter, turn on your receiver and increase the throttle to max.  This will open the carburetor all the way. Put your finger over the carburetor hole and rotate the prop 6 complete revolutions.  This brings fuel from the fuel tank into the carburetor.  Close the throttle, but leave a small opening, maybe 1 or 2 mm gap in the carburetor opening.

STEP 4.  ATTACH GLOW DRIVER.  Attach the glow driver to the glow plug.  This one is pushed on.  If yours has it, you can set the voltage.  We’ll start with the middle setting and increase it later if it doesn’t start.

STEP 5. TURN THE ENGINE OVER.  Put the electric starter firmly on the spinner and squeeze the switch.  You want to make sure the starter is turning in the correct direction, as designated by your engine.  The engine should start within seconds of applying the starter and you can remove the starter.  Let the engine idle for around 30 seconds.  Adjust your throttle trim if necessary to achieve constant low throttle.

STEP 6.  MOVE TO MAX THROTTLE. With the glow driver still attached, smoothly move the throttle to the maximum and the engine should go to max RPMs.  Reduce the throttle to the minimum.

STEP 7.  REMOVE GLOW DRIVER.  Remove the Glow driver.

STEP 8.  POSITION FOR TAKEOFF.  Position the plane for a taxi and take off.

One step I didn’t talk about is engine idle adjustment.  These engines can be adjusted if needed, but this one comes preset so that it doesn’t need any adjustments.

 

Glow vs. Electric:  What's Different?

Here are some other things that I found are different than electric aircraft:

  1. Receiver pack and servo power.  Electric planes have an ESC that typically has a BEC or battery eliminator circuit that powers your servos.  Glow planes usually just have a Nicad or NiMH battery pack to directly power your receiver.  You can also use a BEC with a LIPo battery if you wish.

  2. Deadstick Landings.  Deadstick Landings are what happens when your engine quits running or runs out of fuel.  Your prop becomes a “dead stick” and you are forced to try to land the plane as soon as possible without any engine power.  While this can happen with electrics, it seems more common with combustion engines.
  3. Throttle servo.  You have an additional servo that is used to control the throttle.  The servo horn is connected to a long push rod that is connected to the throttle on the engine.  Moving the servo opens and closes the carburetor.  When the engine first starts, the carburetor is mostly closed, which lets less air and causes the engine to run slowly.  If you open throttle, the carburetor opens, lets more air in and causes the engine to run faster.
  4. Throttle cut.  You want a way to quickly close the carburetor fully to stop the engine, in case of an emergency or just to stop the engine after you land the plane.  This is done with a throttle cut, which simply means you lower the throttle low enough that it causes the carburetor to close fully.  Usually you can program you radio to do this for you or you can just lower the throttle trim all the way down.
  5. Cleaning off the plane.  The muffler spits out all kinds of oil and exhaust.  You’ll want to clean it off your plane.  Cleaning it off with Windex, Washer fluid or isopropyl alcohol will work.  Use it with a paper towel, or even better microfiber cloth.
  6. Engine mounts.  Engines typically have these mounts that stick off the firewall.  Some are adjustable so you can spread them out for wider engines.  They come in different sizes.  Your engine usually has screws or bolts that attach the engine to the mount.  The engine mount is usually bolted to a plywood firewall with blind nuts on the opposite side.
  7. Noise.  Hey these things can make some noise, but that’s what I like about them.  Electrics are generally much quieter.  The muffler chosen can make a difference in the sound.  2 and 4 cycle glow engines sound differently, as do gas engines.
  8. Weight – These engines tend to be heavier than equivalent electric motors, but it can be argued that the additional mass can do better in wind.  If you starting out with an engine, I would still recommend flying a simulator and/or with an instructor.  These high wing trainers seem to be very popular and relatively easy to fly, but some of the foam electrics are lighter and easier to repair in the event of a crash.

Do you fly both electric and glow planes?  What are some differences that you can share?  Do you have any advice to offer for an electric pilot wanting to try a glow plane?  Also, how do glow and gasoline powered engines compare?  Post your suggestions below.

Mike

COMMENTS

tramsgar on October 28, 2013
I started out with a glow trainer some 25-30 years ago, the fuel was methanol and ricin oil (80/20 mix). It was a thrill just to get the engine started =). I didn't mind the smell or sound that much; in fact, today it would be a great nostalgia trip. But the icky sticky oil on the plane was a real thrill-killer. Also, access to fuel was not that good.

