RE: what simulator?
You can download the FMS simulator for free. It can be operated with the keyboard or joystick, but a transmitter-like interface is better and can be obtained cheaply. Using the simulator will give you a good insight into the basics of control, especially when the model begins flying towards you. If you can fly the simulator models without crashing and make nicely flared landings, you will most likely solo the real thing with considerably less trauma. :). The simulator does not model the turbulence experienced in actual flying very faithfully. However, it is fairly close to flying on a dead calm day, and the experience you gain will be invaluable. You are wise to consider using one. Good luck with your future flying. Once you get the hang of it, you will be hooked like the rest of us. :)
Posted on: 11/18/2009 7:22 PM by Author "whitecrest" in the forum "Electric Training"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9263832

RE: Landing on a Grass Strip
Yes, the thin, large-diameter GWS wheels work great in grass. They provide a little extra cushioning and have very little drag. Also, it helps to build some flexibility into the landing gear. A well anchored torsion block supporting 1/16" wire can absorb a lot of punishment without tearing out of the fuselage.
Posted on: 10/22/2009 9:41 AM by Author "whitecrest" in the forum "Electric Training"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9193171

RE: Lipos (mah) question
[quote]ORIGINAL: rascal35 If I have a plane that came with say 11.1 volt 1800 mah lipo, can I run a battery thats 11.1 volt and say 2200 mah or 2600 mah? Same with the 7.4 volts, if I increase the number in mah will that threaten the plane in anyway or is it acceptable. Dont understand much about the numbers. [/quote] Yes. You will get longer run times at the expense of a little more battery weight. You need to be sure the bigger battery will fit in the plane, and that the extra weight can be tolerated. Going up just 400 mAh or so should pose no problem. I have a plane that flies fine on a range of batteries from 500 - 1000 mAh. On 500 mAh, I can get about 7 minutes of flying time. With the 1000, that goes up to about 23 minutes. Think of the bigger battery as a larger gas tank. You will just be providing more "fuel" for the motor to draw. Merely providing a larger "fuel" supply does not endanger your motor. It's the motor and prop that determines the amount of current that is demanded of the battery. It's the battery that must be up to the task of providing what the motor/prop wants.
Posted on: 10/22/2009 9:00 AM by Author "whitecrest" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9193091

RE: Parkzone Corsair wing attatching
Perhaps there is room in the joint for some saddle tape. This would provide some cushioning for the wing and would eliminate the squeak. I have also used foam weather stripping for this purpose. It comes in a variety of widths and thicknesses and can be very compressible. Just a little bit should help cushion and stabilize the wing mounting. I would avoid a glued or permanent installation. You need a little give in the wing mounting to avoid excessive damage if you should have a hard landing, and it can be very inconvenient to have a permanently mounted wing. I am with you on the squeak. That would drive me nuts. :)
Posted on: 10/19/2009 9:27 AM by Author "whitecrest" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9184811

RE: C rate
C refers to a battery's amount of current production for a set amount of time. For example, a battery listed as 1000 mAh means that it can provide 1000 milliamperes or 1 ampere of current for 1 hour. This is 1C. As noted above, most batteries are also able to provide higher rates of current (multiples of C) without damage, but this greater amount of current will be provided for a proportionally smaller amount of time. If our 1000 mAh battery is drawn at the rate of 2C, it will now provide 2000 milliamperes or 2 amperes for only 30 minutes or 1/2 hour.
Posted on: 10/19/2009 8:47 AM by Author "whitecrest" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9174675

RE: Help with Turnigy ESC problem
[quote]ORIGINAL: rcfunflyer That doesn't sound good. What does that mean? [/quote] The ESCs battery-eliminator circuit (BEC) may have malfunctioned which would produce the symptoms you described. As mentioned above, I'd look for a bad throttle connection to the receiver first before suspecting the BEC. While rolling on the ground, you're physically shaking and testing all the mechanical electrical connections.
Posted on: 10/18/2009 10:22 AM by Author "whitecrest" in the forum "Brushed/Brushless motors, speed controls, gear drives"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9182484

RE: turning off led circuit with servo signal
I believe you get a reversing voltage potential across the servo motor depending on the stick motion and no voltage when the stick is centered or stationary. Perhaps you could tap the servo motor wires to drive your LEDs. A switched channel (for retracts or flaps?) might be more convenient. You would just need the potential changes to drive some CMOS circuitry.
Posted on: 10/15/2009 5:11 AM by Author "whitecrest" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9174684

