RE: Question regarding compatibility
Servos and Receivers you may mix to your heart's content, as long as the connectors fit the socket. Connector polarity needs to be correct, but as long as the RX is less than 10 years old, you can't hurt it or the servo if it's connected backwards - the servos just won't function. Older (non-2.4GHz) receivers needed to be matched to the transmitter, in regards to the "direction" of the frequency shift the transmitter manufacturer used. For example, Futaba used a negative shift, while Airtronics used a positive shift. That Hitec will, I believe, work with either shift, but here in the US they were limited to surface craft usage, at 75MHz. Where's your crystal? If you're talking about any of the Spread-Spectrum radios, you'll have to use a receiver that's specifically made for your transmitter. Each manufacturer has their own frequency locking or hopping scheme, and they cannot me interchanged.
Posted on: 8/11/2009 10:04 PM by Author "Dorsal" in the forum "RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9009049

RE: Relationship between cell and prop ?
The limitation of prop size is related to the MOTOR / ESC combination, and the amperage they can handle. Amperage is the Voltage divided by the Resistance (I = E/R). That means, if you have the same motor/esc combo that has 0.74 Ohms, at 7.4 Volts (a 2-cell) then they will run at [b]10[/b] Amps. BUT if you connect that same combination to 11.1 Volts (a 3-cell) you will be running at (11.1 / 0.74 = ) [b]15[/b] Amps! That's going to let the magic blue smoke out of your 10-amp speed controller! So, they ONLY way to allow your ESC to survive the increased Amperage is to decrease the prop size enough to reduce the load on the system. Oh, and stop guessing and buy a WattMeter. It will be the best investment you ever made. http://tinyurl.com/6anu4j Yeah, yeah, I know it's an oversimplification, but the results stay the same - if you're near the limits of your ESC or the battery's "C-rating", then you've got to reduce the prop size or pitch or both.
Posted on: 8/2/2009 9:59 PM by Author "Dorsal" in the forum "Electric Training"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8984875

RE: LiPo swollen or just the packaging?
I've got 3 3S-2500 cells that have been like that since the day I bought them, and that was over 2 years ago. They charge, hold a charge and give me great flight times, every time. I have only seen a couple cells that were actually puffed, and there was absolutely no doubt - they looked like a marshmallow over a campfire. So, if you're thinking "maybe they are puffed, maybe they're not", they're NOT. [8D]
Posted on: 8/2/2009 9:45 PM by Author "Dorsal" in the forum "Batteries & Chargers"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8984825

RE: Should a LiPo swell after being discharged to near zero Volts?
Swolen cells are often caused by draining a LiPo to nearly no volts. Doing so ruins the battery. [:o]
Posted on: 8/2/2009 9:39 PM by Author "Dorsal" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8984806

RE: Ok to Modify a prop??
That'll work just fine. Try not to change the shape of the airfoil.
Posted on: 8/2/2009 9:36 PM by Author "Dorsal" in the forum "Questions and Answers"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8984791

RE: How????
http://www.horizonhobby.com/ProdInfo/Files/SPM2710_DX7_Manual.pdf
Posted on: 8/2/2009 9:34 PM by Author "Dorsal" in the forum "RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8984784

RE: Rubbing Alcohol
Isopropyl Alcohol should be available at your local pharmacy or possibly a grocery store. It's the stuff the doctor swabs your arm with before giving an injection or drawing blood. In 80% or better purity it works very well to thin epoxies to increase wood penetration. Denatured alcohol also works very well for cleaning adhesives and is usually available at the hardware store here in the US. Do NOT try thinning epoxies with it though, as it will alter the epoxy chemistry and produce a rubbery cure.
Posted on: 7/8/2009 3:53 PM by Author "Dorsal" in the forum "RC Sailboats"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8916639

RE: Where do I buy Carbon Tube in Canada/USA?
We use carbon tubes and ferrules all the time in stunt kites, up to 13mm diameter. Contact [link=http://www.chicokites.com/]GWTW-kites [/link] and ask Steve or Chris about the specific diameter of tube you need, and tell them you'll need a ferrule for joining the two pieces
Posted on: 7/8/2009 3:34 PM by Author "Dorsal" in the forum "RC Sailboats"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8916595

RE: crystal failer
Yep, it happens, but only rarely. I've had crystals survive horrendous crashes without a glitch, and had one fail between using it one day and it being dead the next. Maybe that's why they cost less than $15 to replace.
Posted on: 6/17/2009 11:02 PM by Author "Dorsal" in the forum "RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8860906

