Microsens GLOW9C User manual

MICROSENS GLOW9C
Glow driver for 1 –9 cylinders
Warnings
Read carefully this manual first before you put the electronis into operation.
Observe all warnings and hints of the engine and battery manual too.
General
This electronics is intended for heating of model engines glow plugs. It works with all
standard RC receivers. The glow battery should be a 2S LIPO.
All plugs are controlled seperately and each plug has an own monitoring red LED.
The brightness of the LED shows the glow current of this LED.
If one plug is broken, this LED will be off and all others will work normally.
Like the former GLOW9LP it works in two modes : Starting mode to start the engine
and after that the running mode.
Starting mode : Full glow strength, the glow plugs light orange.
Running mode : Half glow strength in idle postion or less up to half speed.
Above half speed no glowing.
At idle the glow plugs are still dark, though they are heated.
Detecting of wet plugs : A common problem of radial engines is that the lower plugs are
getting wet after a long idle run and turn off the glowing. The GLOW9C detects a
wet plug and increases the current of this plug as long as it is wet.
Connectors
The glow plug leads
are connected by terminal strips. The leads shall have an isolated crimped bootlace on the
end. The recommanded copper diameter of cable is 0,7mm².
The glow plug lead should be connected with a screw on the glow plug and not with a
spring, this contact is too poor and the detection of a wet plug wo'nt work properly.
Best choice is to use MICROSENS ZUBI3.
One connection is for one glow plug only and avoid a short crcuit between two glow plugs.
The outputs are short circuit protected against ground. If a short circuit happens, this
output will switched off until the next power on.
The ground connector
is the golden ring on the print beneath the XT-60 glow battery connector. It is possible to
connect this point with a 3mm screw to an aluminium
plate which is already connected with the housing of the engine, or to connect it with an
eyebolt cable to the engine housing. The copper diameter for this cable should be 1,5mm².
Glow battery connector :
Use a 2S-LIPO (=7,4V nominal voltage) battery with more than 10C.Atypical capacity
value for 9 glow plugs is 3500mAh and for 5 plugs 2000mAh.
This is usually enough for 2-3 flights.
Attention : Check the correct polarity of the battery before you connect it at the first time.
A wrong polarity will destroy the electroncs and all connected glow plugs!
There is no warranty in this case.
The servo connector

is a JR type, suitable for all standard receivers. The approbiate receiver battery voltage is
4,8V –8,4V. Do'nt use it with a higher or lower voltage.
It takes a current of about 20mA.
Status LED cable :
When there is no glowing it monitors the glow battery status :
Solid green : Full or nearly full
Flashing green : More than half
Flashing green / red : Less than half
Flashing red : Will be soon empty
Below 6V the glow battery is switched off to protect the battery of too low voltage.
With glowing
In starting mode : Fast red flashing
In running mode : Solid red
Mounting
The electronics is usually mounted with 2 M3-screws on a stable plate or wall. The
distance between the two holes is 60mm. There should'nt be strong vibrations, dust, water,
fuel or hot air. Avoid more than 50°C ambient temperature.
The adjustment procedure
–Connect all glow plugs to the glow driver
–Take one plug out of the cylinder and connect the plug housing to the engine
–If you have less than 9 glow plugs, then you can also take an additional plug
without to remove one plug of the engine
–Take care that all plugs are dry, because this is the refeference for a dry plug.
A wet plug draws a much higher current and with this wrong reference value a glow plug
could be destroyed in worst case when it is dry again.
–Put the lever stick in the idle position, connect the glow battery and the servo cable
–Switch on the transmitter
–Press the SET button (use the added special tool) during you switch on the receiver
–The status LED flashes once green
–Put the lever stick in the position wher the glowing shall stop (typically half throttle
or 1/3 to 2/3 throttle)
–Press the SET button, status LED flashes green once shortly.
–Put the stick slowly down to idle. Observe the removed glow plug. The glow plug
LEDs should be on
–If the outside glow plug is lighting orange, then stop the lever stick.
–Press the SET button
–The glow plug LEDs are turned off, the procedure is finished
Now you can activate the start mode and start the engine.
If you switch on the receiver next time, all values are stored. There will be no glowing
until you activate it
.
The adjustment procedure should also be done if a glow plug is replaced, because each
plug is a bit different.
The actual voltage of the glow battery does'nt affect the power of heating.
Throttle cut and switching off the glowing :
If you go with trimming or better with the switch THROTTLE CUT more than 20% below

the idle position, the glowing is off. The gas servo should'nt get blocked.
The function THROTTLE CUT is also used to activate the glowing.
The power on of the receiver should be with the lever stick in idle position.
The glow driver monitors the voltage of the glow battery, there is no glowing.
Put shortly the switch THROTTLE CUT on and off and then the lever stick from idle to full
power and back to idle, then you are in the run mode. An external glow plug will not glow
because there is a reduced heating only.
Activating the start mode:
When you switch in run mode shortly from THROTTLE CUT off to on and back to off. The
glow plugs and the control LEDs are shining brightly and the status LED flashes red.
Transport and storage of the airplane :
Never leave the connected glow battery in the airplane, though there is nearly no leakage
current. It is for safety reasons.
Dimensions without connectors [mm] : 70 x 50 x 10
Weight : 45g
The optional accesssories consist of :
–Tool for opening the glow plug connectors
–Tool for pressing the SET button
–LED cable for red / green ultra bright status lightening
–Ground cable 1,5mm², 40cm, with 2 3mm eyelet
–2x Mounting screws M3x20mm, tooth disc and nut, all in stainless steel