Hello Everyone. I got it started

[David S]

Hello Everyone.

I am new to the forum after buying a small Garrett APU from an HS125. I know nothing about jets but Ian Bennett and Jon Starr helped me over the phone. It took ages to get the starter/gen but eventually the bloke I bought the turbine from managed to get me one for £150 (is this reasonable).

Very simple controls, one switch for ignition and another for fuel solenoid.  Starter controlled by 24v rotary switch. Fuel supplied by 3 litre fire extinguisher pumped to 20 psi (seems to work).

1st failure was due to not enough oomph in the batteries
2nd failure was not enough fuel pressure.
3rd failure, I did not realise that I had to switch off the battery starter in order to let the turbine spin up and take over.

After 3 successful starts I now think that I have got a reliable start sequence and it seems to work ok, screams away at full bore.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-ELt-Qrax4



Anyway, delighted to have got it going.  Any safety related or other comments welcome.  I had a hot start but it seems ok and I have another spare turbine unit if necessary.  All the best David

[David S]

This first run had much higher fuel pressure than I am using now, I guess the black smoke was over fuelling or turned the fuel on too early.

[jetjeff]

Hi David,

WAY TO GO!!,,,congrats.

Jeff

[racket]

Hi David

Welcome to the Group :-)

Only 3 failed attempts ,......... thats pretty good for anyone starting a new engine for the first time .

A bit of black smoke ,.......... nothing to worry about as it soon cleared

Enjoy the experience

Cheers
John

[David S]

Thanks for the welcome.
Is there anything that I can use it to power - other than a jet engined beer cooler through an air cycle machine?

[racket]

Theres always a way of using the engine to power something , horsepower is horsepower however its made :-)

[Richard OConnell]

Hey David, depending on what you want to do with it, theres a plethora of uses for turbine engines of all sizes. The one you have looks like it would be about the perfect size for a go kart