push glo

[sausageoverdose]

My like new push glo burns up plugs while I'm bench testing. I plug servo lead into fbl unit. Connect red clip to plug tip. Touch ground to side of plug. Don't even have to push the button. It automatically ignites and burns out plug in under a second. Any ideas?

[DCflyer]

Originally Posted by sausageoverdose

Touch ground to side of plug. Don't even have to push the button.

Your ground is touching your plug? Why?

Your ground should be attached to the motor casing. Mine is on one of the backplate bolts. How would you even attach the ground to the plug i'm not even sure.....?

[ticedoff8]

He said he was testing it on the bench.
I assume he has the plug in his fingers and he is touching the ground to the plug - that's the way i did it.
It should work as you would expect - the plug should not light up until you press the button and it should not burn out the element.

Yes, your PushGlo is bad.
I would assume that at some point, the red lead got grounded while the PushGlo was energized.
That will burn out the unit.

Is it used? If so, the guy who sold it to you / gave it to you probably already knew it was fried.

I run mine from a 2S LiPo and it has no problems

[meowguy]

I have had good luck with Switch-Glow but you can't seem to find them anywhere for purchase. Push-glows have given me trouble and I don't use them anymore.

The Align 2-in-1 on my 700 is working quite well. There were some issues with these a few years ago, but they seem to have it sorted out now. Obvious advantage of the Align is you get the regulator with it and system on-off switch.

[sausageoverdose]

The guy I got it from said it could be no good. He had the worries of connecting it wrong (I don't see how) and said it was torching plugs. I too used a 2s lipo. He charged me shipping only.
Guess I will go back to an igniter stick. Thanks for all the input guys.

[jiminator]

The guy who owns Push Glo has been redesigning the unit. No idea when the new one will appear. I've been using the Model Avionics RevGlow with no problems at all. A lot of people use the Protek glow ignitor as well.

http://www.ronlund.com/rcheli-prod/NITGLOI/REVGLOW.html

Just be sure if you use this as a stand alone ignitor to disconnect the orange wire before plugging it in to your FBL. Its a signal wire that's only necessary to use if you're using the Model Avionics Throttlemax. Have 4 of these.

[sausageoverdose]

Thanks for the info. I will check in to those.

[Matt Sherman]

We have the switch glo pro for sale at gravesrc.com

[ticedoff8]

I didn't buy the RevGlo for this reason:

Simply plugs into ACC port of ThrottleMax.
No Switch needed when used with the ThrottleMax.

I don't have a ThrottleMax.
And, it isn't clear to me from reading the details if this can be used as a "stand alone" device (like the PushGlo)

The SwitchGlo is $65 - not is good replacement for the PushGlo.

It is too bad the PushGlo is no longer available
Good thing I bought them when I did.

[sausageoverdose]

I know a few pilots who have switch glo. They like them a lot, I just can't justify $65 on a glo igniter, simply out of budget.

[jiminator]

The RevGlow doesn't need to be plugged into the Throttlemax. It can be used as a stand alone ignitor. Just disconnect the orange signal wire from its servo plug and it can be plugged into any open port on your fbl or receiver. If you read down the link above there is a paragraph entitled "Using the RevGlow as a stand alone ignitor" Works very well. Mine are plugged into ar7110r receivers on my flybar ships and into Vbar silverlines and have been flawless. Two out of the 3 Pushglo's I was using were burning out plugs just like the OP's were.

[meowguy]

I would not recommend flying smack 3D without a governor. A loop, roll, stall turn, inverted circuits etc., a governor is nice but not absolutely necessary. Tic Tocs, Piro flips and such, could be a problem.

You would use a V throttle curve on idle up 2 so that when the pitch comes out at half throttle, the rotor doesn't overspeed too much because the motor is unloaded. You'll have to experiment but I would go for 85%, 75%, 65%, 75%, 85% as a good starting point. The clutch will be fully engaged at about 10% throttle so you have no concern about that.

The other thing you can do is setup mixing of aileron and throttle so that as you go into a turn at full throttle you mix in more throttle adding another 10% for right and left cyclic. This is because making turns adds more pitch and this will help keep the motor rpms up.

This is an "Old-School" setup because we did not have governors in the old days of heli flying and we did not know what we were missing.

Since you are a 3D electric pilot, you may become a little unsettled as you do some mild maneuver and find the motor sound coming in and out with an ungoverned nitro. With a governor we can rely on a nice steady motor sound with smooth consistent power. Do get a governor on it as soon as you can.

[ticedoff8]

I saw this in the latest issue of AMA Model Aviation mag.
http://craineng.net

It is an Onboard Glow Plug Driver that can be used as a standalone glow driver or tied into the throttle channel to light when ever the throttle channel is at idle

They are $40 for the unit.
http://craineng.net/viewitem.php?productid=19

The offer a glowplug connector for $10 (but you could use an alligator clip instead)
And, there is a "super bright" remote LED for $7 to indicate the unit is on.

I didn't buy one and I have not tried one.
So, they could be complete crap.

But, if I was looking for a PushGlo replacement, I'd check these out.

[sausageoverdose]

Thanks for the link buddy!!!!

[Dawiev]

I now have to replace my onboard glow driver - went up in smoke.

For what it is doing, my small brain cannot get around the price tag for these things.

Hobbyking has a few models .....................