Archive for August, 2009

Glow starters for RC cars

Monday, August 31st, 2009

A glow starter is like a key to start any car. A glow starter is charged and plugged inside a glow plug to start your RC car engine. Simple finger pressure on the glow starter locks the glow plug on and off. A glow plug is located in the cylinder head of an engine. On attaching the glow plug to a glow starter, the wire coiled on the other side of the glow plug allows it to glow, thus, indicating that the engine has started.

Q) How do you use a glow starter?
1) A glow starter is first charged by plugging the starter into its locking socket and then plugging it into the wall socket. The charging time is displayed on the charger packaging.

2) The glow starter is then plugged into the glow plug by gently pressing it down with the palm and then twisting it. You should feel the glow starter getting fixed onto the glow plug and the voltage meter should be registering a reading.

3) Once the glow plug lights up, the engine is now ready to start.

Q) Can I keep the glow starter and glow plug always attached?
No. Never keep your glow starter plugged onto the glow plug for a long time. If the engine is not responding to give you a start, do not leave the glow starter switched on. Take the starter off from the glow plug and then try again.

Q) How do I know if the glow starter or plug is not working?
Unscrew the glow plug and connect the wires to a charged glow starter. If the glow plug lights up, then both the parts are working or else get them repaired.

RC cars can be a very addictive hobby

Saturday, August 29th, 2009

Radio controlled cars, popularly known as RC cars, is one of the best hobbies that you can pursue. People of all ages collect RC cars and you can see these people playing with these cars in their back yards or at the park. Whether you are a kid or an adult, you will surely enjoy playing with RC cars. It has become very popular all of a sudden and a lot of people are getting hooked on RC cars.

The fun and excitement you get while playing with RC cars
RC cars can be really fun and exciting to play with. Nowadays there are RC car tournaments that see a lot of enthusiastic RC car owners competing against each other. People have even built mini tracks so that they can race their cars. You can get addicted to racing in a very short space of time. There are two main types of RC car - electric RC cars and nitro RC cars. For a person who is just getting started racing RC cars, it is best that they go for electric RC cars. Electric RC cars are easy to learn and to maintain. An electric RC car is battery operated and needs to be recharged from time to time.

Choosing a nitro RC car
It is really easy to handle an electric RC car. Only people with some experience in handling electric RC cars should go for a nitro RC car. Nitro RC cars are not very easy to handle and manoeuvre. It also requires a lot of maintenance and care. Thus, RC cars can be a very fun and exciting hobby to get hooked on.

RC electric car drifting fast and furious style

Friday, August 28th, 2009

Drifting began as a craze early in the Seventies on the hills and mountainsides in Japan. This craze for drifting took the world by storm and even became a valid sport. There are movies and songs dedicated to this special type of car racing in popular media. While drifting has become so famous the world over, how could the world of RC cars remain far behind? RC electric cars are also used to compete in drift challenges today.

Drifting is a technique initiated in a race to manoeuvre around tight corners using the rear tyres more than the front tyres. Using a drift technique, you can outrun a car that is ahead of you on a corner.

RC electric cars score great when it comes to drifting as they are lightweight and also less of a hassle compared to nitro RC cars.

These are the benefits of using RC electric cars over nitro electric cars.

- RC electric cars produce consistent torque which means that the shift from one gear to another happens faster than in other cars.
- RC electric cars use heavy duty, compact batteries which power a brushed or brushless motor using a good speed control device.
- RC cars are tough and durable and also are great for rough use or on terrain outside home.

You can perfect your drifting capabilities on your RC car using a video camera and can learn more only by observing the re-runs of this footage carefully.

Some FAQs related to Nitro RC cars

Thursday, August 27th, 2009

Nitro RC cars are powered by model glow fuel. The fuel has a nitro content of ten to thirty percent. Nitro RC cars require more driving skills than an electric RC car. These cars are much faster than the electric RC cars but also require a lot of maintenance to the engine. An electric RC car, however, does not require any such sort of care and runs only by charging the battery. With very little adjustments, these battery based cars are suitable for beginners and do not create any kind of sound or air pollution. But if you are looking out for speed and power, a nitro RC car is an option for you.