RE: alpha 370 prop choice.
Nitro props are often used with good results on electric motors. They just tend to be a little thicker so they can withstand the combustion pulses of gas engines. Your main concern should be excess current draw. Measure the static current draw with a wattmeter or ammeter to verify safe operating current at full throttle with the new prop. At the very least, monitor for excess heat buildup after short engine runs. If the motor remains just slightly warm, you should be all set.
Posted on: 10/13/2009 10:40 PM by Author "whitecrest" in the forum "Brushed/Brushless motors, speed controls, gear drives"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9171380

RE: alpha 370 prop choice.
[quote]ORIGINAL: skater_719 well im about to order an Exceed Alpha 370 1200kv motor, and a couple 2-3 cell lipos, and i was wondering what the recommended prop size is, im not looking for speed, flying mostly slow fly/ 3d foamys. any help would be appriciated. [/quote] The specs I saw for that motor stated a 1360Kv. I think a 9x5 would be a good starting point and should not exceed the 12 amp continuous current rating. You should always verify your actual current draw with a wattmeter or ammeter when setting up a new system. The manufacturer's ratings are often optimistic.
Posted on: 10/8/2009 5:57 AM by Author "whitecrest" in the forum "Brushed/Brushless motors, speed controls, gear drives"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9155854

RE: best prices on lipos?
+1. Turnigy cells appear to be especially inexpensive right now, and HK appears to have improved numbers in stock.
Posted on: 10/8/2009 5:27 AM by Author "whitecrest" in the forum "Electric Training"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9155842

RE: Is a Rx battery necessary?
[quote]ORIGINAL: sweetrex They are just standard HS-311 servos. Nothing fancy or expensive. So 4.8v and I think I've decided on a CC Ice 75 which has a 5v BEC. So will I lose a noticeable amount of power? Would you do it? [/quote] Unless you are driving a large number of those servos, the internal BEC should do the job easily. If you do need a lot of control current, an external switching BEC might be a better solution. It would be much lighter than the receiver battery and would most likely allow your ESC to run cooler if it doesn't have a switching BEC. The .2 voltage difference between BEC and receiver battery would not affect overall performance significantly.
Posted on: 9/28/2009 8:12 AM by Author "whitecrest" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9129391

RE: I need help in knowing this motor size ? Is it equivalent to a Speed 400 ?
[quote]ORIGINAL: Ed Thanks for your input Tim, that's very encouraging. My only problem now is determining what size Lanzo Bomber is going to be right for it. I'll only be flying it on 2 LiPo cells for sport, and not competition. Plans are offered for 287, 330, 440, 550 and 675 sq. in models, and I'm kind of thinking that the 440 sq. in. version will be about right. What do you think ? As an electric newbie, I welcome any additional comments from anyone. Thanks. [:D] Ed [/quote] Yes, the 440 sq. in. version ought to work well. I have attached a WeboCalc projection assuming an AUW of 24 oz. and wingspan 55". A good 2S lipo should be around 1300 - 1400 mAh which would provide a conservative 10C draw without adding too much weight. With that much wing area, you will be able to carry a fairly large lipo without too much trouble, probably up to 2200 mAh. A 9x6 or 10x6 prop is predicted, among a few others. Try [link=http://flbeagle.rchomepage.com/software/webocalc_1.05/html/webocalc_imperial.html]WeboCalc[/link] to run other scenarios. It's an excellent tool for estimating power system requirements. The "Help" button provides an excellent tutorial, and overview of the program. I have reworked some plans for a Buzzard Bombshell that I may build this winter. I have a soft spot for the older designs. Good luck with your project!
Posted on: 9/26/2009 5:37 AM by Author "whitecrest" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9124928

RE: I need help in knowing this motor size ? Is it equivalent to a Speed 400 ?
That's a nice motor, and it's considerably more powerful than a Speed 400. It should be very well matched to fly a Lanzo Bomber that is sized for a Speed 400 or one that is somewhat larger. The Hacker's low Kv (rpm/volt) will allow for a large, efficient prop which is ideal for a plane of this type.
Posted on: 9/25/2009 8:38 PM by Author "whitecrest" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9124185

