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Old 2nd Aug 2008, 04:10
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Pilot DAR
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Ontario, Canada
Age: 63
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While you're busy thinking about how to get it running, because you really want to be in the sky, consider one other important cost saving measure:

Starter motors are NOT continuous duty designs. Though a pilot is rarely reading limitations on starter motors, they do exist. They usually read like this (going from memory of my C310 days, where the pilot's operating handbook did spell it out):

Crank for a maximum of 30 seconds, wait a minute, crank for 30 more seconds, wait 5 minutes, crank for 30 more seconds, wait 30 minutes. The pilot's operating does not tell you to give up after that, and go for an expesive airport lunch, but that's what you should do, because it will still be a lot cheaper than the melted starter motor you're going to create, if you keep cranking.

30 seconds goes by pretty quickly when you're frustrated doing a troublesome hot start. That's one reason that aircraft batteries are not so big, hopefully you'll run the battery flat before you melt (and I use the word literally) the armature in the starter motor, and it will get a chance to cool down by the time you get a boost arranged!

Pilot DAR
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