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RE: E Flite Eratix 3D 25e ARF Owners Club
[quote]ORIGINAL: Homer712 OK, so it's been almost a year since anyone has posted to this thread...let's see if anyone is still following. I purchased my Eratix about a month ago (have always flown glow power). What an incredible airplane! As others have posted, makes me look like I really know what I'm doing. A real pleasure to fly. There may actually be something to the whole ''electric'' thing. Here's my question. I started out with an E-flite Power 25, their 60A ESC, a 14x7 prop and a Turnigy 5000mAh, 3S battery. Flew great, decent power, but after about a dozen flights I was eager for a bit more speed. Went to my LHS and purchased an E-flite Power 32. Tried this combination with both the 14x7 prop as well as a 13x6.5 prop. Not much (if any) difference. For a moment I thought it may have actually gotten slower. Yesterday I ordered two 4000mAh, 4S batteries from Hobby Partz hoping that will make the difference I'm looking for, but just in case I'd also like some advice on programming the E-flite 60A ESC. The only thing that I think will make much difference is the timing. For those of you that are using the E-flite ESC with either the Power 25 or 32 motor, what timing have you programmed? Default is 15. Going up the options are only 20 and 25. Anyone? [/quote] If you are looking for speed, find another plane. The constant chord wing combined with the thick aerofoil is very draggy. Also, the ailerons are MASSIVE and susceptible to catastrophic flutter. By pushing the Eratix's speed envelope, you are inviting a midair disintegration event. as it is lightly built. The great thing about this plane is how SLOW it can fly and still maintain full authority. It just wafts effortlessly down the runway in high alpha at literally a walking pace and spot landings are effortless. This plane really makes me look SO much better than I actually am. just my 2 cents
Posted on: 9/23/2011 9:18 AM by Author "IdeaBeing"
in the forum "Electric Aerobatic & Sport Planes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10730497
RE: Questions about electric setup on Hangar 9 Spitfire 60
[quote]ORIGINAL: Adrians flyer I recently converted my Spitfire from a troublesome Saito 100 4 stroke to a Turnigy 50-55 electric motor. I used this mount from Tower Hobbies, it's fully adjustable. http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXLCL5&P=7 I run it on a 5S 4000ma 25-35C Zippy H battery and get flight times of about 7 minutes. I use an APC sport (glow) prop instead of an electric because my motor makes 1500 watts of power and flexes and cracks the E-props. I have a Motrofly 80 amp esc and run a separate battery (original flight pack actually) to power the servos (all digital) and receiver. Oh yeah the prop is a 14X7. By using the LiPo only to run the motor, I get a longer than expected flight time. Total AUW of the airplane is just about 6 and 3/4 lbs (you do the metric conversion.....) and I have a set of Spring Air retracts. They are SOOOOOOOOOOOO much better and stronger than the mechanical stock retracts. Plane flies great and unless the wind is dead, you really don't need the flaps. I use two position flaps for takeoff only, and have a little bit of elevator mixed in. Let me know if you have any other questions about it. You're gonna love flying this thing electric. There are so many trim layers of monocote that you don't have peeling up from fuel blowing across the wings and fuse. Just fly and go home at the end of the day............just doesn't get any better than that. Bruce [/quote] 1500 Watts?!!! How are you pulling this kind of power on 5S? are you running the 600kv model? I run a Turnigy 50-65 380kv on 6S and need to use a 16x10 APC glow prop to get 1050W. I've considered going to the HK 15x13 just to squeeze a bit more speed from this bird
Posted on: 9/18/2010 2:27 PM by Author "IdeaBeing"
in the forum "Glow to Electric Conversions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10010885
RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
[quote]ORIGINAL: euroLenny I am a registered JR 12X radio owner. I must express my disappointment in Horizon Hobby and/or JR Radios marketing decision to release the 11X at half the cost of the 12X having comparable features. This action has destroyed any resale value I might have in the 12X. Your action will affect my future purchases. I want to know what Horizon Hobby and/or JR radios intend to do to add value to current 12X owners radio sets? Regards, Leonard [/quote] Leonard, With all due respect, this is a misguided criticism of HH. Obsolescence is a built-in feature of the consumer electronics market and exists in order to spur growth and development as well as keeping manufacturers competitive. Would you make a similar complaint about your computer or cell phone? If so, then today's reality is not for you. The value of the 12X is intrinsic, so long as it remains functional. The 11X has not in any way inhibited the functionality of your radio, so you can continue to use it for exactly the same tasks as it performed for you before the 11X was released. You are paying the price of purchasing a premium product while it was cutting-edge technology. Would you prefer that the entire industry, in fact the entire world stop advancing so that you can feel better about your purchase for an extra year or so? The rest of us are actually happy that prices are falling so quickly and that our hobby need not be restricted to the wealthy. Come join in the fun, buy some cheap gear and lighten up a bit
Posted on: 7/5/2010 5:12 PM by Author "IdeaBeing"
in the forum "RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9846254
RE: E Flite Eratix 3D 25e ARF Owners Club
I've been using 4000mah 3S batteries with a turnigy 3548 motor, a reasonably light setup with excellent vertical performance. I need to keep the battery pretty far forward in order to balance the plane. I'd imagine you could easily get away with the 4S 4000mah, but remember that as you increase the weight, it's not about the power so much as it is about the wing loading. The Eratix is a really nice slow flyer with a very forgiving stall, but as you add weight, those characteristics will diminish, and the plane will need to fly faster to stay in the air. You will also increase the risk of aileron flutter, which these planes are notorious for at higher speeds. In short, if all-out 3D performance is your goal, go with the 4S but consider a smaller pack like a 3000mah to keep the wing loading low.
