rotarydoc

Hey guys,

Not much new here, just recovering from work...lol..actually it was very slow...so I didn't expend too much energy...

Still windy, and looked like it could rain all day....hoping for some decent weather like they are predicting the next two days...

JPEE, looks like the 500 rebuild project turned out great, nice flying!

I have to get my 500 out now....you're making those flips look easy!

And, they should be...they should really be easier with the 500...I haven't tried in a long time....so maybe it's time for some 500 flying!

I bumped into Rob at Best Buy the other day...and told him the story about the Raptor...he felt bad, since he was the one that got us hooked up, and I ended up buying the Raptor...but I assured him that it was in no way his fault...

He said he is still interested in selling his 600N basket case...that would be a tough choice, between that and the new 600N base version with fiberglass and belt drive...'cause Robs would have a newer, fresher engine, and modern, up to date servos....those servos in the Raptor are no longer serviced...and the first crash, I'd be looking at new servos if even one of the cyclics got damaged...

I don't know...that's the least of my concerns right now...I still need to go out and check out that field at Maryland Heli Association....see how far away it is, and how practical it would be to go flying there...

JPEE, have you flown at your new club field yet??

Glenn

Aframomum

My Feedback: (10)

Hi guys,

Seems like everyone is getting some flying in this weekend, that's great to hear.

I had the chance to head out to the field with my son early yesterday morning and get some flying in with my rex450. I was happy to get in two battery packs before he started wanting some attention. I was also equally happy that I got my confidence back up to do a loop and a backward flip on my second pack. All in all, a good flying session.

Glenn,
on slow days are you still flying your blade in the car bays? Seems like you have quite a bit of room there!

JPEE,
I'm going to have to take a look at some of those chargers at hobbycity since there prices are very reasonable.

Placed my order for the CPpro2 parts to upgrade my ole'CP, now get to play the waiting game! Getting the main motor, tail conversion kit, fin set, and a specktrum AR6100. Now all I need is a battery and I'll be set unless I feel I need the G110 gyro. Yeah, working a bit of overtime to cover this!

Nick,
Those A123's sound great. I did a quick search and found only info on their use on larger heli's - are they not used for smaller heli's like a CP, since I'm in the market for a new batt? I was planning on just getting a Zippy or Rhino lipo for it but am curious about these A123, thanks for any info!

Mark

JPEE

Mark,

Talk to Glenn. He first got the Hobby City Turnigy 50W charger that will do TWO 3S packs. Then he stepped it up the same charger but in a 150watt OH YEA! he loves it. If it was not him and I still say it is LOL, my best buddy here did all of that and said he gets a better balance and faster charge time due to the better balancing due to a faster burnoff of high cells with 150 watt. They now even come with a heat sensor probe for the pack. poppa likie

Glenn,
Yes EVERYTHING is easier with the 500 than a 400 forsure!!!!!!!!!! I know do everything with the 500 that I was doing with the 400. In the video I just did not have the room to do a routine of flips and stuff and tie them together, the Park is to small for that.

I only flew at the Club the one time and I thought I posted it, anyway I had to pass muster with the "click" thats there. After I flew the 600 and they watched every move and then landed two of them said "nice flight" so I am in lol

JPEE

evdreamer

Glenn,

I chose to work today, but I knew I was going to regret it. I got a nice headache from it, but I wanted some more heli money.

Mark,

Cool to hear you did a loop and a back flip.

A123's aren't a practical choice for a Blade CP. Three of them would weigh more than the heli. They also wouldn't fit on the battery tray. They aren't light like LiPo's are because they are in an aluminum case. A 450 sized heli is the smallest they can be used in, but it needs a high KV motor. Bigger helis are better for them because they can handle the weight and have plenty of room for them. The nominal Voltage for an A123 is 3.3V and a LiPo nominal Voltage is 3.7V.

I used Rhino's in my modded CPP and they worked great.