RE: Brushless help.
[quote]ORIGINAL: tsperry88 ...My question is, which of the billion brands of motors, esc's, batterys, ect, am I supposed to use. I am completely lost on motor selection... [/quote] I like to recommend [link=http://flbeagle.rchomepage.com/software/webocalc_1.05/html/webocalc_imperial.html]WeboCalc[/link] to people in your position. Read the excellent "Help" section for an overview of the program. Just plug in your plane's vital statistics and the type of motor you are planning to use, and you can easily calculate the amount of current you will need to fly a given plane to the desired level of performance. Once you know how much current you will need, select a battery, ESC and motor that is rated to handle this amount of current. The components tend to get physically larger as their current ratings increase. Very generally, each 1 oz. of motor weight (about 28 grams) can safely handle about 100 watts of electrical power input ([b]Watts = [/b]Supplied battery current in [b]amperes x[/b] Battery voltage in [b]volts[/b]). Also very generally, each pound of airplane weight will need about 100 watts of input power for reasonable flight performance. More power is needed for higher performance (3D, high speed precision aerobatics, etc.). WeboCalc lets you fine tune and "what if" this relationship to arrive at a very close estimate of what you will need. As you say, there are many brands of batteries, motors and ESCs, but they all do the same things and for the most part, fairly well. The most important thing is to select the components that are correctly rated for your application. If they are correctly rated, your power system will produce excellent power (approaching 1:1 or better) without generating excessive heat (not much beyond warm to the touch). Excessive heat will destroy power system components and is completely avoidable. You will be told time and again to use a wattmeter to measure how much power is being consumed, usually at full throttle. This will let you verify that you are operating within the safe limits specified by the manufacturer. Two of the most direct ways of adjusting how much power is consumed is by varying propeller size and pitch and raising or lowering motor Kv (rpm/volt). [b]For a given power input,[/b] decreasing prop diameter and/or pitch lowers power consumption and vice versa, and lowering motor Kv reduces power consumption and vice versa. To get a feel for the range of batteries, ESCs and motors available in one place, google Hobby City. Armed with the correct specifications, you will be able to select many combinations that will do an excellent job.
Posted on: 9/23/2009 5:48 AM by Author "whitecrest" in the forum "Electric Training"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9117332

RE: fms sinulator
I seem to recall that if you are using the audio port on the transmitter, you must use a mono plug to make the connection to FMS for it to work correctly. Could that be the problem? I have had good luck using FMS with a Futaba FM transmitter using the trainer port to a com port on Windows 98. Good luck with the trouble-shooting.
Posted on: 9/18/2009 8:55 PM by Author "whitecrest" in the forum "Brushed/Brushless motors, speed controls, gear drives"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9106566

RE: fms sinulator
Go [link=http://www.rctoys.com/pr/2008/03/06/fms-sim-windows-vista-howto-fix-d3drm/]here[/link] to get the Vista DLL fix for FMS and installation instructions.
Posted on: 9/17/2009 1:56 PM by Author "whitecrest" in the forum "Brushed/Brushless motors, speed controls, gear drives"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9103345

RE: Hot battery/esc
[quote]ORIGINAL: ron_van_sommeren [quote]ORIGINAL: whitecrest ... The remedy is to lower the impedances (increasing wire diameters, ESC capacity) or decreasing the pressure (lowering the voltage, decreasing the load (prop diameter/pitch), or [b]increasing[/b] Kv). [/quote] Typo: increasing Kv -> decreasing Kv. Vriendelijke groeten ;) Ron [/quote] Thanks for catching that. Corrected above. :)
Posted on: 9/16/2009 7:44 AM by Author "whitecrest" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9099850

RE: Hot battery/esc
[quote]ORIGINAL: rascal35 How is a 3s making it hotter compared to the 2 cell? I dont understand. Obviously, if I go back to the fullymax 2200 mah 7.4 volt 25c lipo, the heat prob should go away, right? [/quote] Think of voltage as pressure in a hydraulic system. If you increase the pressure too much, the pipes will start bursting. The remedy is to use bigger pipes to handle the flow, or lower the pressure to a level your currently installed pipes can handle. An electrical system is very similar. Higher voltages (more pressure) cause more electrons to flow against the impedances in the power system resulting in increasing heat, as you have discovered. The remedy is to lower the impedances (increasing wire diameters, ESC capacity) or decreasing the pressure (lowering the voltage, decreasing the load (prop diameter/pitch), or decreasing Kv). (Edit: corrected increasing Kv to decreasing Kv. Thanks Ron! :) )
Posted on: 9/16/2009 7:40 AM by Author "whitecrest" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9099768