RE: Programs using a lot of memory
How many addons, themes and plugins do you have and run? I've got 5 tabs (all forums) with 7 addons, no themes and 23 plugins running and Firefox is at 161,554.
Posted on: 6/13/2009 1:20 AM by Author "Dorsal" in the forum "Off Topic Forum - Cars, Trucks, Buggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8848333

RE: Help required to find a profile foam plan
We use Sketchup from Google to generate the profile plans for our PhlatPrinters. You could output your file to a regular "ink" printer, but we don't have to. Anyway, another source you might check for plans, DXF's or PDF's is at http://www.phlatforum.com/viewforum.php?f=17
Posted on: 5/9/2009 3:09 PM by Author "Dorsal" in the forum "Foamies! - RC Electric Foam Aircraft"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8754568

RE: What works best for cutting out parts?
I'd use a PhlatPrinter with a 1/16" or 1/32" router bit. Draw the airfoil, generate the PhlatCode, shove in a sheet of balsa and 2 minutes later, you're gluing stuff together. Of course, that's because I own one. [8D] http://www.phlatboyz.com/phlatprinter-specs-and-information/
Posted on: 5/9/2009 3:01 PM by Author "Dorsal" in the forum "Scratch Building, Aircraft Design, 3D/CAD"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8754553

RE: AR6200 wiring polarity
Just plug them in. If they work, great - if they don't then turn them around. The connections are arranged so that you cannot damage anything by connecting them backwards, you can only ground out the signal wire, which, of course, won't work.
Posted on: 5/9/2009 2:53 PM by Author "Dorsal" in the forum "RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8754538

RE: What size motor?
Try these: http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/eflight/calcs_motortest.htm http://www.brantuas.com/ezcalc/dma1.asp http://www.motocalc.com/ http://www.gobrushless.com/testing/thrust_calculator.php http://www.badcock.net/cgi-bin/powertrain/propconst.cgi http://www.flyingmodels.org/motortest/index_e.htm http://progressiverc.com/Brushless_Motor.html [8D]
Posted on: 5/9/2009 2:33 PM by Author "Dorsal" in the forum "Profile and Fun Flying Planes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8754502

RE: Servo reversing
In order to reverse a servo internally, you need to switch the wires on the motor inside the servo AND switch the wires on the potentiometer inside the servo. If you just switch the wires on the connector that plugs into the receiver, you will burn up the circuit board inside the servo, because it is NOT polarity protected. You might even fry the receiver.
Posted on: 4/26/2009 6:42 PM by Author "Dorsal" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8717096

RE: New Moderators
Making jokes about RCU moderators is redundant.
Posted on: 4/4/2009 3:08 PM by Author "Dorsal" in the forum "The Clubhouse"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8648246

RE: coreless dremel
I have a cordless Dremel and I love it, especially since I installed a mini-chuck onto it. There are only a few occasions when I'll bother to drag out the variable-speed corded one, but (of course) all the regular Dremel bits fit the Cordless one. The best thing about the cordless one IS the lower speed. When using abrasive or diamond cutoff wheels and grinder bits, the lower speed is perfect to let the Dremel do the work, without loading up the cutter. And it's perfect for cutting and shaping carbon-composite materials. Yeah, I wish the battery lasted longer, but since I figured out how to remove the batteries from the little case (and replaced them with 2000mAh NiMh), I can charge them fully with my Triton charger when it's needed.
Posted on: 3/14/2009 7:31 PM by Author "Dorsal" in the forum "Questions and Answers"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8578172

RE: Wing Mounting Gasket Question
On a similar plane, I smoothly wrapped the saddle area of the wing with Saran Wrap. Then I squeezed a small bead of RTV Silicone onto the wing saddle and mounted the wing for a day. After it was cured, I unmounted the wing, peeled the plastic wrap off the RVT and trimmed away the excess from the saddle area. Another full day to let it air cure, and it was ready to fly, perfectly sealed.
Posted on: 3/13/2009 2:49 PM by Author "Dorsal" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8574285

RE: Newbie to RC flight
Yes - Go fly your plane! Nothing is going to teach you as fast as having a real model in the air, although the simulators can help you be more prepared. If you can find ANY local flier, get with them for the pre-flight checks and such (your other left!), but the best advice would be for you to find a local club and meet with them. Your profile says you're from Wyoming, but that's a big state - give us some more detailed info for your location and maybe someone here can help you get in touch with a local club. Do you have a Local Hobby Shop (LHS)? If so, they are usually a great source for local names, clubs, locations, etc.
Posted on: 2/4/2009 11:30 PM by Author "Dorsal" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8440071