JPEE,

I don't want to sound rude, but the balancer isn't rated for a 150W. The 150W is for the FET(s) that turn on and off to charge the battery. Then they usually use a resistor across each cell to discharge it to the Voltage of the other cells. There is probably only 1.3W used to discharge each cell. With the 150W charger they probably use a lower value resistor to discharge the cell quicker and use better programming.

Nick

JPEE

Nick,

When I am wrong, I can take it LOL. That was my understanding after reading some article, that the more watts the charger puts out that those things I noted, like diecharge are the case. Thanks for letting me know the real skinny. Nick, after nearly 1.5 years here on the Forum how could you think it being rude to share you knowledge. I have been corrected and LEARNED before this and it will happen again before I take the big dirt nap. No worries kid.

But you have to agree that a 150 watt charger is the better deal?

Thanks JPEE

evdreamer

JPEE,

I was just checking those chargers out and the 150W can charge at a higher current. When you charge at a higher current, the balancer needs to discharge at a higher current or it won't be able to balance very good. That is probably why your friend's 150W charger balances quicker than the 50W charger. More power is always better.

I saw they had a Voltmeter for $3. I don't see how they can sell it that cheap. It would probably cost me $20-30 to make one like theirs.

Nick

evdreamer

JPEE,

Now that my headache is gone I was able to watch your vid. Great flying. I heard your talking timer in the back ground.

Nick

rotarydoc

Hey guys,

Mark,

Glad to hear you got out and got some flying in, and your son was being patient! Sounds good on the flips and loops...

I can highly recommend the Turnigy 150 watt charger that I got from HC...it's been flawless...and much better quality than I could have imagined for the price...not to mention it comes with quite an assortment of connectors, which have come in very handy...as JPEE pointed out, I can indeed charge two 3S packs on it at one time, and balance/charge them, but that takes longer....I think as Nick pointed out, the discharge "power" is less than the charging output, so it takes some time to get them balanced some times...it depends on how mismatched they are to begin with.

Sounds cool on the CP upgrades, I think you'll like it! Yeah, I would wait and see how it works out with the 3 in 1's built in gyro...some guys have had pretty good luck with them...the DD tail motor is the main improvment on the tail....but the gyro helps put the icing on the cake, as they say...

Nah, I fly in the shop as a last resort...it looks like more room on the video than it really is...it's plenty big enough for coaxials...but the Quark and the CPP2 are a bit cramped in there...not to mention all the hazards...cars, lifts, AC units. etc...it's not bad if I can clear all the cars out of the lifts, but that is not always practical...

I would like to get more time in there this winter than I did last...the Quark is ideal, because of the soft styrofoam blades...minimal damage to any cars...trust me, I know what happens when a CPP hits a car bumper....we won't go into any details here...[X(]

JPEE,

I never did get a chance to fly the 500 today...but maybe tomorrow...I took the day off of work, so it will be time to head for my club field, since I have never been there on a normal weekday...should be nice, maybe I can get some time on the actual field for once...and get the 500 in the air...I am charging now...

Nick,

Yeah, that is amazing how inexpensively they can make some of that electronics stuff...I have seen small multimeters that actually work halfway decent (I have one here and at work) at Harbor Freight on sale for $2.99 !! [sm=what_smile.gif]


I got some flying in today...a couple of packs in the wind....it was 10-12 MPH...so it wasn't much fun, but it felt good to get out there....I waited till later, and it was gorgeus, and finally got a chance to fairly evaluate the main B400 after all the upgrades....and it's awesome!

Well worth the time, effort, and expense...it flies like it's on rails...very sweet overall...it fared alot better in the wind because of the weight than the stocker...it just flies so much better than the stock one overall, except it has a bit less power, because of the weight...(well, it still has as much power, just offset by the extra weight)...did a few backflips, and it's very stable overall, and flies more like the 450 Pro all the time...

Hope your headache gets better...

