Dear All

I think I will re-start this topic on the debate Glow vs Electric, on the suggestions of AnwarSab

Well, it is all your perspective and how you decide and your circumstances. But, it is important to understand the truths about both systems of powering and decide for yourself.

Let me try to explain as simply as possible....

Electrics are the future, because there is a lot of enthusiasm in its development all over the world. The electric systems like the LIPO battery for example is seeing advancement in its manufacture, safety, use and capacities by leaps and bounds. Today you can get a LIPO 11.1v (3cell with a max volt of 12.4v) which can give a burst current of 82amps for a short duration and continuous current rating of 2.6amps, in a package weighing as little as 150gms. Never-the-less, one has to be cautious about how one does the charging of such a battery and how one uses it. This doesnt mean that the fuel power is not dangerous... There are two types of fuel...Petrol type 4stroke engines and Glow type 4 stroke and 2stroke engines. The glow fuel is costly and is banned in certain states. So one has to resort to smuggling at times.
Moreover, the exhaust from the engine has to be managed so that it does not damage (chemically eat the structure of the plane, especially balsa wood). The plane requires a lot of care after the flight. The electronics kept inside, if heated (some transistor or chip getting hot)can be another nuisance to cool with exhaust gases flying all around.
Moreover, there is an art and skill to be learnt in starting and fine-tuning an engine. This can at times make a beginner go crazy and highly dependant on an expert RC enthusiast. I used to start my engines by hand... takes quite a toll on the skin of my fingers..and the chances of getting a dangerous cut if one is not too careful is quite high. When comparing an electric motor... either it works at its best or it does not start at all. Rarely does one have to have skill in tuning the motor... leaving a lot of opportunities for the beginner to concentrate more on the flying.
The size of the electric motor makes it possible to have smaller and lighter planes, work with foam, balsa or other types of material which is easily available.

But all said and done one does not have the same sound as an engine with electrics. Electrics are very quiet. Starting an engine in a flat can be very disturbing to the rest of the residents and neighbours. A new engine requires to be run in under certain conditions.

As to repair from crashes... It really comes down to whether you use foam, corroplast or balsa. Corroplast is the most durable but heavier than the other two. Foam is never used with fuelled power systems because, the exhaust eats into it. In any case, repairing an electric is easier because it is lighter and the damage is less destructive

The last but not the least... The cost of equipment. Today, a beginner in electric can start off with about 7k to 8k with a good trainer like the Slow Stick or about 10k to 12k with something like the Easy Star. Compared to the fuelled variety which is about 25k minimum

Some questions with their answers:

a. Will the LIPO battery bulge if not used for a week ?
There is no fear of the LIPO battery bulging if it is not used for a few weeks...  I have an Easy Star for which I have two batteries ready to use every weekend. Most times with one charge on 1 battery I get more than 1 hour of flight. So the second one is not used for about 3 weeks. After 3 weeks I rotate the batteries.

b. Are Electrics susceptible to shaft bending, esc burning etc. and is the repair cost very high?
If you use a pusher type, the propeller does not get hurt at all. In the case of my Slow stick, I have yet to get a bent shaft ( the trick is to have a short shaft) inspite of inumerable crashes. I have broken props but not one bent shaft. As for ESC or motor burning... I have yet to experience that even after 2 years of regular flying every week-end.

I would suggest other experienced readers to further add to this FAQ.
Anwarsab, seriously, why dont you start a FAQ for this debate... It would be worth it




Best of luck

M.P.Saju

The content of the post is a very good summary of this issue, hence the request

I've tried everything other than jumping out of a plane, but nothing gives you an adrenaline rush like flying a glow powered plane, I know its a lot of hard work but then, thats what pays off, the sweet roar of the engine, this mist of the fuel and the beastful attitude that jolts the controls .... Glow Glow Glow.....electrics are too slow.....

Gas is just as fun   In fact, most people on our field seem to like the sound of gas better to glow.

And if you are an electric flier who wants to cheat (or overcome with nostalgia), this helps !

http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=9031

To M.P.Saju

Sir, which battery you are useing it gives you 1 hour of flight and also which type of charger you are useing .

Rajesh rao

Quote from: anwar on July 19, 2010, 06:09:20 PM
Gas is just as fun   In fact, most people on our field seem to like the sound of gas better to glow.

And if you are an electric flier who wants to cheat (or overcome with nostalgia), this helps !

http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=9031

Ha ha.. Love the sound unit idea!

Quote from: rajsigma on July 19, 2010, 09:55:04 PM
To M.P.Saju

Sir, which battery you are useing it gives you 1 hour of flight and also which type of charger you are useing .

