Couldn't get it to start!

[digiex-chris]

I was running a really sweetly running RC gas engine the other day that I've got hanging on my favorite model airplane. Did a great flight, landed, killed the engine with my ignition cut switch on the transmitter, checked the battery, topped up the fuel, and went to restart it. Flipped my arm off before I decided something was wrong (normally it restarts in 3 flips).

Touched behind the carb, nope, didn't flood it. Choke on, flip till I can't flip any more, open the low end needle a touch, flip a bit more, oops, flooded.

Pulled out the plug, cleared it, checked the plug gap. Plug looked a little dirty but not unusually so for the oil I use (never had a problem yet), but I cleaned it anyhow. Reset the low end needle.

Installed it in the wire boot, crap, no spark. Cleaned some more, still no spark!

I'm dead tired from flipping a prop a couple hundred times, but I persist since we don't have much flying season left. Double check the ingition battery, it's good.

Took the boot off the wire, made sure it all was connected in there, yep it's all good.

I've been all over the plane, can't find anything wrong. Put the plug back in, boot back on, started taking the wings off to pack up and go home since it was too dark to fly, but first I had to turn the receiver off. Then turn the transmitter off. This was the first time looking at the transmitter since I started trying to restart it. It was at that point that I noticed that my throttle cut safety switch on the transmitter was STILL on, disabling the electronic ignition. I'd neglected to check the most obvious first, the control interface.

Flicked the switch off, and it started in a single flip.

*sigh*

next time, check if the on button is set to off FIRST! Next watch me try to figure out how to drive my car, and forget to try pushing on the gas pedal.

 

[peatrich]

I've lost count of the hours I've lost at the flying field through forgetting to do the the simple things - like turn the fuel on, or switch on the receiver/ignition, turn up at the field with a flat battery in the transmitter. I even drove 30 miles to the field and left the transmitter in the garage on charge! You sometimes just need a mate to walk over and take the Mickey when they can see the obvious, that you can't see from frustration...

 

[Tin Falcon]

Do not feel bad I think we all forget to check the simple and obvious from time to time and make our selves crazy. Moral of the story do not forget to kill the kill switch. sigh!!!
LOL
Tin