One part I was missing from this great video tutorial was needle adjustment - you still have to do that, right? It was crucial when I was flying glow to get the right air/fuel mix.
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lracnolip on October 26, 2013
Very good article, I do not think you are say fuel motors are better, but pointing out the differences you discovered.

I am in a RC club and think Fuel is dangerous and noise levels bring bad rep to the hobby by annoying people near by.
This is my first year in a MAAC club and was surprised by all the rules and safety concerns, until I learned more about fuel drive RC's. They are big noisy flying bombs, lol

I also have the Alpha RTF and made it electric with a $18 1000watt motor and $12 60amp ESC driving a 13x8 prop on two 3s 5000 batteries run in series for 6s.
Many of the guys in the club have this plane and again was surprised by the difference of fuel verse electric on the same plane.
1. Fuel set up is more expensive
2. Has less power (on the set up that came with the RTF, .46 )
3. Has shorter run times ( On average I was getting over 5 flights to a single charge, compared to each flight that had to be refuelled )
4. Noise, 10x more noise on the Alpha's running fuel
5. ease of use, electric you just turn on and go, fuel needed consistent fine tuning, big flight boxes and big bottles of fuel.
6. Safety, lots of wonderful smelling smoke, hard to stop and start motor, gets hot, can catch fire and crashes can cause fires.
7. Damage, fuel planes damage the plane when running. Each flight you have to clean your plane and replace parts the have broken down over time from corrosion.
8. Where you can fly, you have to have MAAC to fly a plane here and only at MAAC clubs. Just last week a guy tried to loin some electric flyers with his fuel plane and got a fine after some neighbours complained about the noise.

Thats what I discovered this summer and now have no desire to move in to fuel driven RC
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mmerry2 on October 26, 2013
Iracnolip, lots of great points that I didn't even think of.
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G.Ellis on November 28, 2014
As someone who flies both glow and electric, I'd have no difficulty refuting that glow is more dangerous than electric.

Once the prop is turning, the danger of getting cut is exactly the same between the two, except for one major difference:

If an engine hits something, it stops. Electric will keep on going, regardless of how much force is applied to the prop, possibly causing an overloaded circuit and a fire.

Another thing is the risk of accidentally starting the motor. With electric, there's always the risk of bumping the throttle on the workbench or when you simply aren't expecting it, especially once the "arm" feature of the ESC has already been activated.

There's no chance of that with an engine.

Finally, LiPo fires are far - FAR- more common than glow fires, and can be caused by simple misuse, like an improper charger setting or poor storage. Fuel doesn't spontaneously ignite, and I've never seen a glow fire as a result of a crash, but I've seen quite a few LiPo fires.
LiPos also burn far more violently than glow, and get so hot that anything nearby is at risk of ignition. Glow burns relatively cleanly.

I'm not saying that electrics are dangerous, but the risks with glow are far more "obvious" to the operator, while electrics can cause far more damage from the things you might not see at the time.


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SR-71 on October 27, 2013
I fly electric and gas now, but there is something I love about the smell and sound of nitro...brings back all kind of great memories.
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oldguyflying on October 26, 2013
I fly a mix of Glow and Electric planes, enjoying all of them. One thing with the glow is that the idle setting is crucial to maintain at a low 2600 to 2700 rpm. The higher the idle is, the more pull the prop will have while landing and causing extended glide and roll out. Newbies from glow to electrics pull the throttle back to bottom and expect the idle to be there (as in glow) assisting the glide. Not so! Most bottom and mid wing electrics have to be powered in (throttle up a click or 2) to land successfully. - See more at: http://www.flitetest.com/articles/transitioning-from-electric-to-glow-powered-planes#sthash.Fr0tplvE.dpuf
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stang513 on October 29, 2013
I think AK Flyer sums it up nicely! When I was younger I tried to get into the hobby with a coxs ez-bee .049 glow. I was young and impatient and this whole experience did not end well and I gave it up. ten years later I picked up some electronics and a radio and built a Blue cub by Gene Bond and my interest was renewed three years later I am now a full fledged addict with a garage full of electronics and countless foamies under my belt some of my own design and some from plans. I have just recently taken up a 72" span balsa kit For no other reason than the challenge. (this will be my first flying balsa kit I have built a couple static models) there is just something about building something the old fashioned way!!!! This kit will get a 60 sized brushless set up. However my next step in the hobby after that is GLOW BABY then on to the gassers. It's just a natural progression I won't stop flying electric but each type of model has it's place and time. If you stop challenging yourself whats the fun of the hobby?
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JustinTime on October 26, 2013
I too have been, for many many years, in glow and converted to electric and not looking back at all. The first and foremost reason is the noise. I can fly almost anywhere without pissing anyone off. The only exception are those planes with the prop in the middle of the plane. They are almost just as noisy.
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mmerry2 on October 26, 2013
True, but if you can fly somewhere where the noise isn't an issue, there are times where I love the sound of an engine. Those radial engines sounds awesome. The turbines are very cool, too, but I can see where they can be too loud and make neighbors angry.