Posted on: 6/9/2010 1:32 PM by Author "IdeaBeing"
in the forum "Electric Aerobatic & Sport Planes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9792025
RE: E Flite Eratix 3D 25e ARF Owners Club
also, jmir, what C rating is your battery? 2200mah sounds pretty slim for the rig you are running. Remember that even if your battery is rated for 30C , that is a max capacity of 66amps. You don't want to be anywhere close to the max capacity of your battery. Once you have the ESC issue resolved, check the temp of your battery immediately after landing. If it is any warmer than a feverish forehead, you are taking risks with the longevity and stability of your lipos
Posted on: 5/5/2010 11:21 AM by Author "IdeaBeing"
in the forum "Electric Aerobatic & Sport Planes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9712203
RE: E Flite Eratix 3D 25e ARF Owners Club
Your best bet is to buy the programming card for $10 from HK. If you don't feel like waiting, download the manual and try to follow the arcane series of throttle commands to change the timing. But seriously, buy the programming card.
Posted on: 5/5/2010 11:15 AM by Author "IdeaBeing"
in the forum "Electric Aerobatic & Sport Planes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9712187
RE: Is wet power a dead end?
The endless complaints of how expensive LiPo batteries are have begun to ring hollow. I buy my 4000mah batteries from Hobby King for just a little more than my nitro buddies pay for a gallon of their fuel. After the 10 or so flights they can get from that bottle, my LiPo is still running strong, ready to deliver at least another 150-200 flights. Yes, the charge time is a pain, so I keep 3-4 of these batteries in rotation which, i realize, raises the cost, but also the longevity. That said, when someone at the field fires up a 100cc twin or better yet a kero turbine, there's a visceral thrill that is sadly absent from whiny EDFs and stealthy e-props. For those who are willing to undertake the extra cost, risk, noise and mess involved in wet flying, they may reap the rewards in thrills-per-minute and more tinkering time (which is certainly half the reason I got into this in the first place) but as safety-crats and noise cops nose around our field, leased from the city, I'm pretty sure it's not the electric planes that would prevent our lease from being renewed. Wet power is not a dead end, but will likely become a specialized niche in an electric-dominated hobby. Been to an auto show lately? You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.
Posted on: 3/18/2010 10:10 AM by Author "IdeaBeing"
in the forum "Extreme Speed Prop Planes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9592312
RE: Are there any Lipos in stock?
[quote]ORIGINAL: searlesy As above, I want to order a charger, which I have already picked out and is in stock at HobbyKing, but does anyone know of any low-medium priced battery packs, either 2s or 3s, hard or soft cased, 20c or above and at least 4200 mAh that are actually in stock? All the Blue lipos and Turnigy are out of stock, are there any other reasonably priced options that are actually available? [/quote] HobbyKing has a MASSIVE turnover rate and if you want to get their bargain-basement deals, you need to put your order through even if the site says "out of stock". Once the part is "back ordered", it rarely takes more than a few days to get to "reserved" status. If you wait for the website to show stock, you will always be behind those who have already paid. These are high-demand items and there will always be supply, so long as there is demand. Create the demand, and the supply will materialize.
Posted on: 2/11/2010 11:24 AM by Author "IdeaBeing"
in the forum "RC Electric Off-Road Trucks, Buggies, Truggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9495515
RE: E Flite Eratix 3D 25e ARF Owners Club
Yep, Just ripped my gear out 2 days ago. Another guy at my club who has an Eratix milled an aluminum sheet with a lip at the front which curves around to grab the front edge of the flat centre plate of the landing gear. This basically allows the plate itself to minimize and absorb the backward twisting motion that ripped the gear out in the first place. However, since it's winter up here in Canada and I think our "Indian Spring" might be over soon, I am debating installing E-flite's 25-size floats as a ski substitute. Has anyone else tried this?
Posted on: 1/25/2010 1:27 PM by Author "IdeaBeing"
in the forum "Electric Aerobatic & Sport Planes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9446681
RE: E Flite Eratix 3D 25e ARF Owners Club
Yes the Turnigy 3548SK is similar in size to a Power 25, but I chose the 1100kv model as opposed to the 900kv as I already had 3S 4000mah packs from my T-34 Mentor (which I recently mangled). With a 14x7 APC it pulls 730 watts at 62.5 amps as opposed to the Power 25 which is 890kv and pulled 440 watts at 38 amps with the same battery and a 12x8 APC I think 730 watts is beyond the safe operating range of a power 25, but the Turnigy 3548SK has performed admirably at this wattage. Don't get me wrong, E-flite motors are reliable and high-quality, but I could buy 3 Turnigys for the price of one of them, so I'll risk a motor failure from the rumored inferior quality of the Turnigy.
