RE: CDI gr8flyer55
The newer chips are all supported by the PicKit3. You can get the OEM version, adapter boards and cables off ebay for only a little more than the programmer itself from DigiKey or Microchip. I got mine from Josuha1 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/ICSP-Adapter-ZIF-Kit-w-PICkit-3-Development-Kit-/230485675798?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35aa044f16#ht_5673wt_806 ). You may not want or need the complete set of adapter boards. PK3 does both the 5V and 3.3 volt versions. One gotcha is the need to set the voltage with the software when you first fire up or change chips. Microchip says autovoltage detect is not active yet. Maybe it will come, maybe it was intended, but didn't work. John
Posted on: 8/23/2012 2:35 AM by Author "jpanhalt" in the forum "Engine Conversions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11203039

RE: Hangar 9 40 Size Piper Pawnee!!!
I will have to try it, but I am not surprised it happens. In the days of rudder only, we had lots of dihedral, and full rudder (all we had) made the nose drop. In fact, doing that for a full turn followed by opposite rudder would give you a loop. Maybe I will try that too this week. My Pawnee has a 4 stroke 70. John
Posted on: 8/19/2012 11:22 AM by Author "jpanhalt" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11198759

RE: CDI gr8flyer55
If I get time, I will try LT Spice. Its problem will be the inductor too, but I will wing it. It will not be until the weekend at least. John
Posted on: 8/8/2012 2:35 PM by Author "jpanhalt" in the forum "Engine Conversions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11185995

RE: CDI gr8flyer55
I use just the simple and free MPLab simulator. Since Proteus is far more powerful, can you model the whole circuit including the inductor and diode, not just the PIC part? John
Posted on: 8/8/2012 3:23 AM by Author "jpanhalt" in the forum "Engine Conversions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11185255

RE: CDI gr8flyer55
Cool. Not so long ago (I was still in school), we used hot-needle galvanometers to record very fast data, like data from a mass spectrometer; same principle. Besides the instruments being enormous by today's standards, you needed a big floor, because the thermal paper came out very fast. Do you get three close blips separated by a much larger distance? What rpm are you simulating? I know they will be small, but any chance of a picture just for giggles? John
Posted on: 8/7/2012 4:49 AM by Author "jpanhalt" in the forum "Engine Conversions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11183996

RE: CDI gr8flyer55
That's a great idea. 3 m/s (about 11 Km/hr) should give holes about 1 mm apart. Besides, it would be a fun experiment. John
Posted on: 8/7/2012 3:48 AM by Author "jpanhalt" in the forum "Engine Conversions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11183948

RE: CDI gr8flyer55
[quote]ORIGINAL: COM [quote] Where is probe 2 attached? Is that the firing signal from the PIC? If so, that does not mean there is a spark for every trigger signal. [/quote] That should mean 3 sparks for every trigger signal.[;)] [/quote] Not quite. If you had the original design without the diode, the PIC could give multiple signals and you would still just get a single spark. The ST-Thomson application note is quite interesting. It is using the back emf/ringing to get additional energy and sparks. That is not really the point I was trying to make, though. [quote] Prob 2 is connected to the timer board output signal line. 360Us is too small of a delay for the human eye to see. But you can tell the spark behaves differently then without the pic controlling the timing. So I would say it does have some effect. You can't expect to see 3 distinctive sparks per trigger. [/quote] That is obvious; although, you might be able to hear the difference. What I suggested was to put a scope pickup on the spark plug lead to confirm multiple sparks. I am sure any decent oscilloscope can "see" pulses 360µS apart, which is only about 2.8 KHz. Even o'scopes based on sound cards can do that. BTW, 2.8 KHz is F7 on the piano. :D John
Posted on: 8/7/2012 3:39 AM by Author "jpanhalt" in the forum "Engine Conversions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11183940

RE: CDI gr8flyer55
I don't believe the LED monitor is anything more than a trigger pulse monitor. That is, it really doesn't measure the spark. John
Posted on: 8/5/2012 1:16 PM by Author "jpanhalt" in the forum "Engine Conversions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11181865

RE: CDI gr8flyer55
Where is probe 2 attached? Is that the firing signal from the PIC? If so, that does not mean there is a spark for every trigger signal. Do you have tracings at the capacitor perhaps across the capacitor? Or, either end relative to ground/common/negative battery would help. Can you put a small coil pickup on the HV lead to the plug like an old fashioned strobe timing light to see when sparks actually occur? John
Posted on: 8/5/2012 11:47 AM by Author "jpanhalt" in the forum "Engine Conversions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11181760

