Hobby Hint

Sometimes the first conclusion - although reasonable - is not always the corrrect one. Here's an example of just such a case, this one dealing with starting engines. Here's the scenario:

You've had five flights and get ready for a sixth. You go to crank it up and nothing happens. First thought goes to the glow plug. You remove it and check to see if it lights. It doesn't.

• You put in a new plug - nothing happens. You check it - it doesn't light Conclusion: "Dead battery", you say to yourself, so you borrow another flier's ni-starter

• You go home, plug the battery into the charger. The charger light goes on. You come back later and the charger light is off; the battery is still dead. Conclusion: dead charger

• You get another charger: same results - no light, no charge. You reach for the votmeter. Both chargers show the correct output. Conclusion: Dead cell.

• You test the battery: it shows 1.2V. Conclusion: Dead Kwik Clip

• Replace the Kwik clip and the glow plug lights.

Conclusion: first appearances - as well as 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th ones - can sometimes be deceiving.

And maybe even 5^th conclusions: While it's true that over time, these things wear out, who's to say that blasting all the gunk out of the tip of the ni-starter wouldn't have gotten it working again.