What fuel do I need for my nitro RC car?
Model glow fuel is used in nitro RC cars. Such a fuel has a nitro content of ten to thirty percent. The fuel is a part and is sold under RC cars accessories. One should use a good branded fuel for RC nitro cars. For normal use, nitro fuel with ten to sixteen percent is fine. However, for races, fuel with ten to thirty percent nitro content can be used. The higher percentage of nitrogen increases speed and efficiency. Fuel with higher nitro content could get expensive.

How long does the fuel last?
The tank can be filled 20-30 times by 2.27 litres of fuel. A tank of fuel lasts for about 10-15 minutes.

Is a license required for using a Nitro RC car?

No. One should, however, be careful and cautious while using these cars.

Getting the right glow plug for your nitro RC car

Wednesday, August 26th, 2009

You may use your nitro RC car for a variety of purposes; from recreation to bettering your skills at RC racing tournaments. Nitro cars, however, run on gas and do require additional accessories from time to time.

Glow plugs for your RC nitro cars can prove to be more than just another accessory. They are a technological marvel and can really benefit your nitro powered RC car.

The problem posed by nitro RC cars, like with regular diesel cars is that, in cold weather, if the engine has not been in operation for a long time the engine block tends to become very cold. When you then attempt to start the engine the cold engine block acts as a heat sink, dissipating the heat generated by the pistons compressing air. The engine is not capable of starting up because it cannot generate and maintain enough heat for the fuel to ignite. For those reasons, diesel engines and nitro RC cars use glow plugs.

When buying a radio controlled glow plug for your nitro car, it is always better to go for a glow plug that is available at premium prices. These generally have a more consistent heat and will often outlast the cheaper plugs by several runs, which makes up for the extra cost. This will leave more in the kitty for other accessories for your car. Your nitro RC car is likely to last longer if you invest in the right kind of glow plug and you can also decide on the right kind of glow plug, available in regular and turbo options.

Electric RC cars are the best choice for beginners

Tuesday, August 25th, 2009

RC cars can be a very interesting hobby to pursue. It has become a very popular hobby in recent times. It has become so popular that people have started to host various RC car tournaments. They have even built RC car tracks in parks and other places. No matter how old or young you are, you will always enjoy racing RC cars.

There are generally two different types of RC car; electric RC cars and nitro RC cars. Both these kinds of cars can be very exciting and fun to play with and can be a good gift to give to a person. For a beginner, it is best that you select an electric RC car. These electric RC cars are very easy to learn and you can get the hang of handling it in no time. Electric RC cars are battery operated and run on a set of set of batteries that have to be recharged from time to time. These RC cars can be quite fast. Electric RC cars do not require a lot of maintenance.

These are just some of the reasons why an RC car is the best choice for a beginner. These RC cars are easy to use and maintain. Plus, electric RC cars come at very affordable prices. Thus, an electric RC car is the best choice for a beginner.

Basic facts you need to know about RC cars

Monday, August 24th, 2009

If there is one thing that makes excellent gifts for boys throughout the year, it is RC or remote controlled cars. It is not just young boys who would love to have a collection of RC cars but there are also grown men who love collecting these items. What many people do not realise is that RC cars are not just toys; they are a type of collectors’ items that are displayed in showcases and cabinets and bring their owners a lot of joy.

There are mainly two types of RC cars. These are electric RC cars and Nitro RC cars.

Electric RC cars
These remote controlled cars work on batteries and are the ideal choice for smaller children. This is because they are they are less expensive so even if they do get spoiled, it will not be too much of a loss. In addition to this, there is relatively little maintenance involved in electric RC cars.

