Spring starters are hand wound, mechanical starter motors; they replace the electric starter motor and allow a diesel engine to be started easily and safely by hand, without a battery or alternator.

Just wind the starter's spring steadily and easily; when this is tripped the engine is turned over fast enough to start.

Our spring starters are used all over the world in many applications including ships' lifeboats, irrigation pumps, black start generators, mining vehicles and fire pumps.
Our range of starters include the traditional Lucas/CAV/Simms models and our modern, lightweight, low cost K20 range.

Spring starters can be used fire up engines from the smallest 1cylinder motors to massive 15 litre marine engines. We can even tailor-make a spring starter to your own configuration if your engine is not standard.

Spring starters are efficient, reliable, versatile, convenient and safe to operate, making them ideally suited to hazardous and hostile environments.

Efficient: spring starters work in a completely different way to electric starters. The energy stored in the spring has to be transferred to an engine as efficiently as possible. This requires a rapid discharge of the spring, which may be complete well before the engine has started. However, the energy has been transferred to the mass of the engine, which has sufficient momentum to continue turning until it starts. Electric starters will start engines at about 250rpm, whereas a spring starter can achieve engine speeds of over 1000rpm. This has the benefit of starting an engine very efficiently and without the noise associated with an electric starter.

Reliable: spring starters are resistant to damp and extremes of temperature. They are therefore unaffected by long shutdowns, cold or heat. They are ideal for equipment left in storage for long periods of time; from emergency and utility stand-by to grass cutting and maintenance equipment.

Versatile: Spring starters are capable of starting engines up to 15 litre. They are compatible with a huge variety of different engines used in many diverse applications, from emergency generators, lifeboats, irrigation pumps to oil rigs and hazardous environments where electric starting is prohibited because of the potential for the sparks to cause an explosion.

Convenient: Spring starters are direct bolt-on replacement for electric starters, bringing easy and reliable hand starting to diesel engine owners. Spring starters combine the dependability of hand winding with a powerful spring mechanism. The spring starter bolts directly on to the starter pocket on the engine, fitting takes minutes and your diesel engine will spring into life!

Safe: Operation is extremely simple. A rope or handle wind is used to load the starter. Once fully wound, a trip releases the starter, turning the engine over and causing it to fire. Unlike a directly hand cranked engine, you can take your time to wind the starter and trip it when you are ready. There is no danger of kickback or back strain from wrestling with a reluctant engine, making the spring starter much safer and easier to use.

Support: Our engineering and sales team has over 40 years experience in the spring starter industry. We have agents and distributors world wide who can provide technical support and sales advice local to you.