RE: CDI gr8flyer55
That's helpful. It appears that rather than using residual charge on the capacitor, you are capturing the reverse EMF from the transformer with the added diode. I don't recall that diode in the earlier circuits. Can you post the circuit you are using for this? What part numbers are the SCR and diode that you are using? John Edit: Here's a direct link to a more recent version of that application note (AN819): http://www.st.com/internet/com/TECHNICAL_RESOURCES/TECHNICAL_LITERATURE/APPLICATION_NOTE/CD00003947.pdf
Posted on: 8/5/2012 3:40 AM by Author "jpanhalt" in the forum "Engine Conversions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11181414

RE: CDI gr8flyer55
Since we don't know the exact circuit used, some of this comment is guesswork. If it uses an SCR for the trigger, as most single-spark designs do, such devices stay open as long as there is current flow. At least, they stay open until the current falls below a keep-open value, which is usually quite small. Thus, once fired, the SCR should stay open until the spark extinguished itself. Remember, the electrical resistance of the spark is quite low compared to the resistance of the fuel-air mixture before it is ignited. How will "residual" charge on the capacitor have sufficient voltage to re-establish another spark when the SCR is re-triggered? If in fact, the capacitor is re-charging, then Gompy's reservation (post #181) about charge rate needs to be addressed. Does anyone have oscilloscope tracings of the voltage across the capacitor to show what is happening in these multi-spark systems? John
Posted on: 8/4/2012 1:16 AM by Author "jpanhalt" in the forum "Engine Conversions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11180445

RE: CDI Summary (The New, New CDI Thread)
I am curious, why did you rule out the 12F(L)1840? It seems to have everything you want in a smaller package, and the programs for the 12F683 family won't need much modification, if any, to run on it. Is this thread for a summary of the other projects or for development of a new project? John
Posted on: 7/25/2012 4:40 PM by Author "jpanhalt" in the forum "Engine Conversions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11169197

RE: Interference problem HELP please
There is also a chance that some servo load at T.O. and landing is causing the RX voltage too droop enough to cause a glitch. First, is your receiver battery separate? Do you have a voltage regulator or BEC on it? Do you have some heavy servo load, like a flap linkage that may be binding or a steerable landing gear component? Electric sailplanes, for example, can have very high servo loads at landing with full flaps. Such loads can cause a glitch if a BEC is used and is not correctly sized for that load. John
Posted on: 7/16/2012 9:31 AM by Author "jpanhalt" in the forum "Engine Conversions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11157315

RE: Off Topic but maybe you guys can help...
I switched to "eneloop" (Sanyo), made in Japan, NiMH batteries about three years ago. They are great. They do not self discharge. You can charge at the end of flying in October and in May, they still have >90% charge. They are not good for electric motor power, but work fine for radio and ignition packs. I got mine at Walmart for quite reasonable prices, but you need to read the label carefully. There are some Made in China versions that claim the same performance, but I have not tested them. I charge a AA size "2000 mAH" battery at 1.0 amp. You cannot fast charge them, as far as I know. John
Posted on: 7/8/2012 12:26 PM by Author "jpanhalt" in the forum "Engine Conversions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11147673

RE: Hangar 9 40 Size Piper Pawnee!!!
Barbie fits nicely: John
Posted on: 6/8/2012 5:59 PM by Author "jpanhalt" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11111754

RE: CDI gr8flyer55
Location = Jacksonville, Florida....Must be surplus from the space shuttle. [;)] John
Posted on: 11/20/2011 1:31 PM by Author "jpanhalt" in the forum "Engine Conversions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10821143

RE: Hangar 9 40 Size Piper Pawnee!!!
I use a 13-6 Evolution prop and have just enough (barely) power to pull out of inverted to half an outside loop. My plane is 3 years old and is a bit heavier from multiple repairs to the fuselage mid-section from bad landings early on. John
Posted on: 9/5/2011 6:37 AM by Author "jpanhalt" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10702237

RE: Hangar 9 40 Size Piper Pawnee!!!
[quote]ORIGINAL: jaimefernando CG is good, controls are as per instructions, etc. Am I the only one having issues with this rather nice and excellent construction quality plane? Thanks [/quote] I have the same setup, including the OS70 FS. My elevator servos are in the tail for balance. Mine is not at all as sensitive to wind as you describe. Although the CG is "good," I would suggest moving it a little forward. I balanced mine upside down and with the CG right on the spot recommended, it was a little sensitive. I removed some weight from the tail and it improved. In normal flight, do your elevators require any down? John
Posted on: 9/5/2011 5:24 AM by Author "jpanhalt" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10702154

RE: CDI gr8flyer55
I agree that will probably work. Nyemi did a good job of keeping the lines short, so line wrapping shouldn't be a problem. I also notice that RC Universe does allow code tags, for example: {code} insert the asm code {/code} Replace the "{}" with brackets "[]". The advantage of code tags, if needed, is that formatting should remain intact. John (#2)
Posted on: 8/21/2011 7:00 AM by Author "jpanhalt" in the forum "Engine Conversions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10679907