Glenn

evdreamer

Glenn,

Good to hear you got to fly today. I probably won't be able to fly until Thursday.

My headache was gone by last night.

Nick

rotarydoc

Nick,

Yeah, I am hoping that my club field will be really cool tomorrow, since it's just a normal workday, and most people should be at work....

It would be nice to have some room to myself for a change, and actually use the field...

It's supposed to be about as windy tomorrow, so it would be a good day for the 500.

I would also like to get the 450 Pro out some too...maybe I'll leave the stock B400 at home, since it's such a lightweight..

I'm glad I got the main B400 all straight, I really do like having both of them flying.

Hope you can wait until Thursday to fly. I guess you're not meeting your Raptor friend on Tuesday?

Glenn

evdreamer

Glenn,

Yeah you will probably have the field to yourself. I usually do on weekdays.

I have to work on Tuesday, so I won't be able to fly with him.

Nick

J-MICHAEL

Glenn ~

We'll be waiting for some Webbie action from ya hopefully....!

evdreamer

Guys,

My flying friend knows the owner of my LHS and he said the owner might be interested in hiring me to work there. That would be pretty cool to work in their aircraft section and I know a lot from you guys about the E-Flite series. Then I also have another job offer that pays more than my current job and I would be able to study for school during work when it is slow. Both should be less stressful than my current job.

J-MICHAEL

Nick ~

That would be very cool to work at your LHS for sure... Although you may be conservative about it, your knowledge is priceless and the LHS would BENEFIT greatly from it. I know your current job puts a lot of stress on ya, and for someone who is relaxed and mellow like yourself, you don't need that in your life. Just my humble 2 cent opinion...

Hey, I took the Funtana up for just a quick launch and then land this past weekend. I wasn't feeling to great, and so right when the plane was airborne I knew right away to land the sucker ! It took 3 minutes just to get a run good enough to land, and even then that landing came to a somewhat abrupt hault in the grass... So far the landing gear is good to go, and no ripping it out yet... We'll see what the future holds though !



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OeOlGvI0SU



Take care,

~ Jeff

rotarydoc

Hey guys,

Well, this was a helicopter day I would like to forget!!

Got everything ready, and headed up to the field with the 500 and both B400's...the wind didn't look too bad, weather station said 6 MPH, flags weren't blowing too bad...

I get to the field, and no one is there!! But, you'd think I went to a different state or something, the wind was fierce compared to at home...[&o] The wind meter said 9 MPH, but it sure seemed higher than that to me, the flags were basically at full extension...

Anyways, I figured I'm already there, and at least I brought the 500 along, it should do OK...

Put my main B400 on the field, took off, and went flying...it was holding it's own pretty well with the wind...not too shabby...brought it back for a little idle up action, maybe a flip or two, and as soon as I hit the switch, some horrible noise (flapping or something) came from it...so I flipped idle up back off. and brought it closer...and it had a severe vibration, the entire heli was shaking...so, I put it aside, not knowing, and half not caring what was up with it...and calling it some select names that are not appropriate here...lol

Grabbed the 500...and did a little flying around wiht it...I was surprised at how much the wind was affecting it...quite a bit, actually, it was struggling to go against the headwind....and was all over the place...I brought it back in, just to look it over really quick, and then I couldn't get it to spool back up!! I have never noticed this before....do you guys know if the Align ESC's have a long delay after spool down before they'll spool back up?? It eventually spooled up again...but as I was testing it I noticed that it won't spool back up once I let it land and the blades are still spinning...[sm=confused.gif]

Anyways, when I was flying it, it seems to want/need more headspeed....it was doing the tail bobbing thing, and in certain circumstances, it drops like a rock, like in slow banked turns....JPEE, got any input on that ??

Then I took the stock B400 up...what a waste of time!! It was struggling sooo hard just to fly upwind...so I just called it a day...as JPEE was saying, listen to your little voice...

