FirePower glowplugs were conceived as out-and-out contest plugs and of course they win contests all the time. But speed modellers found that they outperformed and outlasted so called ‘racing-plugs’ while ‘weekend modellers’ found they also had superb sports engine characteristics. In short, FirePowers have proved to be universally excellent. So how could we make a better plug? The answer is we can’t. But we can and we are making a new plug, and it is equally as good as the FirePower, but it is DIFFERENT and it’s called MaxFlash. So what is this difference? The FirePower elements are primarily designed for high strength and they will, for instance, even operate within the detonation zone for extended periods. MaxFlash are extremely active catalytically and have been designed for the maintenance of torque/rpm with varying fuel mixture to give the ultimate in throttle response. As we would say, choose FirePower for LASTINGPOWER and MaxFlash for THROTTLABILITY. The graph below was compiled from dozens of different tests and allowances were made for differences in heat rating. The graph assumes ideal heat rating for each plug. Experimental error has been ‘ironed out’ to make the graph easier to read. The main purpose of the graph is to illustrate how the MaxFlash maximises throttlability and gives the utmost power throughout manoeuvres.

The TOP RIVAL PLUG shown in the graph is typical of many plugs on the market and it can be seen that when the engine is progressed into ‘clicks leaner’ the head temperature rises rapidly which is quickly followed by a massive loss of rpm as the engine sags. With the MaxFlash the head temperature rises much more slowly and the engine maintains high torque/rpm much further into the lean before sagging.. Also, when the engine is progressed into ‘clicks richer’ the head temperature and the rpm decline more rapidly with the TOP RIVAL PLUG than they do with the MaxFlash. This broad flat rpm curve of the MaxFlash gives it two main advantages. Firstly, model engine carburettors are not sophisticated due to considerations of cost and weight. Even when ideally set up they will cause the engine to run both lean and rich under many conditions. The broad flat rpm curve of the MaxFlash ensures that pick-up will be cleaner and stronger and that tick-over will be more reliable. Secondly, when a model is going through manoeuvres there are gravitational, acceleration and gyroscopic effects on the fuel supply. These give both decreases and increases in fuel pressure at the needle valve. These in turn cause the fuel mixture to run leaner and richer throughout many manoeuvres. It is noticeable that the MaxFlash gives more constant high power throughout difficult manoeuvres. All sports modellers could benefit by using MaxFlash and so too would helicopter flyers and car racers in particular. To answer the question, how tough are MaxFlash? We have run several dozen plugs for some hundreds of hours of testing and we have yet to blow one. Lastly, please look carefully at the Standard Heat Rating (SHR) as they run differently to FirePower and selection of the correct SHR is just as important with MaxFlash as FirePower.