They also have sound systems which may make sense for larger electric planes.
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JustinTime on October 27, 2013
If noise where not an obstacle...Truth is I live in cities and don't have the will or the patience to drive way out of town to be able to make noise but if I could...I would. I do miss sometime that high pitch whine of these engines. And that's the God honest truth. LOL
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johanjonker on October 26, 2013
To me, you moved into the wrong direction..
Been in this hobby since 1997, and the best thing I ever did was leaving glow planes..

Your question about power, glow vs electric. Well its all batteries.. Weight for weight, electric wins hands down, all the time.. But refeuling and go vs swapping out 2 4S 5000mah batteries and charge time, you break even at a 90size glow.. In my opinion electric and gass! Leave glow in the past.
HK sell nanotech battries for so cheap, you cant even argue the price vs feul.


But thing you never learn with a foam planes vs balsa, electric or glow. Is..
Proper landings, safety.. You check and recheck, everything.. On a cheap foamy, its more like "Oeps selected the wrong model, or something, no worries pickup and toss again for flight 2.. "

I'm glad you are into glow, its just me, thats converted the other way, and happier, not to look back.

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mmerry2 on October 26, 2013
johanjonker, thanks for your comments. It's nice to hear from someone who used to fly with glow engines. It seems like FliteTest is more focused on electric planes. I guess fuel planes always seemed mysterious to me, cool but mysterious.
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Ak Flyer on October 28, 2013
I liked your article. I fly nitro and electric planes and helicopters. I am glad to have the electric planes and helis for indoors but when I'm outside I really enjoy the sound of the nitro's. I find that my nitro heli is noisier than my nitro plane because I always fly it closer and it's at high rpm all the time. I will agree that electric is easier. Driving a car is also much easier than flying a plane. I personally like the extra challenge of the nitro engines vs electric. You have to know a bit more about it to be successful and I enjoy the challenge. I'm rewarded with sweet sounding engines that I simply enjoy more. I too would like to get into gas engines but I haven't made that investment yet. I really hate to see so many people be so negative towards the nitro engines. It was a part of the hobby for many years. We wouldn't be where we are without them. They do make noise but for some that's part of the appeal. I can understand if you live in an area where that's a problem but for me, it's worth the extra effort.
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Ron B on October 28, 2013
Electric is a LOT cheaper to get into and to fly than our old nitro planes were.
Today I can get a really good RTF for what it used to cost me for just the transmitter/reciever and 4 servos. I also won/t have to take near as much stuff with me to the flying field. A few pieces of foam to repair is a lot easier than a hundred pieces of balsa is.
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Ak Flyer on October 29, 2013
Nobody denies that foam electrics are cheaper and easier. It's not about cheap and easy though. When you go nitro it's because you want the next challenge. Same with Balsa. You can do a lot with foam but there's a satisfaction in balsa and nitro that you can't get out of foam and electric. If we were in the hobby for cheap and easy, we'd run cars.
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RedBaron1 on October 31, 2013
Good, quick overview. I've been in the hobby since a kid, so fly both glow and electric, but moving more towards electric as it's more convenient and easier for what I'm doing. There are still pro's & cons to each type of power source, and it's a matter of personal preference, depending on how and what the modeler wants to accomplish with the particular model.
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yaktork on October 28, 2013
Nice video. I was starting in 1997 with nitro engine and 3 axis trainer.
Today, I use electric motor because of the noise that disturb neighbourhood.
Sometimes I would like to use glow or more Gas engine, easier to find fuel than nitro and cheaper
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Transitioning from Electric to Glow Powered Planes