Doug K1

Are any of the parts between the Helimax Axe CPv3 and the Eflite Blade CP or CP2 interchangebale, like blades and such? Also why do they say thi CPv3 does not have a gyro? What i read is that it does in the 3-1. Here is what is says on there spec page, 3-in-1 ESC/gyro/mixer unit. I'm sure there are some limitations to this unit but according to there page it does have a gyro.

Thanks for any input.

Sasquatchin

Im not sure about what parts are interchangable if any, but Ican tell you the CPv3 flies like it has no gyro. Its tail will wander all over the place, and its extremely twitchy.

Ihave a CPv3 (my first cp heli), and its hard to fly (expected), hard to fix (Ihad to seperate the frame halves to get the old main shaft and main gear replaced), and it now sits on my shelf collecting dust.

ilikethatsite

It is a twitchy bird but if you can get the hang of it you can fly anything!!! I started with a blade cp and couldn't fly it to save my life. I got a cpv3 and was hovering within minutes. If you move the servo rods closer to the servo head it will be easier to fly.

As for parts the main rotor blades will move over. The best part is the tail motor from the new cp2 pro will work. Helimax charges $30 a motor and you can get the cp2 motor for $8. At the rate they melt down you can get 3 for the price of one. I used a number of them in my cpv3 before I got rid of it.

Daddy B

You can also use the tail blades, which is probably self-explanatory. They are cheaper as well...

Honestly, from what I have read and experienced, the CPv3 varies heli to heli. Some times you get a good one, sometimes not. If it flies from the factory, do not touch those gyro pots on the 3-in-1 board! They are a bear to get right.

I do not dispute that some of the CPv3s have crappy electronics, but the current 3-in-1 on my CPv3 holds every bit as well as the gyro on my Blade 400. No kidding. If you get a lemon, call Heli-Max. They have always given me awesome support.

heli-men

what do you guys think i should do fix my blade 400 or axe cpve

Doug K1

Thanks for the input. This will be my first heli and I may put it on the shelf and pick up a coaxil to start with first. I ordered this one from Tower Hobbies it was on the scratch and dent page with box damage only and with a discount coupon I got it for $85.00. It was kind of a hard deal to pass up

crazypilot77

want to put a gyro on my axe cpv3 but don't want to pay 150.00 for the futaba one. is there any ones that will work?

dragus359

My Feedback: (1)

I have this one:

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXUSE1&P=ML

It's 39.99, which isn't bad. The gyro works, it comes with the Axe 400. It's nothing exceptional though. It's noticeably affected by temperatures below 32 degrees fahrenheit.

I really want to try this gyro, but I don't really have an excuse to get it:

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbycity/s...dProduct=10113

At 13.99, that's super cheap, and according to the customer reviews it's quite comparable to the Futaba GY401.

ilikethatsite

dragus,

I have the 401b on my 450's as well as I installed one on my cpv3 when I had it. I think it is a great gyro. I do scale flying so not sure how it performs in 3d, but I have read and seen some very positive reviews.

Jlem

My Feedback: (12)

Hi Guys.

I have an Axe CP. I think it is a v1 but not sure. I would like to get rid of the 3in1 board as well as the reciever and convert to a futaba radio. I have a lot of years in flying airplanes but very little knowledge of helis. I need to know what I need to do this conversion as well as pictures or a scematic of how it is all hooked up. Can anybody help me with this? Oh by the way I am using the lipo battery with the original reciever and E-board or 3in1 board as I have seen it referd to. I am having an issue with the main and tail motor going on and off and was told by hobico to look on here to find the replacement parts along with a cheap gyro. I am planning on using the HobbyKing 401b gyro for $13.99.
Joe

dragus359

My Feedback: (1)

Are you  converting it to a belt-drive or not?  If you're not doing a belt-drive and not going brushless, you need two separate brushed esc's.  I've never done this, before but hopefully someone can support what I'm saying...  Solder both esc'spositive "to battery" wires together on the same connector lead and do the same for the negative wires.  I'd use a Dean's Ultra connector.  Make sure to have some heat shrink tubing handy.  After that step, solder the brushed motor to the esc that you got for it (I'm unsure of what amp rating you need on that esc - more is always better/safer) and plug the esc's servo cable into ch 3 (throttle channel) on your futaba receiver.  Next, do the same for the tail rotor motor with its own esc and plug that esc's servo cable into your gyro.  Plug the gyro's servo cable into Ch4 (rudder) on your futaba receiver.  Your gyro should have a two-tipped servo cord.  The one with a metal connector plate in all three holes is the one that goes in Ch4; the other one would go to Ch5 only if you have a 6ch transmitter.  If you only have a 5ch transmitter, leave out that second lead from the gyro and skip Ch5.  Your Pitch servo should hook up to Ch6.  So, overall:

CH1:  Aileron Servo
CH2:  Elevator Servo
CH3:  Main Motor/Throttle ESC
CH4:  Gyro Lead with all three holes occupied
CH5:  Gyro Lead with only one hole occupied (optional)
CH6:  Pitch Servo

If you're installing a belt-drive, then you only need one esc for the brushless motor (you need brushless for belt-drive).  I'd go with a 25-30A brushless esc.  You'll need an extra servo for the tail rotor pitch.  The tail servo would plug into the gyro (instead of the tail esc - cuz you wouldn't have one).  Other than that I believe everything else would stay the same.