Well, on the way home, I figured I'd stop at my close baseball field...and the wind was significantly less...(there is something about the club field's location and the wind, for sure)...so I got the stock B400 out, and was thinking I'd play with the headspeed on the 500 a bit too...just hovering and what not...

WELL....the stock B400 was flying well...no issues, and I brought it over to my left, and went to bring it around, and the tail started wagging...not just a little either...quite a bit...on it's own..at first, I thought a rougue gust of wind caught it...but it was more than that...it started wagging uncontrollably...wildly...so I tried my best to land it...but it was no use...

It needs at least one servo, blades, main gear tail boom, fin mount, etc, etc...ARRRRGGHHH

Now I have both B400's down...

Here's the toppper though..I did some investigating on the main B400 for the vibes....and the main shaft is bent??????[X(]

This thing never touched anything but AIR....not even close to the ground, not even once, and it was flying fine when it took off!!

How is this possilble? I think I read someone else having this happen, but it was a long time ago...I thought to myself..."yeah right"...but apparently, it IS possible..

I am still not 100% sure that it's ever been quite 100% since that last vib issue, to be honest...it flies great, and everything seems fine, but it's still a bit on the loud side...not like the banjo string of before, it's hard to describe...

I dunno....

I just got back from flying the CPP2's at the horse track....

Most fun I had all day!!

Glenn

rotarydoc

Nick,

Sounds cool on the job situation...

Hope it all works out for ya...

Just don't put too many hours in at the LHS...sometimes it's not good to mix work and hobbies...at least for some people...you'll be fine if you don't put in major hours...

It happened to me, but it was under different circumstances, was racing, running the counter, helping people with all of their problems at the same time...got overwhelming...and the hobby became too much like a job...

Sounds like in your case though, it could be alot of fun...

Glenn

evdreamer

Jeff,

I have seen planes flip over from stopping in the grass and your landing was pretty good. There is a guy at my field and his landing gear has been ripping out of the fuse on some easy landings and it is a big gas plane too. Some of the experienced pilots said most ARF's are built light and fragile and they usually beef up the landing gear with fiberglass too.

Glenn,

Sorry to hear about your flying day, but that is good you enjoyed the the CPP2.

I don't know about the Align ESC because my only Align ESC is in a plane.

My parts didn't come today, so they will probably come tomorrow. So I am going to try and fix as many helis as I can before I head off to work.

Nick

J-MICHAEL

Glenn ~

I always wondered the same thing. I have the Align ESC in my Logo, and I'am pretty certain that even if I cut power while its on the ground, it will regain the "catch" and spool back up if I wanted to. The long delay's I wondered for if you ever wanted to get out of a auto and would the heli be able to spool up again, and fast enough ?

Sorry to hear about the 400's acting up on ya lately. Maybe sell them, and get another 450 Pro ?! Weird on the bent shaft, but ya never know huh ? I've got some 500 flybars before that were bent from right from the packaging. I had to buy a few packs to just get a few that were "true"... Most likely bent during transports/storage... Dunno...

Yeah this last weekend I almost stuffed the 450 doing a few loops. I wasn't feeling to shabby, and so I couldn't even get through a loop with it ! EH..! That, and I dropped my swash mixes on both Trex's from 88% to 70%, and I'll never do that again for sure... I'll be increasing those back up. Eeeek...!

I now run the 12t in my 500 and not the 13t I normally ran... Since my 500 is heavier than most, and I'am running the longer 430mm CF SAB blades, I felt like this was a move to put less strain/bog on the heli, and now it does fly much smoother. At first I left my curves, but got the tail bobbing also in normal mode so I did have to increase that up a bit.