Nitro RC cars
These types of RC cars are more suitable for older children for a number of reasons. One is that they are a lot faster than electric cars and much more skill is required to manoeuvre them. In addition to this, Nitro RC cars require more maintenance mainly because of their engines. These RC cars are usually great for growing children who are interested in cars and their engines and who can care for them.

Regardless of their components, both RC electric cars and RC nitro cars are manoeuvred with remote controls or joysticks.

The best gift option for your child could be an RC car

Sunday, August 23rd, 2009

Buying gifts for your child is not an easy task especially if your child is inclined to things that go beyond the general realm of hard physical exercise and are spending way too much time playing PC games or video games.

In your pursuit of buying your child the right gift, you might ask what could be the perfect gift for your child which could ensure the productive use of his time and lets him learn more.

A simple and straight answer would be an RC car. RC cars are an excellent gift option if your child has a creative piece of mind and loves gadgetry. Even if he doesn’t, this is the best time to let him have an RC car as this is the right age for him to put in a little effort and learn.

While choosing an RC car however you need to keep in mind a few things that might prove to be helpful to you in the long run.

- When buying and RC car do not forget to evaluate the space options that you have. If you have space constraints in your home or garden then buying a high powered RC car is not recommended
- Buy RC cars with sturdy wheels as these enable your car to gain better traction on roads and rough inclined pathways
- Ensure that the RC car that you buy for your child is the easy recharge kind, as it will ensure that the car will be used often by your child.

RC cars are a hobby that can lead your child to use his/her imagination when making re-modifications to the cars inner circuitry and also while manoeuvring his/her car through rough patches and cutting corners. An investment in an RC car will prove to be great investment for your child’s future.

Test the RC car’s performance

Saturday, August 22nd, 2009

As a kid, everyone loves to play with cars. The entire idea of driving a car is fascinating to a kid’s mind. So what if he cannot drive a real car; he can derive all the fun moments of driving a car from a small toy car.

But now-a-days the kid can derive all the nuances of driving a real-life car through RC cars. RC cars are remote control cars which run on a battery and can be operated easily by remotes. The RC cars are complete with real model-like features and allow you to control speed as per the user’s preferences. RC cars are thus naturally charged higher than a normal toy vehicle and that is why you must pay heed to certain points before purchasing a RC car. Besides RC nitro cars are also available which run on oil, methanol with the help of an engine.

Some RC cars might be duplicate models of the original. Such fake cars will naturally last for a shorter time-period. Also check if the RC cars can be operated from a longer distance and ensure that the batteries used in the car are genuine so they last for a longer time. RC cars are generally driven on the roads, so test the RC car’s performance on the road.

So, test the performance of your RC car and enjoy the real-life driving experience

RC nitro cars - Not just child’s play anymore

Friday, August 21st, 2009

If an adult was seen playing with a remote controlled car, the first thought to pop into people’s minds would be, “How can someone so old be seen playing with a toy?” This is because, not many know that RC cars are more than just toys. In fact, RC nitro cars are not really meant for children. RC nitro cars sure prove that they are no child’s play and it is proven with their realistic appearances, speeds that go to 70mph and the number of racing clubs that are dedicated to them.

RC nitro cars not meant for amateurs

Although they may seem like an easy thing to buy, there are many things to consider thanks to their different engines, types and sizes. There are mainly two types of RC nitro cars available. These are off-road buggies and trucks and on road racers.

Off-road buggies and trucks
These RC cars are very rugged and impressive but are not as fast as the on-road racers. However, a great advantage of these RC cars is that they do not need smooth surfaces to run on, so they can be used almost anywhere.

On-road racers
RC racing and touring cars are a lot faster than their off-road counter parts. But these cars have to be used only on smooth surfaces. This is because the surface helps them move faster.

Different RC nitro cars come with different motors. As surprising as it may seem, RC nitro cars do require fuel to run on. This is one of the things that set these cars apart from regular toy cars.