Onboard Glow Driver FAQ

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Onboard Glow Driver Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How can I charge my battery without disconnecting it from the onboard?
A: You can charge the battery without removal using a double pole switch and external connector. Attach the battery connector coming out of the glow driver to one side of the switch and attach the battery and external female connector to the other side of the switch. The battery can be charged through the external connector when the switch is off.

Q: How long my battery will last in single and twin glow drivers?
A: It depends on model chosen (single or twin), battery voltage, plug wattage, duty cycle and battery amp-hours. Most plugs use around 3 watts when on. The formula to estimate battery "ON" time in hours is:

M060: (Pack Voltage * AH Rating / (3 Watts Per Plug)) / Duty Cycle

M061: (Pack Voltage * AH Rating / (3 Watts Per Plug * 2 plugs)) / Duty Cycle

For example:

Duty Cycle: plug assumed to be on 25% of the time (0.25)

Battery voltage: 4.8V

mAH: 600

Model number: M060

(4.8 * .60 / (3) / (0.25) = 3.84 hours or 230 minutes of duty (Ignoring losses from wiring)

Q: I have a 3-cylinder engine; can I set up two onboard glow drivers to work together?
A: Yes, you can connect one M060 and one M061 glow drivers on a 3-cylinder engine. They can be set up on automatic mode, by pushing both SET buttons within a second of each other or they can be run at all time by pressing RUN once on both of the glow control panel. You can use a single battery with a Y harness to supply both units or you can run separate batteries. We recommend 14 or 16 gauge battery leads, especially when using a single battery to power both units. In the future we are going to have a 3-cylinder version of the onboard glow driver. See diagram below for details on the connections.

Q: How the onboard glow driver regulates for battery voltage?
A: The onboard glow driver is microprocessor controlled. The circuit board turns the plug briefly, measures the voltage under load, and sets a pulse rate based on the measured voltage. This gives the plug the same energy regardless of battery voltage.

Q: The yellow wire is too short; can I extend it?
A: Yes, the yellow wire is 22-gauge high PTFE insulated wire. Be careful to use heat resistant wire for all replacements, and good connections are important. We recommend using 18 or larger gauge extensions.

Q: The M061 includes a 3 feet of black wire, what is it for?
A: The 36 inches black wire is used for ground in a twin-engine airplane application. It attaches from one engine case to the other (cut to length as needed). It is not required in a twin cylinder engine.

Q: What battery should I use?
A: We recommend batteries with 16 gauge leads or larger, especially in twin plug setups. The losses in the battery and wiring depend on wire size and connector quality. The larger the battery leads, the larger the interconnects are likely to be, and the more amperage the pack can supply. In particular, packs made to run electric motors work well.