Here was my close encounter with the 450 :


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqMXLM4eBdc


[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqMXLM4eBdc[/youtube]

J-MICHAEL

BTW Nick, I've been trying to sneak over here to tell ya I'am excited your getting the 450 out again... And the Gaui... But you need your 450 mister ! And you just got that Skookum flybarless system that you still need to play with some more anyway... [8D]

evdreamer

Jeff,

I am tempted to take my Spartan out of my 450 and put it in the Gaui and see how locked in the tail can be. My Logictech is a poor choice for this sized heli. I might also put my old head back on the Gaui and see if that fixes the stable problem. I was thinking about taking the Skookum out of the 450 and putting it in the 600, but I think I will get another one for the 600 this winter. I was reading that someone was getting a lot more power out of their 600 once they went flybarless and that might be the extra little power I want. I have heard the Mikado system is better, but the Skookum is a little easier on the wallet.

Nick

evdreamer

Glenn,

I remember you talking about your experience working at your LHS. I hope I can work 2-3 days a week at the LHS if I get hired, so I have time to study and fly.

Nick

rotarydoc

Jeff,

I was lurking over at the weee thread last night, and saw your close call! Looks like that 450 sure has some power though!! [X(]

Nice flying too on the 500...pretty speedy there in parts...

I wish I had a field like that close by like you do...big, open, no people there....consider yourself very lucky!

Between the wind, the plane guys at my club, and the kids all playing sports, and the shortening days, it's become very difficult to get any flying in at all lately....frustrating!

Nick,

You'll be fine with 2-3 days a week, and you should enjoy it.

Glad to see you dusting off the other helis..


I guess I'll throw a mainshaft in the main B400, and take it for a spin tomorrow at lunch, if the wind isn't too bad...

Glenn

evdreamer

Glenn,

I was installing some connectors on my CC ESC that came back under warranty and I put a female Deans connector on the ESC side. Oops, so I need to work on that. I am going to try and get all the broken parts off all the helis tonight, so I can rebuild them faster tomorrow.

Hope the B400 works out better tomorrow.

Nick

JPEE

Hey Glenn,

That bent main shaft, the same thing happend on my noobs heli. I rebuilt and replaced it. Then somewhere in handling it or what but a week later there was vibration and this was after your nightmare. So I first pulled off the head and left the main shaft. There it was EVER SO SMALL but there a bend. It was one of the hollow mainshafts.
Glad you got your 400's up and running.

Nick,

What great news about the LHS job or the other one. I am pulling for you to get the one that suites you and your schedule as well as your wallet.


Jeff,

That was a Spectrum video on the radios and servos...............I now can throw out some of those wives tales.

JPEE

J-MICHAEL

Glenn ~

Lurking ! Well that's good, that way between the 2 of us we can keep an eye on JPEE to make sure he's playing nice over there ! Yeah the 450 has a bit of "pop", but so does yours with that Scorpion motor if you'd put that in there ! Or maybe you did, and I missed that. My 450 will most likely be retired before winter hits. She's tired and now almost coming up to her 2 year anniversary. She did her time. Next, I think I'am going with the Furion 450 from Miniature Aircraft. Tower even carries them, and I'll use there payment plan like I've done many times before with the car stuff. I'll just swap components over...

Yeah I also don't get to much flying in. Its the weekends, and in the mornings only. I can't have spectators around, and I like it quiet when I fly. I couldn't fly at any of those AMA fields, I'd go crazy with all the commotion most likely going on. Not to mention I wouldn't hesistate to turn the 500 into a guided missile going after any planks from guys giving lip and there attitude. Just not exceptable, and I wouldn't treat ANY fellow RC'er like that. The ones that do, need to find a new hobby as there putting a bad rep on themselves and the hobby in general.

Yeah it is nice to have some kind of room. There is a bigger field where I wrecked the Logo, but lots of people usually there. I was surprised nobody was there at the time of that flight. Surprised me.... I pulled over on the side of the road quickly, and flew !

So it looks like me and you may be getting left behind from lack of stick time ! Eeeeek.... JPEE's out there doing Youngblood manuevers and all.... Eh ! [8D]


Alright, I gotta eat something here shortly... Starving ! Keep your chin up........