There are many types and sizes of electric starters. A photo shows a representative sample of the major types from several manufacturers. Most pilots will require a 12-volt standard-duty starter or a heavy-duty,
    12-/24-volt starter. Either works great on all trainer and "second model" engines. The standard starter costs approximately $30, and the heavy-duty starter is roughly $70.
    One school of thought on starter choice is that most model pilots, especially in today's world of larger ARFs, will someday fly a 1.20 cu. in.-size, or even larger, aircraft. It might make sense, then, to buy a heavy-duty starter now, because it will be required later. Having a 12-/24-volt starter also provides the pilot with power choices of 12, 18, or 24 volts.
    There are several rubber-insert cone shapes available for heavy-duty and standard starters. A photo shows three different shapes and the reverse side of one that is used to start an engine that is not equipped with a spinner or an safety nut (not good practice).
    The cones are inexpensive, interchangeable among most brands, and should be replaced every three to four years. Both white inserts are nearing the ends of their service lives—notice the cracks—and will be replaced before next season.
    As shown, there are many different spinner shapes and sizes. A starter insert is available  to fit all of them. To answer a few spinner questions I have received, an all-plastic spinner, such as the yellow one, should not be used in applications exceeding 12,000 rpm. The red, plastic cone/metal-backplate spinner can be used in all reasonable applications, up to 15,000 rpm, but can be damaged by a misapplied starter. The all-metal spinner not only resists starter damage and may be used in all applications, but is balanced to reduce engine wear and increase rpm.

Click on photo to view large image with caption

A "chicken stick" is a manual device you use to rotate the propeller instead of using your fingers. It should be called the "wise person stick" because today's powerful engines with more advanced timing do considerably more hand damage on a kickback than did the ones of old that were made when the stick got its name.
    This device uses a padded rod to protect the propeller. As with the refueling squeeze bulb I discussed in the last article, every field box should have a chicken stick in case the electric starter system fails. Each nick on the yellow Sonic-Tronics Cheeter Stick in the photo would have been on my hand without it.
    No matter what device is used to rotate the propeller or how fast it rotates, it will be a long, sad flying day if the glow plug isn't "lit." Lighting the glow plug requires at least 1.2 volts, constantly applied until the engine runs.