RE: axi5330 jeti 77 batt wiring question pics added!
[quote]ORIGINAL: pliebo well just an update, the plane is flying great , has tons of power. a little on the heavy side, but not too bad. I got the ampa down to 78 by progrssively propping smaller till I got to an 18-10. Axi is definitely my motor of choice now. What would you guys reccomend for one size down from the 5330 - 18? ( in weight mostly) thanks alot, phil [/quote] Try [link=http://flbeagle.rchomepage.com/software/webocalc_1.05/html/webocalc_imperial.html]WeboCalc[/link] to optimize your power system. Plug in the vital statistics for your plane and you can easily "what-if" different scenarios to arrive at an optimal configuration. Consult the "Help" section for more information. Determine the current you will need to fly your airframe to the level of performance you desire. I would suggest selecting a battery that can deliver that current at around 10C to promote battery longevity and for reasonable flight times. Select the smallest Axi that can comfortably handle this amount of sustained current. I would not be surprised if you are able to reduce the size of your motor without sacrificing performance. Good luck with the optimization.
Posted on: 9/2/2009 8:37 AM by Author "whitecrest" in the forum "Brushed/Brushless motors, speed controls, gear drives"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9063914

RE: 25Amp Power supply problem
[quote]ORIGINAL: RC Technics I have added a resistor which has lowed the voltage but I having problems with the high and lows in the voltage. Would a capaictor help with this???? [/quote] As stated above, I agree that your power supplies don't appear to be regulating properly and may have been designed for some other purpose. One clue may be that you're getting a high voltage reading of about 16 volts which is somewhat high for a general DC supply. They are usually rated for about 13.8 volts which will drop just a bit when supplying current within it's design range. The loaded voltage should stay within a fairly tight range if the regulator circuit is working properly. These supplies usually have very large filter capacitors, so adding more is not likely to make any difference.
Posted on: 9/1/2009 8:56 AM by Author "whitecrest" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9061287

RE: Need Help Sizing motor,esc,battery
Use [link=http://flbeagle.rchomepage.com/software/webocalc_1.05/html/webocalc_imperial.html]WeboCalc[/link] to estimate your requirements. Just plug in your plane's vital statistics. Read the "Help" section for an excellent tutorial. Just guessing, you will probably need a 2.5 - 3 oz. brushless outrunner that can comfortably sustain about 20 - 25 amps of current without running much beyond warm. It should be rated about 800 - 1000 rpm/volt (Kv) and spin a 9x5 to 11x5 prop. A 2200 mAh 3S (3-cell) lipo might be a good battery size. It would not be too heavy but would provide enough ballast to enable you to balance the plane. The performance improvement should be dramatic. Good luck with your new configuration!
Posted on: 8/31/2009 4:58 PM by Author "whitecrest" in the forum "Brushed/Brushless motors, speed controls, gear drives"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9059527

RE: 25Amp Power supply problem
Try using a very light load in parallel with your charger. For example, a couple of 12-volt lamps might draw enough current to prevent the power supply voltage from rising over 16 volts and tripping your charger. A resistor with a low enough value could accomplish the same thing. A few hundred ohms might do the trick. You would have to experiment with the values. I would also verify if both power supplies behave the same way. Perhaps one of them is faulty and has a bad regulator circuit. If both are the same, then providing a light, constant load should prevent the voltage from spiking up as your lipos finish charging. Good luck with the trouble shooting.
Posted on: 8/31/2009 4:30 PM by Author "whitecrest" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9059450

RE: Control Surfaces Butterfly (chatter)
Welcome to the forum! I would suspect a low voltage to the receiver and servos as a possible cause for the intermittent fluttering. Try a separate 4.8V battery to power the receiver and servos with the throttle cable from the ESC disconnected and see if that clears up the erratic operation. The BEC may be faulty or underrated for your system electronics. Good luck with your trouble shooting.
Posted on: 8/27/2009 8:19 AM by Author "whitecrest" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9048929

RE: Electric Power Suggestions For Midwest Tri-Squire?
[link=http://flbeagle.rchomepage.com/software/webocalc_1.05/html/webocalc_imperial.html]WeboCalc[/link] can help you configure your power system. Just plug in the vital statistics for your plane, and the program will help you select the power system you need. Read the excellent "Help" section for a tutorial. There are many, many motors, ESCs, and batteries that will do an excellent job for you. This program will let you select the right values for the ones you may choose. You are shooting for a system that delivers excellent power (approaching 1:1 or better) while staying just warm. A wattmeter should be used to verify that you are not overloading any of the power system components (battery, motor, or ESC). Just guessing, you are probably looking for a 2-3 oz. outrunner rated at about 800 - 1000 rpm/volt (Kv) swinging a 9x5 to 11x5 prop. You will probably need about 20 - 30 amps depending on the voltage you choose, 3S or 4S (about 10.8 - 14.5 volts). A 2200 mAh 4S (4-cell lipo) might be a good battery selection. It could comfortably provide a 10C draw (22 amps) for around 300 watts without adding too much weight. Good luck with your configuration!
Posted on: 8/26/2009 10:39 AM by Author "whitecrest" in the forum "Electric Training"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9046319

