Power Supply
Power for all electrical components of the turbine (starter / glow plug / ECU / fuel pump /
fuel and gas valves) are supplied by the six-cell, 1250 mah (2400 mah with P180/P200)
ECU battery. The amount of battery capacity used per flight is approximately 300-400
mah (500-800 mah with the P180/P200). This includes starting and cool down. The
ECU NiCad battery
must
be recharged after two (2) flights!
JETCAT USA
recommends recharging after every flight, making it a routine that is not overlooked. The
battery should be cycled periodically, to prevent NiCad memory problems that lower the
battery’s capacity. If you use Lithium batteries, we suggest unplugging the ECU at the
end of the day to prevent over discharging. We do not recommend Lithium Ion cells.
Charging the Battery
Do not charge the battery, with a quick charger using negative discharge pulses, when
connected to the ECU. This will destroy the electronics of the ECU. The only
recommended method is to disconnect the battery from the ECU and charge it directly.
If you are absolutely sure that this is not the case with your charger, the battery can be
charged using a Y cable.
Glow Plug
A modified, (non-idle bar) glow plug (Rossi 8) is appropriate. The glow plug is installed
on the turbine with the washer. Do not over-tighten or you may damage the threaded
bushing. Light torque is fine; there is no vibration to loosen it. The glow plug is modified,
so that two turns of the element extend beyond the bottom of the plug. With a pin, pull
out two turns of the element. Make sure the plug glows brightly red. The limits menu
features an adjustment for glow plug voltage. If high voltage plugs are used (Rossi R8),
a value of 2.6-2.7 V will be required. This adjustment is described later.
Note: 2 coils
pulled out 90°
from the body
If you have been enjoying good auto starts, and suddenly you notice that your turbine
does not start immediately on the first starting gas cycle, check the glow plug. The plugs
last so long that we sometimes forget that they can finally wear out!
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