Nicad Starters

[phil485]

I'm in need of a new starter, so I've been trawling websites on work time :lol:

I appreciate the sullivan HI Torq is one of the best, but I've seen quite a few of the nicad equiped starters. Does anyone actually use one of these and what are they like, in general use. My new OS50 is going to need a little loosening up, but after that will they be any good.

My fault really I'm driving a little two seat sports car and would love to minimise the field equipment.

[Ade_Law]

my experience with nicad powered starters hasnt been great. its something else that needs charging properly and you need decent packs to get the power out of them.

by the time you have bought the batteries you are looking at a good wad of cash.

sullivan hi-torq is cheap as are 12v gell cells and will start anything.

Ade

[Janek]

For over two years I used a home-made NiCad powered starter, the advantages are:

1) Plenty of "grunt", assuming you have a good enough cell count.
2) No trailing wires to catch on the Idle Up switch . . . . . 8O
3) Easy to carry out to the flight line, for those engines that just refuse to run long enough to get into the air, without having to return to the pits at least 4 times :roll:
4) Convienient for EVERYONE at the field to use :roll:
5) Only needs charging about every 5 visit to the field
6) It CAN be recharged at the field
7) Only need a little lead/acid battery for recharging Tx/Rx

Disadvantages:
1) Heavy :?
2) Convienient for EVERYONE to the field to use 8O (it's never where you expect it to be)
3) Initial cost of Nicads are expensive (but so it a big Lead/Acid :!: )

As you can see from the above, my experiance is very different from Ade's, in fact I thinging it's about time I got off my backside and converted my new starter
:roll: