token

Have anyone upgraded their starter box contact points. I think its like a copper plate that touches another copper plate.

Any upgrade ideals for this? Mine have been wielded together over time.


Thanks

AHR43

Had to take my Ofna box apart week before last and burnish the contacts. Noticed then they were really thin material, and probably won't stand up to a second burnishing. Battery is internal 12vdc gel cell.

Got a replacement kit on my wish list, but having second thoughts now. I'm going to try buying some brass flat washers from the local Home Depot. May have to fit them, but they're thicker and should flow current better and longer.

'AC'

Roelof

Put a capicitor over the contacts, it will take away the spark

http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_4/chpt_4/2.html

DrNitro

Hi,

I've modified my starter box with an automotive electromagnetic relay (70A). The copper contacts only switch the relay on and off, so the high current goes through the relay. Never had an issue with burnt or welded contacts. The relay is mounted in a socket, so it's easy to replace in the case of malfunction.

Circuit diagram:


Translation:
M - electric motor
Schalter - main switch of starter box (power on/off)
Taster - momentary switch (the weak copper contacts)
Akku - battery (I use 14.8V 4S hardcase lipo)

The numbers in the diagram reflect the four relay contacts. This is standard numbering in Europe for automotive relays, don't know how it's in the USA.

Shawn_S

iTrader: (20)

I bought some Trinity battery bars a couple weeks back for this very topic. Unfortunately we've had a couple consecutive rainouts, so I've hadn't had to mess with them yet. My thought is the higher quality material should withstand better than the garage washer and copper pieces that come with the boxes. I'll try to get to it this week.

Mister-E

iTrader: (1)

Automotive relay is the way to go.
Otherwise, you ll be welding everytime you use the starterbox

Juice1

iTrader: (16)

Installing a relay is the way to go, but instead of replacing them, just remove them and flip them over and they are like brand new. ;-)

Stubbs

iTrader: (58)

I was in the middle of a big out of town race when my Ofna blue truggy box burnt a contact. It was a "bush fix", but I ended up drilling a hole in a penny, and using it as the contact.

It worked so good, I never took it back off....been like that for 4 years now.

Brian C

iTrader: (34)

The engineering and creativity of my fellow Rc racers never ceases to amaze me. I love coming on here and learning new things.

Roelof

My 1st starterbox had a neat system, it started the the startmotor by powering the glowplug.



A smal reed switch (glass magnetic switch) in a small coil acts like a current detection on the clowplug. Switching a realais what will power the startermotor.

It was directly a plug good/fail detection.