Glow plug, how much amps?

Intlwaters

Help Support Intlwaters:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

XtremeRcBoats

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 31, 2002
Messages
1,214
How much amps must run through a glow plug?

I'm still running O'Donnel Blues. I've been using a glow plug driver which connects to my lipo starter battery and recently starting gets harder and the plug doesn't light up. When I used my multimeter, it read about 3 amps.Should that be enough?

I'm in favor to a glow plug driver which I can connect to my start motor battery instead of a standalone one with a separate battery. With a stand alone one I have another battery to charge. Which one are you using and can you recommend?

Thanks for your input.
 
Per my tower hobbies power panel, i always start my boats between 3-3.5 amps. Any more and id be worried about toasting a plug. Im not sure how accurate the meter is on the panel but i only use it as a reference.

Pull the plug out and see how bright it is when you turn the power on. Thats about the best way to tell.
 
3 to 3.5 amps is plenty,check you wiring and plug head for short or broken. Meter each wire for fluxuating resistance as a telltale sign for issues. Best glow plug ignighters out there is the Glow beast and the Radio South starter IMO.
 
Thanks for the input guys, i'll first check out the wiring, hadn't thought of that. When I connect the glow plug, it doesn't light up and I'm sure it isn't broken.
 
I've seen plugs that were bad right out of the pack. If you haven't run the plug before, you may want to verify it's good. One way is to check the plug is with an ohm meter? One lead on the pin, the other on the case will tell you if's got an intact coil but that's all it will tell you. Low numbers on the display means it is PROBABLY good, a very high to open reading, kind of a given there.

I learned a valuable lesson about our engines a couple of years ago, never assume something is good until you can prove it to be
default_wink.png
 
How much amps must run through a glow plug?

I'm still running O'Donnel Blues. I've been using a glow plug driver which connects to my lipo starter battery and recently starting gets harder and the plug doesn't light up. When I used my multimeter, it read about 3 amps.Should that be enough?

I'm in favor to a glow plug driver which I can connect to my start motor battery instead of a standalone one with a separate battery. With a stand alone one I have another battery to charge. Which one are you using and can you recommend?

Thanks for your input.
How much amps must run through a glow plug?

I'm still running O'Donnel Blues. I've been using a glow plug driver which connects to my lipo starter battery and recently starting gets harder and the plug doesn't light up. When I used my multimeter, it read about 3 amps.Should that be enough?

I'm in favor to a glow plug driver which I can connect to my start motor battery instead of a standalone one with a separate battery. With a stand alone one I have another battery to charge. Which one are you using and can you recommend?

Thanks for your input.
Paul, try these pages for some info on this subject.

http://www.intlwaters.com/index.php?showtopic=61847&hl=%20glow%20%20plug%20%20test
 
How much amps must run through a glow plug?

I'm still running O'Donnel Blues. I've been using a glow plug driver which connects to my lipo starter battery and recently starting gets harder and the plug doesn't light up. When I used my multimeter, it read about 3 amps.Should that be enough?

I'm in favor to a glow plug driver which I can connect to my start motor battery instead of a standalone one with a separate battery. With a stand alone one I have another battery to charge. Which one are you using and can you recommend?

Thanks for your input.
Contact Eric Canto for this issue. See if you can get him to build you a glow beast while you are at it!
 
I know I'm always a salesman
default_rolleyes.gif


I sell a bunch of these and have some coming in, along with a charger.

People seem to like them.

It doesn't tell you the amps, but it shows on the meter so you know the plug is good or bad.

Tim

mcd205.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
KISS method for me, fits in my apron pocket. Not a fan of lipo's, charge with transmitter plug in charger.
Ray, best choice,for a super hot glow plug fully charged,2 volt 5 amp cyclone battery will lite every plug I tested and will burn out the MC 59 on contact. Using this battery in my testing plug temps ranged from 1400 hundred degrees for the Rossi 9 plug, up to 2300 degrees on the ultra hot plugs. If U have a cylinder charged with fuel and put the igniter on the glow plug, if the piston is at or just past TDC, many time I have had the engine start with out using the starter. Be carefull.

JM2CW

moby
 
Years ago when I was flying controline airplanes I used a Globee Fireplug. It had a rheostat that you could adjust the amps going to the glow plug. It used the same NiCad battery that is pictured in Ray's post #10 above. When using racing engines with cold glow plugs I would usually set the rheostat around 3.5 to 4 amps. If you ever flooded the engine I would max it out to 5 amps to clear the flood of fuel. If you were flying a Fox .35 in a stunt airplane you would be using low nitro fuel ( maybe 5% ) and a much hotter plug. You wouldn't need to use any more than 2,5 to 3 amps to get the engine started. The reason for this is that the wire element is a smaller diameter ( and sometimes a different material ) and will heat up much quicker. I prefer the McDaniel's style glow igniter like Tim has pictured in his post. Simple.

Dick Tyndall
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thanks for all the help.

Larry nailed it, the wiring from the glow driver to the plug somewhere got shortend. When I used 2 individual wires it lit up very well.

If I need a new glow plug igniter I'll know where to look.
 
Back
Top