RE: CDI gr8flyer55
[quote]ORIGINAL: av8tor1977 This is why I never followed the ''new'' CDI threads. Way over the heads of most people in this forum. AV8TOR [/quote] You are right. It is not for everyone. The AMA is a very large group and includes a wide spectrum of interests. That said, this timer includes 12 parts plus a pcb. If you eliminate the strobe LED, then there are only 7 parts. Most of those parts are for the power supply to filter noise in the ignition environment. In other words, without the power supply, you have the microcontroller, a resistor, and a very common transistor. The simplest project for flashing an LED for rank beginners with a microcontroller also has 3 parts plus the power supply, actually most have 5 parts excluding the power supply. It just can't get any simpler. So, what you seem to be complaining about is building anything with a microcontroller in it. That is your choice. What stumps me is why you continue to read a thread that is obviously microcontroller related and criticize its complexity. John Edit: Considering the limitations of this site for posting electronic projects, e.g., it does not support png or zip files, maybe this this project should be moved to: http://www.rcgroups.com/diy-electronics-199/
Posted on: 8/11/2011 2:24 AM by Author "jpanhalt" in the forum "Engine Conversions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10665349

RE: CDI gr8flyer55
Here the images are in gif and the BOM in txt. John
Posted on: 8/10/2011 5:08 PM by Author "jpanhalt" in the forum "Engine Conversions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10664845

RE: CDI gr8flyer55
I have been working with gr8flyer55 to make a presentable CDI schematic and board. Attached is a Zipped file with the timer schematic he developed and board design with a bill of materials. Those people using Eagle will be able to open the Eagle files and manipulate them. Non-Eagle users can open the png files. I strongly urge installing the free version of Eagle so you can manipulate and print the files as you need them. Unfortunately, I cannot figure out how to post either Eagle files or zipped files here. Moreover, converting to jpg may introduce dimensional errors. If someone knows how to post the correct formats. let me know. Otherwise, we could start a thread on a forum that will support those formats. John
Posted on: 8/10/2011 3:23 PM by Author "jpanhalt" in the forum "Engine Conversions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10664696

RE: Hangar 9 40 Size Piper Pawnee!!!
I know. I fly with the 3.5" version. They are great and take a lot of the bounce out too. John
Posted on: 5/25/2011 4:14 PM by Author "jpanhalt" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10540391

RE: Hangar 9 40 Size Piper Pawnee!!!
Do you think 1.5" is big enough? John
Posted on: 5/25/2011 3:31 PM by Author "jpanhalt" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10540326

RE: Hangar 9 40 Size Piper Pawnee!!!
Let's see, 1/4 + 1/4 = 1/2 I can get a 1/2 scale for about half that $1200! ;) John
Posted on: 4/5/2011 10:25 AM by Author "jpanhalt" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10444575

RE: Hangar 9 40 Size Piper Pawnee!!!
Good to hear from another Ohioan. My Pawnee flies just great. A twin would add extra nose weight, which definitely isn't needed. However, I suspect someone has put a twin in one, but just hasn't reported it here. John
Posted on: 10/31/2010 7:22 AM by Author "jpanhalt" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10105909

RE: bulk fuel line size and source
What's the McMaster part number? How will we know that the Dubro line and whatever else is available are the same thing? John
Posted on: 10/27/2010 5:00 AM by Author "jpanhalt" in the forum "Engine Conversions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10097110

RE: Hangar 9 40 Size Piper Pawnee!!!
I fly with a 13X6 Evolution and OS70 FS. Have also flow with 12X7 and 12X8 and same engine. You may find ground clearance a problem with a 14" prop and stock wheels. John
Posted on: 8/23/2010 2:27 AM by Author "jpanhalt" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9953357

RE: New CDI - opensource project JMJ and Bigboat
Thanks. The CRC product looks like good stuff and contains PERC (tetracholorethylene). I will definitely pick some up next time I am at my tool supplier. John
Posted on: 7/6/2010 6:00 PM by Author "jpanhalt" in the forum "Engine Conversions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9848382

RE: Hangar 9 40 Size Piper Pawnee!!!
There have been several comments here about poor glue joints in the wings. The most commonly affected part seems to be the attachment tab. Note that the amount of area glued to the two innermost ribs is quite small. Add to that a little flexing when tightening the wing bolts and failure of the ARF glue to penetrate very deeply, and you can explain how a few of the failures occurred. I glue a small block on top of the tab against the root rib. That gives a much larger area for glue and will keep the tab from pulling out. At least, it can't be pulled out without destroying the root rib. John
Posted on: 7/6/2010 7:18 AM by Author "jpanhalt" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9847293