RE: keeping keroscene
Kerosene is like a fine machine oil - it doesn't evaporate very quickly and doesn't absorb water like nitro-methane fuels. Kerosene lamps have been found in ghost towns and old mines that were at least 50 years old. The kerosene was still fine and the lamps still lit. Turbine oil is - - - well - - - oil. Put the cap back on the container and it will be fine for longer than it took you to use it up. Does that answer your question?
Posted on: 1/18/2009 3:13 PM by Author "Dorsal" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8372639

RE: Can someone translate (German) the info about this model? The Sting
[quote]ORIGINAL: fasteddi no, "rumpfspitze" is the point at the frontend of the fuselage. when you have an arrow the "spitze" is what is killing you........ and "rumpf" is german for "fuselage" so when you can remove the "rumpfspitze" you can put heavy stuff like the batteries on that place to balance the cg in example. uwe, germany [/quote] Vielen Dank. Ich stehe korrigiert. [:D]
Posted on: 1/18/2009 3:03 PM by Author "Dorsal" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8372612

RE: Can someone translate (German) the info about this model? The Sting
I believe the "Rumpfspitze " is the tail-section.
Posted on: 1/17/2009 9:19 PM by Author "Dorsal" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8370158

RE: Is the Ace Simple Series Twin Commander worth building?
Nope! Absolutely not! Just send it to me and I'll remove that miserable piece of junk from your troubled thoughts, forever! Send me a PM and I'll send my shipping address. [;)]
Posted on: 1/16/2009 2:17 PM by Author "Dorsal" in the forum ""1/2 A" & "1/8 A" airplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8365349

RE: Speed controler question
Get a Programming Card like this one - http://tinyurl.com/9ozvh5 - and you'll KNOW how the ESC is set. All that beep-beep junk is for the birds.1
Posted on: 1/16/2009 1:50 PM by Author "Dorsal" in the forum "Brushed/Brushless motors, speed controls, gear drives"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8365267

RE: Need help with my new Lipos
Every listing I can find for the VXL motor calls it the VXL-3S, or simply says it's for 11.1 volts. That 2S battery will give you 7.4 volts. [:(] Unless you're talking about some other motor, the answer is NO - not enough voltage. You'll need a 3S battery, rated at 25 - 30C discharge to safely run that motor, otherwise you'll be running at (or beyond) the ragged edge of disaster.
Posted on: 1/7/2009 11:20 PM by Author "Dorsal" in the forum "Batteries & Chargers"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8332750

RE: Futaba 6XA Mixing ? ? ?
Gee Ed, now you're in for a week-long wait for the Futaba rep to look at the thread. I have posted answers over there before, then gotten a scathing "stay out of my area" email from the rep when he finally bothered to look (and gotten my post deleted) - only to have him post the same answer (in his own words, of course) two days after that. Whatever your question was, I was going to point you to the 6XA manual here: http://www.futaba-rc.com/manuals/index.html as most answers are in the manual anyway.
Posted on: 1/6/2009 12:00 AM by Author "Dorsal" in the forum "RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8324120

RE: SIG Balancer
Here's a jpg of one I made from PVC pipe for about $2
Posted on: 12/31/2008 3:01 AM by Author "Dorsal" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8301332

RE: can I run two chargers off an 18amp power supply?
Yep!
Posted on: 12/30/2008 3:00 PM by Author "Dorsal" in the forum "E-Flight Power Sources"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8299139

RE: Noob question: What does the 4S refer to as in 2100mah 7.4V Li-Po 4S?
Wow Bill, that's a great link. Thanks! [8D]
Posted on: 12/23/2008 5:10 PM by Author "Dorsal" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8275602

RE: Noob question: What does the 4S refer to as in 2100mah 7.4V Li-Po 4S?
The S means how many LiPo cells are in Series. Each cell is rated at 3.7V, so a 1S is 3.7V, a 2S if 7.4V, a 3S is 11.1V, a 4S is 14.8V and so forth. The P means how many cells or Series sets of cells are in Parallel. A 1S2P 2400mAh battery would have 3.7V, but the 2P rating means there are actually two 1200mAh batteries in Parallel. A 2S2P 2400 battery would give 7.4V, but it would actually be made of 4 cells, each rated at 1200 mAh. It contains 2 pairs if Serial batteries, wired in Parallel sets. A "2100mah 7.4V Li-Po 4S" can't happen - somebody mis-typed the ad if that's what it actually said. If it has 7.4V, it's 2S. If it's 4S, it has 14.8V. It can't be both.
Posted on: 12/23/2008 5:43 AM by Author "Dorsal" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8273814