RE: Nitro flyer new to electric and lost!!
Welcome to the forum and to the electric side of the force. :) Sounds like you are overloading your power system. You probably would do better with a motor rated about 900 or 1000 Kv and something like a 10x5 for more thrust. You have learned the hard way why an ammeter or wattmeter is very important to avoid an overload when setting up a new system. Nothing in the power train (battery, ESC, motor/prop) should get much beyond warm to the touch while providing excellent power (approaching 1:1 or better). Extreme heat is what you want to avoid as that is what will cause damage and failure in flight. Set up correctly, electric power is extremely reliable, quiet and convenient. I highly recommend reading the power system stickies on the forum. It won't take you long to grasp the fundamentals necessary to obtain maximum power without frying your equipment. For the time being, you will reduce the load on your current motor by reducing the prop size to something like an 8x4 or using a motor with lower Kv which increases motor torque or the ability to swing a larger prop with less current draw. There are a number of calculator programs that will let you closely estimate the kind of setup you will need. You can then use an ammeter or wattmeter to verify and tweak for maximum performance. My personal favorite is [link=http://flbeagle.rchomepage.com/software/webocalc_1.05/html/webocalc_imperial.html]WeboCalc[/link]. Read the excellent "Help" section for a tutorial about setting up a power system for a given plane. Plug in the numbers using your plane and use the results to select a motor and propeller. I think you will grasp the essentials quickly. Electric power is very flexible and adaptable, and I think you will enjoy it very much.
Posted on: 8/22/2009 1:31 PM by Author "whitecrest" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9035807

RE: need help on servos
The [link=http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=662&Product_Name=HXT900_9g_/_1.6kg_/_.12sec_Micro_Servo]HXT900[/link] should do the job. Many others would work as well. Good luck with your project.
Posted on: 8/19/2009 4:42 AM by Author "whitecrest" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9027660

RE: No tones from Jeti SPIN 33 at powerup...
Possibly you are not hearing the tones because your motor is an inrunner and is not acting like a good "speaker." Using a wattmeter or ammeter, you should be able to observe the current outputs to the motor as it goes through the arming sequence even if they are not audible. Also, look for some slight movement of the propeller which often accompanies the beeps indicating that arming has been completed. If it is just an audibility issue (probably, as it seems to be working normally otherwise), perhaps you can use a programming card to set the parameters you need. However, I'm with you; I like to hear those tones indicating its status. Good luck with your trouble shooting.
Posted on: 8/13/2009 9:46 AM by Author "whitecrest" in the forum "Brushed/Brushless motors, speed controls, gear drives"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9012958

RE: Servos from ebay for dirty cheap?
+1 Hobby City/King. They have what you are looking for.
Posted on: 8/13/2009 8:42 AM by Author "whitecrest" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9012848

RE: receiver antenna question
I would replace the missing 8-10 inches with a stranded wire of similar gauge. Use some shrink tubing over the connection. The exact length is not critical for 72 mhz, but 8-10 inches is too much to ignore as it might adversely affect receiver resonance. If possible, see if you can route the antenna entirely within the fuselage. You might be able to double it back from the point where it exits from the tail. This will protect the antenna and provide a cleaner airflow. Most fuselage materials are transparent to electromagnetic radiation, and a plane in flight at altitude presents optimal conditions for reception. I have installed a couple of antennas in this fashion within a balsa fuselage and have never experienced even a single glitch with the model at the edge of perception. I always do the usual range check with a collapsed antenna at 100 - 200 feet. Good luck with your installation.
Posted on: 8/13/2009 8:03 AM by Author "whitecrest" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9012808

RE: hbbyzne servos wont respond
[quote]ORIGINAL: foehammer29 darn cameras suck so no pics clear enough but it appears the connectors are stiff until the plugs are put in???and how do i get the wax off the cable? and then due to crash the gears are now ighter than ever for the motor and it barely turns [/quote] See if you can find someone nearby to help you out. A second set of eyes will often discover something you may have missed. If your motor is not turning smoothly by hand, you should not fly until that is corrected too. If you do, you will most likely damage your battery, ESC and motor. It will be worth your while to take your time, ask for help, and correct each problem step-by-step to avoid any further damage or flying an unsafe plane. Once you get it flying again, you will enjoy it that much more. Good luck with the trouble shooting.
Posted on: 8/10/2009 3:19 PM by Author "whitecrest" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9005302