Inertial Starter Inifinite Energy

[Southpaw]

Switching the starter switch to Engage before energizing doesn't turn the prop as it shouldn't. However, if you just flick the switch to energize for a second then to engage, the prop turns indefinitely as long as the switch is held to engage. It never seems to run out of energy.

[ShadowFrost]

Switching the starter switch to Engage before energizing doesn't turn the prop as it shouldn't. However, if you just flick the switch to energize for a second then to engage, the prop turns indefinitely as long as the switch is held to engage. It never seems to run out of energy.

 

I can't say for certain for the R2800. But the R1340s used a similar system that was initially used as an inertial starter then the exact same starter was rewired for direct cranking. (It was rewired due to the inertia start being prone to crack the teeth on the gears over extended use) So it could crank continuously without any changes to the motor. And some T-6s today have the option for both inertial and direct cranking. It doesn't need the windup to start but it sounds cool.

 

Maybe the slight windup allows it to start moving the prop and it has enough power afterward to continue spinning.

 

Obviously, I don't know for certain but that is my experience with a similar engine someone else with more knowledge can probably say. Could be a bug or could be similar to the example with the R1340 starter.

[TacticalOni]

I believe that if you just flip the switch to "ENGAGE" then the turning (should be slow, enough to count blades with an appreciable time between) is due to the motor just turning the blades over, definitely not enough to actually start the engine, and its wiser to just have someone pull the prop through anyway. I may be wrong but I remember it somewhere.

[Hueyman]

As said above, the inertia wheel was mainly used to give that extra punch on the first revs to give a faster revving engine and so better start chances before the energy ran out. After that, direct cranking was acting hence the slow turning engine.

 

 

You can still still start up a healthy and correctly primed engine with direct cranking starter in real life, as in DCS

[Southpaw]

Thanks, all!