Anyway, sorry I don't have pictures or diagrams, but I hope this helps somewhat.  Again, I advise that you double-check the information I just supplied, because I came up with this from what I remember of my belt conversion of my axe cp, and that was a while back.  Maybe someone else will read this and approve, and if they don't they can point out any mistakes I've made (this is an invitation  lol).  Anyway, the point is, wait for a second opinion, at least.  Sorry for belaboring the point.

Jlem

My Feedback: (12)

Thanks Dragus359,
This sounds good. don't need a picture with your explanation. I will wait for other comments but it sounds good. I am debating weather to go with the belt drive tail. I would like to but it comes down to $. Maybe do the other upgrades first with a brushless motor then later do the belt drive.
Thanks very much
Joe

dragus359

My Feedback: (1)

You're welcome!  Hope it turns out well for you.

PilotLight

My Feedback: (1)

All the above sounds about right to me with a few exceptions. Brushed components might be cheaper to purchase, but they don't last as long and don't have as much power. Trying to find a brushed tail motor that won't burn out but is small enough not to add too much weight is difficult. The other thing you must do no matter which type of motors you use is to disable the Battery Eliminator Circuit on one of the ESCs. The BEC supplies power TO the receiver. You don't want the tail's ESC to supply power TO the gyro and then TO the receiver, so to disable it you need to remove the red wire from the servo connector that plugs into the gyro. Be sure to cover the wire so it doesn't short against anything.

Here's some directions to follow from Helimax:
http://manuals.hobbico.com/hmx/hmxe04-gyro-manual.pdf

Jlem

My Feedback: (12)

Thanks much PilotLight. Those HeliMax instructions help.Is there a problem using a brushed tail motor with a brushless main motor with the approperiate ESC's ofcourse?

dragus359

My Feedback: (1)

You could do that, but as PilotLight pointed out, the brushed motor will burn out eventually, so you might as well get a brushless tail motor too.  There's nothing more frustrating than a crash caused by equipment failure.

PS.:  Sorry I didn't mention the BEC on the tail esc.  I knew I was forgetting something haha.

PilotLight

My Feedback: (1)

I used the brushed tail motor with a HH gyro with a brushless main motor at first. The extra torque of the brushless motor was difficult for the small tail motor to keep up with. Hard collectives would cause it to rotate CCW. Eventually the tail motor failed (and the Axe crashed) and I upgraded it to a brushless 10 gram outrunner. It works great. The outrunner has magnets on the outer area of the motor that rotate. This weight must be accelerated and deccelerated quickly. I would think an inrunner would be quicker to respond to power changes than an outrunner.

I don't remember why I went brushless to begin with. The stock main worked just fine, although it doesn't have as much power. If you really need to save money, I would stay brushed and stock on the main motor and go brushless on the tail.

dragus359

My Feedback: (1)

I agree with Pilot Light.  Most people leave the main motor stock and go brushless on the the tail.

Jlem

My Feedback: (12)

Thanks Guys. My hope is to eventually go to a belt drive for the tail rotor, but need to do this all in steps. I did have a problem with the Main rotor and tail rotor twitching on and off and no one seemed to know what was causing it. I found the answer by mistake. Some how when I switched my receiver to figure it out I put the tail rotor single pin connector into the center pin on the receiver. It is suppose to go into the White wire pin of the receiver. My Bad lol. Anyway thanks for all your help.
Joe

crtmmac

My Feedback: (12)

I have a burned 3 in 1 board. And the tail motor doesn't turn when I put 9 volts on it - it tries, but no go. Does anyone have heli-max contact info.
Cheers

dragus359

My Feedback: (1)

Type "helimax" into Google, and their site should come up. Their contact info is on their site

PilotLight

My Feedback: (1)

Didn't have time to state that this was a copy and paste from Helimax's contact us link on their site:

"Contact Us
Wish to check on the status of your item's service? Or forgot some key information you now want to include? Feel free to call, fax, write or email us and please include as much information as possible regarding your question or product problem and provide at least one other means of daytime contact.

Reason Email Phone* Fax
General questions about service and products [email protected] 217-398-0007 217-398-7721
For status of work order repairs only [email protected] 217-398-0007 217-398-7721
For Futaba programming, questions, etc. [email protected] 217-398-8970 ext 2 217-398-7721 "

Jlem

My Feedback: (12)

CRTMMAC........ I had the same problem. I have replaced the tail motor at least three times and then the 3 in 1 board gave out. For the cost of the 3 in 1 board plus a tail rotor motor, Approx. $100.00 I bought the upgrade to a belt drive tail rotor from Freestyle-Hobby ( http://www.freestyle-hobby.com/ ). I received it and have installed it on my AXE CP. The installation was very easy and the parts were well machined. Most of the parts are CNC machined aluminum. The only thing I think I might change is the plastic bell crank control horn to an aluminum one simply because it tends to twist a little. Other than that it seems to be very well engineered. I also purchased the 401B heading hold Gyro from Hobby City ( http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/store/ ) and will have to purchase an ESC with BEC or a separate BEC unit. I have not flown the conversion yet but from all the reviews I have seen and read about the conversion it is like getting a whole new Heli. If your AXE CP is that bad that the 3 in 1 board is shot I think it makes sense to go with the conversion, or scrape the whole thing and buy a better heli to start with. That is my opinion. I chose the conversion since I have two Axe CP's (one for parts). Hope this helps.
Joe

If your going to Fly; Fly like you stole it.

crtmmac

My Feedback: (12)

Are you asking me to call you about my CPv3? I'm not sure if this is the message.

Thx

crtmmac

My Feedback: (12)

Thanks. Do you have wiring instructions for the 401 gyro?

Thx
/crtmmac