Sullivan 12 Volt, SUL601 starter

[Brian Sorgente]

I've been tempted to try starting a gas engine with mine but that is one thing I've never done.

 

[Jim Allen]

"Jim you run outboards too right?" That is correct Brian. I don't need a starter for a .45 cuin engine that would be powerful enough to start a 30 cc engine! As far as a starter for even a 40 cc engine, I use the TFL hobby starter with a 1800 mAh, 4s 15.2 volt, LiPo battery. Try one, you'll be very surprised at what this little starter can do. ($148.00) I plan to use a 19.2 volt LiPo on the Sullivan 601.

Jim Allen

 

[Mark Anderson]

I have run a swap meet 601 on 24 volts for years. It now has an adapter to use 18v Milwaukee batteries, I have never had any issue, except I wore out a set of brushes. A trip to my local marina for a set of Prestolite trim motor brushes and 10 minutes labor and it was back to work. I have popped it open and lubed the bushings a couple of times.
I use a NAPA heavy duty starter switch, no relay, on a home made handle. Inboards, outboards and gas motors.

 

[Mark Bullard]

John & Mark,

Do you think that the slots & commutator tabs could be coated with JB weld before use. Maybe just plain epoxy because JB weld contains some steel.

JA

Jim, Don't think I would use JB weld. What I would do is just cut some 1/32" ply strips and slide them in the slots, then CA them in. On the commutator, where the wire go close to the shaft to hook up to the tabs. Take some plain kite string and wrap it around this part of the armature. You can set it up in your lathe and turn it in the slowest gear you got or just turn by hand. Put a few turns on what ever looks good. Tie it off and then CA the string real good. Thin CA would work the best for this. Of course being in the electric motor repair business, I have what we call top sticks of different sizes that we use in the slots that is made of Nomex. and a very good tie cord that we tie the windings down on rewinds.

 

[Don Ferrette]

Hey gang just want to add a little something to the conversation. I'm seeing lots of pics of different starter set ups and how many have switched to lipos for power. The one big thing that makes me cringe when I see it is the lipo sitting out in the open unprotected (the one pic with it on the bottom of the starter especially). Besides nitro and occasionally gas I race FE and I can tell you that a lipo fire is one of the nastiest things to deal with, very violent. Consider this- when you're in pit time and things go sour like say a bad glo plug what is the piece that sees the most potential abuse? Your starter motor. Who hasn't dropped the starter to the table in the moment of panic trying to get on the water before pit time expires? All it takes is puncturing the pack and POOF! instant fire. There are hard case packs but something even easier is a simple protective shell. A few seasons ago I had Ryan Lipgens (the guy who does the plastic fuel tanks) make me a battery shell that sits right where the pack did. Simple, cheap and most importantly safe. Mine was originally made for a pair of 3300mah packs but I went with a single 5000mah now, just slid in some foam to take up the extra space. Give this some serious thought, better safe than... you know the rest.

 

[Brian Sorgente]

Good stuff Don. I like the glow plug caddy on the back too.

 

[Daniel's Racing]

Never leave it plugged in during travel. Best to get a case and always remove the battery from the starter to insure you have unplugged it.

 

[Richard Hartley]

I believe that you all are missing the point on running a starter that is wound for 12 vdc on 20 to 24 vdc. They will work just fine on the higher voltage for no longer than the duty that we do. The issues is the speed of the armature (rpm) from 12 to 24 vdc you will double the speed. When this happens the winding or wires will start coming out of the slots or coming unhook from the commutator tabs in time. When this happens the wires get cut by the magnets when they pass and this opens the armature winding and the starter quits. I have pick up a few starters out of the trash can over the years that have done this to other racers at races. Rewound them and are still using them today on two 4S batteries. The oldest is over ten years old.

Going to run my boris starter on a 5000mah 14.6 volt Lipo. Am i making a mistake?
it definitely will turn faster unloaded but hopefully wont run it unloaded much.
Richard

 

[Mark Bullard]

Going to run my boris starter on a 5000mah 14.6 volt Lipo. Am i making a mistake?
it definitely will turn faster unloaded but hopefully wont run it unloaded much.
Richard

I have never been into one of those. But the 2.6 volt will not make that much difference in speed. Most of these motors are 2 pole motors which is a rpm 3600 rpm at the rated voltage of 12 vdc. So with that in mind we are only talking about a 100 rpms more. the only way to see a huge speed change is to double the voltage. Of course there are more numbers to look at because the wire size and turns on an armature will change the speed of the motor. And current will be higher or lower depending on which way it is wound. I would not worry about it you should be fine.

 

[Jim Allen]

I have never been into one of those. But the 2.6 volt will not make that much difference in speed. Most of these motors are 2 pole motors which is a rpm 3600 rpm at the rated voltage of 12 vdc. So with that in mind we are only talking about a 100 rpms more. the only way to see a huge speed change is to double the voltage. Of course there are more numbers to look at because the wire size and turns on an armature will change the speed of the motor. And current will be higher or lower depending on which way it is wound. I would not worry about it you should be fine.

Mark,
Got the 601 & a 5.0Ah,19.2 volt lithium ion battery with charger. Easily turns the engine over at a high RPM.
JA

 

[Mark Bullard]

Mark,
Got the 601 & a 5.0Ah,19.2 volt lithium ion battery with charger. Easily turns the engine over at a high RPM.
JA

Jim I would still put sticks in the winding slots and tie the wires down going up to the "com". This way you will never throw a wire and the starter will live until you wear the brushes out. I have been doin this to all of my starters over the years. And yes I have wore a couple of sets of brushes out.

 

[Daniel's Racing]

Mack daddy.

The china starter after mods to install a quality switch and starter solenoid.