Don Fry Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 I have recently cost the French government a fair bit in physiotherapy costs to sort out tennis elbow caused by my habit of starting engines by hand. Getting old and knackered. Thats the engines, I am still a sex god, but accepted a mishapen one. Is there a bit of electric gagitry, electronics whatever which would allow me to strap a lipo batter under an electric starter to get a self contained unit and protecting the battery from excessive discharge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Privett Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 I recently acquired an Align heli starter which you pop your own 3S 2200mAh (or thereabouts) LiPo into. Seems to do the job OK, and you can get a conventional starter 'cup' attachment to use in place of the heli 'wand' if you want. I just have the heli wand - I got this starter as I was sick of the push-in heli wand on my other starter never being lined-up properly. So I have the old starter to use on f/wing models and this one for helis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 I have a unit sold by CML that uses a 6 cell NMhi battery, Starts up to 52 four strokes ands 46 two strokes to my own certain knowledge and proably bigger engines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyinBrian Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 I use a three cell 3600 mah LiPO with my starter, starts anything up 26cc petrol. I dont have it attached to the starter it just connects using 3.5mm bullet connectors. It should not be difficult to affix to the starter if required with either velcro or with tape around the starter body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 The Just Engines geared starter with a 4S LiPo pack will start a Zenoah 62 with ease - I've seen it done on many occasions... Edited By Martin Harris on 04/07/2012 09:50:17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RavSS Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 I have a entry level Irvine Starter (**LINK**), cut off the crocodile clips and soldered bullet connectors onto it, and am powering it using 3 Cell 11.1V lipos. I'm firing up a .46 two stroke engine and it doesn't struggle at all, and I don't have to worry about wires getting caught up in the propellor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Olsen 1 Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 I've done it slightly differently. I have a toolbox on wheels, and the starter battery and fuel supply live inside. The starter itself has been fitted with a plug and the battery is wired to a socket on the box. Similarly the fuel supply is plumbed to a fitting on the box, the dubro sort that you can fit on a plane. So you trundle it all out to the pits, plug in the starter and the fuel pump (manual in my case) and away you go. The charger for the electric plane plugs into the same socket. All quite convenient. You do need to park the box in a place that keeps the curly cord away from the prop. The main merit of the 18AH sealed lead acid battery I use is that it was free. I did just discover that the non geared type of starter has a limit to the size of engine it will start, and had to buy myself a geared one. Well, it is a toothed belt, not a gear drive, but anyway it will at least happily start my ASP 400R, which the non geared one did not like at all. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Blake 1 Posted February 15, 2014 Share Posted February 15, 2014 I am now of an age where I no longer kneel as it's hard to get up again. So I have made myself a folding table with aircraft supports. I can stand my flightbox on a side flap but my 12 Volt car battery has to remain on the floor. I have a Sullivan Hi Torque starter runnimg from the car battery but had to change the wiring as the original was not long enough to reach from the table to the battery on the ground. The wire I used came from a now disused clothes washing machine but after I had started the engine the wire was very hot and I feel will be dangerous. I cannot read the wattage on the starter to ascertain the ampage. Can anybody advise me please as to what would be suitable flexible wire. Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Whybrow Posted February 15, 2014 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Domestic cable won't be of any use as it's either too thin or too stiff. You need something rated for about 50A to keep the volts drop low, 6mm (12 AWG) should do the job. Try a decent car audio shop as they tend to keep heavy duty cables in stock. Edited By Martin Whybrow on 15/02/2014 18:21:27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crispin church Posted February 15, 2014 Share Posted February 15, 2014 i screwed a piece of ply to the molding on the starter and strap lipo on there and short cable on the start Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Blake 1 Posted February 15, 2014 Share Posted February 15, 2014 There's two good lines of thought, thanks fellas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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