Posted on: 1/24/2010 10:53 PM by Author "IdeaBeing"
in the forum "Electric Aerobatic & Sport Planes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9445204
RE: E Flite Eratix 3D 25e ARF Owners Club
Ooops, misused the quote function I mounted my ESC on the underside of the 3/8" plywood support just behind the motor. I CA'ed velcro on both sides of this support, as I push my battery WAAAAAAY forward through the opening so that just the end peeks out into the open canopy area. This location provides lots of cooling air and a forward weight boost to compensate for my light-ish motor (Turnigy 3548 SK)
Posted on: 1/23/2010 7:01 PM by Author "IdeaBeing"
in the forum "Electric Aerobatic & Sport Planes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9441592
RE: E Flite Eratix 3D 25e ARF Owners Club
[quote]ORIGINAL: netdudeuk I used two 1/4'' ply spacers and two washers to get the spinner backplate where I need it to be. How has anyone mounted their ESCs ? If I'm to install my 60A HiModel Opto ESC where E-Flite shows their own in the manual I'd have to add an extra 4 1/2'' of wire on the battery side giving a total of 6 1/2''. There's another 5'' on the lipo pack as well. I've read that extending the battery wires is not the best thing to do so hearing how others have installed their own would be interesting thanks. [/quote]
Posted on: 1/23/2010 6:57 PM by Author "IdeaBeing"
in the forum "Electric Aerobatic & Sport Planes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9441579
RE: E Flite Eratix 3D 25e ARF Owners Club
Awww, Speedy I'm sorry to hear that. I almost did the same thing the other day. Flying inverted, coming around the corner, dumbthumb. I'm so lucky our club has a ravine past the field. My plane was out of sight below ground level by the time i forced my fingers to do the opposite of what they knew was the "right" way to fly. I swear there were grass marks on the canopy, it was that close!!! I think the Eratix flies so well inverted, you forget that it's upside down and proceed, business as usual, to pull up elevator in the turns. If the components are still ok, I'd replace the airframe and harvest spare bits from the carcass, this plane is that good!!!
Posted on: 9/12/2009 7:08 PM by Author "IdeaBeing"
in the forum "Electric Aerobatic & Sport Planes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9090215
RE: E Flite Eratix 3D 25e ARF Owners Club
Just put mine together with parts from HobbyKing in Hong Kong. -Turnigy SK 3548 1100kv rated at 770W -Turnigy Plush 60A ESC -Zippy 3S 4000mah lipos -MKS 9660 Servos -Spektrum AR7000 Rx with DX6i Tx The plane flies like a dream and pulls 730W with a 14x7 APC prop. This puts the amps a bit above 60, but as long as I don't hold full throttle the whole time (thoroughly unnecessary) it comes down as cool as it went up. I did have to add 84g (12 oz.) of lead to the firewall to get it to balance on the forward recommended CG. YIKES!!! The battery is full forward in the tray and I will successively remove the lead 7g at a time as my 3D skills improve. I'm considering bumping up the motor size to a Turnigy 4250 which weighs 230g as opposed to 170g for the 3548. If I upgrade the ESC to a Plush 80 (90g vs 60g for the 60A) I should be able to move the battery back in the tray and fly lead-free!!! The MKS 9660 servos are an obscure brand I took a chance on, as I could barely find any info about them. They cost $50 each which is quite expensive by HK standards, so I crossed my sticks and hoped I'd get what I paid for. The servos are great!!! they're fast and responsive as well as stubbornly holding my inputs under pressure. They're a little noisy at rest, but I guess that's part of the thoroughbred digital MG experience. All in all, a great intro to 3D flying and I love the tacky mid-90's raver color scheme for visibility.
Posted on: 9/10/2009 8:04 AM by Author "IdeaBeing"
in the forum "Electric Aerobatic & Sport Planes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9083750
RE: Soldering Deans
Nobody on this thread has mentioned one of the most important parts of soldering - FLUX Flux removes oxidation from both the iron and the parts to be soldered, helping the solder to stick to these parts. In addition, it lowers the melting point of the solder, allowing it to flow more freely at a lower temperature. The amount of flux in typical rosin-core solder is not sufficient to acheive this flow-enhancing effect. I cannot count how many times I melted wire insulation and created hundreds of little silver beads on my work surface before I learned to re-flux my iron between joints and to dip my parts into flux or brush it on before tinning them. Make sure to have croosflow ventilation at the very least, as the acidic vapors from the flux are not nicd to your lungs.
Posted on: 6/9/2009 1:36 PM by Author "IdeaBeing"
in the forum "E-Flight Power Sources"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8838643
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