[NSRCA-discussion] Fuel Weight - unsponsored opinion?

[Grow Pattern]

Del,
       I have a mail-box-folder full of notes from Electric enthusiasts because I don't rave enough about electrics. Maybe it is because I raised my issues a bit too soon and should have waited until the "honeymoon " was over?

I am not for or against electric. I just see some reporting once in a while that needs to be challenged. I'm not attacking the author of a pro-electric write-up, but quite often the response can get a bit personal, especially from the sponsored contingent.

After Jason won the Nat's with his electric-IMPACT I bought a replica of everything that "they" were all using. In my case it did not match up to what we were all being told. So I spoke out and raised a lot of questions. Now when I write about electrics I brace myself for a rebuttal even when one is not really needed.

Having said the above, I would like to illustrate a "big difference" that I experienced. It may only apply to me but I think it may be the same for others?.

In the case of the OS's and YS's that I ran, I always felt that I could fix them at the field as long as it was not a complete "blow-up". I would carry some spares and spare engines to be ready for such an event. I have even been seen "cooking" crankcases on contest food BBQ grill's to "pop" out a bad bearing between rounds. I had the skill and the  knowledge to solve most of the engine problems that came my way. If not there was always plenty of supporting advice to help me.

In the case of my electric motors I felt especially helpless. If a motor stopped due to an internal fault it was dead to me. If a controller "smoked" I could not fix it. If a battery was losing power, I had no solution. Everything I knew about powering the plane was now redundant.

I touched a prop on a landing and the shaft snapped. Could not field repair it. I had a gearbox unscrew on a  Hacker and twist the motor wires out of the speed controller. Could solder back together it but it was dead.

I think that when we stop burning fossil fuels in our cars and use electricity to power them, we will go through the same thing. I'll also wager that we will be paying more of e-power than we do today for gas!

Regards,

Eric.

P.S. I can still sell my YS's 10 years later. I gave away my Li-Po batteries. Food for thought?
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Del K. Rykert 
  To: NSRCA Mailing List 
  Sent: Friday, February 17, 2006 4:48 PM
  Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Fuel Weight


  Well I Don't see anyone selling off their used out dated electric stuff so glow power is still the only choice for some. I don't see battery manufacturers truly putting in practice a good battery guarantee that you can count on getting 2 to 3 hundred cycles out of them before they are no longer competitive.  Way to disposable for my sport budget. 

                   Del 
            nsrca - 473
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Michael Laggis 
    To: 'NSRCA Mailing List' 
    Sent: Friday, February 17, 2006 2:22 PM
    Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Fuel Weight


    It may be cheaper in the end, but laying out the $$$ to get started is the hard thing.(4 sets of batteries, chargers, power supplies/generator).  

    Michael Laggis

      



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    From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org [mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org] On Behalf Of Earl Haury
    Sent: Friday, February 17, 2006 9:56 AM
    To: NSRCA Mailing List
    Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Fuel Weight


    Nat

    Electricity is a whole lot cheaper than glow fuel - it's just the darn tanks that are expensive (and heavy)!

    Earl
      ----- Original Message ----- 
      From: Nat Penton 
      To: NSRCA Mailing List 
      Sent: Friday, February 17, 2006 12:12 PM
      Subject: [NSRCA-discussion] Fuel Weight


      24oz is .1875 gallons. Nitro fuel weighs about 7.5# / gal. The fuel weight would be 22.5oz, but, a pound and a half is close enough for government work.

      I didn't look up the weight of electrons, but one of my battery packs weighs 2.5lb and cost $740 and I still think electric is cheaper ------- and, it doesen't take creative accounting.                         Nat



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