Microlighters

Hi

We have a 582 blue top that doesnt want to start on cold winter mornings. Thats Newcastle at -2C. Battery is fully charged
even have a small heater in-front of the engine while doing pre-flight and a cup of coffee.
Pull it out the hangar and she refuses to start.
Prop swing and she starts.
Pull start and she starts.
Starter motor checked by motolek agent fine.
Slight voltage drop from battery to starter motor .4volt.
Is there such a thing as a armature getting weaker ??????
Engine at 224hrs.
Runs perfectly and fly weekly if not more.
Any suggestions!!!!

Eric

Two things

1. Battery. The cold weather has a negative effect on battery life. Try jumpering a booster pack (best investment I ever made) and see if this makes a difference.
2. Relay. I had problems on my Challenger with starting and eventually discovered that the relay contacts were burned, resulting in a lower current feed to the starter motor. Test this by using the same booster pack and connecting (safely please ) the power straight onto the starter motor. I managed to open the relay up and clean up the fat copper contact that bridges the two points

good luck

Morph wrote:Two things

1. Battery. The cold weather has a negative effect on battery life. Try jumpering a booster pack (best investment I ever made) and see if this makes a difference.
2. Relay. I had problems on my Challenger with starting and eventually discovered that the relay contacts were burned, resulting in a lower current feed to the starter motor. Test this by using the same booster pack and connecting (safely please ) the power straight onto the starter motor. I managed to open the relay up and clean up the fat copper contact that bridges the two points

good luck

And if that doesn't solve the problem, buy a new motor....

Somebody once told me to first switch on your lights etc for the battery to work a bit before you actually try to crank the motor.
This causes the battery to warm up a bit and then after about 3/5 min you can switch off and then try to crank the motor this normally works.

no promises but try anyway.

Tailspin wrote:Somebody once told me to first switch on your lights etc for the battery to work a bit before you actually try to crank the motor.
This causes the battery to warm up a bit and then after about 3/5 min you can switch off and then try to crank the motor this normally works.

no promises but try anyway.

Somebody told you k@k
You want that battery as strong and as full of "power" as possible to swing that prop as fast as possible.
That battery is never going to warm up by running the light, only gonna run down
Sorry Gav, file that "advice" where it belongs.........in file 13 !

Buy a new battery ! But get a gel battery from BMW used on their 1200 bikes. You will never ever have to buy another battery. 900.00 bucks though for this pleasure.

Oh ... and yes, as straight from a Duck's mouth as you can get it. Putting lights first on is indeed a k@k tale ! Put that one in a pipe and smoke it

UPS Battery, Half the cost of BMW and thrice the lifespan and go longer without charing. Use mine already for 4 years and start the engine even after 6 months standing.

Duck Rogers wrote:

Tailspin wrote:Somebody once told me to first switch on your lights etc for the battery to work a bit before you actually try to crank the motor.
This causes the battery to warm up a bit and then after about 3/5 min you can switch off and then try to crank the motor this normally works.

no promises but try anyway.

Somebody told you k@k
You want that battery as strong and as full of "power" as possible to swing that prop as fast as possible.
That battery is never going to warm up by running the light, only gonna run down
Sorry Gav, file that "advice" where it belongs.........in file 13 !

Eish that B$%^& slap really stings - ok will dump that info

You don't mention here if the prop swings on a cold electric start? Or does it sound like the starter is not engaging?

Starter swings a cold engine,it engages.
What amperage should the battery be. Have got a 10 Amp? at the moment.
For the chap that heard, switch on the lights to warm up battery, in STD 3 in the good days we learned the basics and this is therefore????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! long before 1994.
The engine is in a cheetah and battery is in centre console so not much space for a bigger battery.
Kept the battery on charge over night this weekend and started first time, therafter flew to Ladysmith for breakfast no problems.

Eric

erik wrote:What amperage should the battery be. Have got a 10 Amp? at the moment.

I'm not 100% sure about this, but I have a minimum of 16 amps in my head. Did read it somewhere. Still looking...

Eric,

did you run the tests I have mentioned? Using a booster pack or a car battery etc will guide you to where the problem is.

If it starts when you put the spare battery in parallel to the existing battery then the plane battery is stuffed and replace it with a new one. I would go for about 17Amp Hour.

If no difference then use the spare battery directly on the starter. (be very careful here, spinning props etc. Make sure the plane is secure, someone is sitting in the seat. breaks on etc). Connect the negative to the engine casing, and then touch the positive pole of the starter motor with the positive battery lead. If the motor swings beautifully and the engine starts then your relay is causing the problem. If the starter motor still drags then take it out and have it serviced by an autoelectrician.

erik wrote:Kept the battery on charge over night this weekend and started first time, therafter flew to Ladysmith for breakfast no problems.

OK two things

1. your battery is on it's way out OR

2. your charging circuit is not charging the battery properly . Start the plane, you should get 13.8V approx on the battery. Otherwise when the plane is off 12V approx.