Rajesh rao

Dear Rajesh

I fly an Easystar by Multiplex which is an pusher electric Glider. Once I go up in the air, I climb to quite a height something like 100m to 150m and then glide around the place till I  pickup a near by thermal. I use a 2200mah 3S LIPO battery and a 2600mah 3s LIPO. One full charge of the battery gives me easily about 1 hr of airtime with lots of room to spare. I use the batterries alternating them every 3 weekends. I use a balancing charger everytime and do not charge above the nominal current rating of the battery. I also had a Slow-Stick, which I used to fly with one of the batterries. But I had a nasty crash once when I lost too much power and the plane almost got lost and landed above a Go-down roof. I managed to recover the same, but then it had suffered an almost irrepairable damage to the wing (it tore up). Since then it has been grounded.
I try to take good care of my batteries

Saju

If I was to compare I  can remember  the burst of power  on my Electric Tiger 60 and the plane getting air borne in less than 5 ft .

Compared to  the power of the 4130/6 Motor  on 22.2V 6 S  power  the OS 61 fx  was  nothing .

If you want real adrenelin rush  try the TT Imagine 50 or any 60 size plane on a 4130 motor , that is instant power  

Well I have  done a few 60 size electric conversions as that is where I started my electric flying from :

1) Great Planes PT 60 : 4130/6  and 22.2V Lipo
2) Hobbico Hobby star  :  same set up
3) hanger 9 Alpha trainer : same set up
4) Pheonix Tiger 60   : Same set up
5) Thunder tiger Imagine 50 : 4120/6  same 22.2V

Sound may be an issue but power  of the electrics  is awesome .

With  energy conversion at around 85 to 90 %  these smaller motors  are a treat.
Sai

Dear Saju

Very very thanks for information

Rajesh rao

Divay,
Thats a nice one
I will modify it slightly to
"Glow! glow! glow! 'lectrics are soooooo slow"

Glow power gives the feeling and presence when flying compared to electrics, personally I don't like electrics its more of TOY here I am referring to both Heli's and planes.

Yogesh bhai - Have you tried flying something like the Trex 600 electric heli (or the new Trex 700 electric) ?  It has every bit of the same "oomph" as the nitro ones.

Santhosh has one, hopefully we will be flying it on the 26th.

May be we should have a separate glow-versus-gas thread too.  Again, with smaller and smaller gas engines coming out, glow seems to be becoming more and more of a money eater only (in terms of cost of fuel).

Well, we have one... http://www.rcindia.org/fuel-and-engines/gas-vs-nitro/

But it does not seem to consider the availability of small gas engines (like the 15cc ones).

i have been using electrics on all my helis from the hobbywing ones to turnigy to scorpion to the high end motors like the Neu, they are all just fantastic and the power is great "for my style of flying"... tried a nitro panthera once but moved back to electric as they are clean and silent.
i reckon elecric would be the way forward for this hobby...

Seeing fumes coming out of a model is a whole another dimension   It is something "money can't buy" in electrics

For me electrics will mean more flight time.
I have been flying my OS 46 powered SPAD for more than a year now and most of the time i return from the field early with a broken plane. Yes i am a bad pilot!! But now i am switching to electrics just because i need more "flight time".

Quote from: anwar on August 06, 2010, 08:47:05 AM
Seeing fumes coming out of a model is a whole another dimension  It is something "money can't buy" in electrics

Yes you can! it is very easy in electrics (and very costly too)

It is all about perspective

Quote from: gotoyogesh007 on July 21, 2010, 10:23:04 PM
Glow power gives the feeling and presence when flying compared to electrics, personally I don't like electrics its more of TOY here I am referring to both Heli's and planes.

a toy with double the power compare to glow

well I have seen an easystar fly faster and totally dominating a screaming 40 size plane. Ask any one from pancard club.

An easy star and an average 40 size glow is not an apple to apple comparision.
if you really want to, take two models of same make and weight, power one with glow, and other with same power electrics.Run them out flat in a straight line and measure the speed.
Lets talk thereafter.

Thats the point, the fact that a park flyer running a tinny little in-runner on a 5 inch prop was faster than an shiny 40 size glow plane is just amazing. I can only imagine what would happen if we put apple against apple

I can only imagine what would happen if we put apple against apple

TWO original sins - morning and EVE?

Quote from: SunLikeStar on January 11, 2011, 02:12:04 PM
Thats the point, the fact that a park flyer running a tinny little in-runner on a 5 inch prop was faster than an shiny 40 size glow plane is just amazing. I can only imagine what would happen if we put apple against apple

Put an race tuned glow engine of .10 size with a single blade 5 inch prop on same size pylon racer and then lets talk apples