shd3920

The motor plugs into the ESC, the ESC plugs into the battery, the receiver plug of the ESC plugs into the switch harness (shown in my post above), then the switch harness plugs into the receiver.

With the ESC plugged into the switch harness, and the switch harness into the receiver, wouldn't the ESC and everything else be turned off when the switch is off position? As it is with a nitro plane.

termart

My Feedback: (1)

being a newbee to electrics I am wondering the same thing, but wouldn't adding a regular switch, that comes with a radio, between the SBEC and the receiver accomplish the same thing. I understand that the battery (a 6 cell 4000 mah) will still drain if left plugged in for extended period of time.

RiverLarry

SHD 3920 No it would not !!!! ESC still hot the RX is not

flyinwalenda

My Feedback: (5)

Again,, the switch you referenced in post #25 will function the same as I described in post #24. The power to the receiver is switched on&off between the ESC and the receiver. The battery is plugged in directly to the ESC in this configuration and the ESC is always draining power even though the "switch" to the receiver is off. You can treat the plane like you would a typical glow plane and it will be safe as long as the switch is off BUT don't leave the battery in and connected for a long period of time(a day or more) as the ESC will drain it down.

The ESC is an active device which means it will always draw power when a battery is connected to it. It will not arm and power the motor until it sees a signal from the receiver. When you turn the switch on that makes the connection between the ESC and receiver and then the ESC can arm and power the motor. An analogy would be the radio in your automobile. When the car is parked/key out, the radio still draws power from the battery (to keep the clock,station presets,active) and the radio only becomes active when you turn on the key.

flyinwalenda

My Feedback: (5)

Follow-up.
I just tried my other radios using the Throttle Cut feature typically used for glow/gas set-ups. It won't work with an electric set-up.
However programming a mix in a similar fashion as above and with a little tweaking does work.
Perhaps on some radios the Throttle Cut may work with electrics but not on mine.

AMA 74894

My Feedback: (1)

you'd do well to spend literally 15 dollars and 30 minutes to read the following 'how to' article, buy a 10 dollar soldering iron, solder, flux and a switch from radio shack.
then solder a simple on/off switch to the wires on the ESC that connect the battery to the ESC. (the switch will then do exactly the same thing as unplugging the battery does.)
note: only use a switch arrangement like this on smallish park flyers. for bigger airplanes use a proper arming system. (IF the switch does fail in flight, you'll have no motor power AND no radio power.)

http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/a...article_id=172

hope that helps!

shd3920

OK So save my money and unnecessary weight to the plane and do not add anything and continue to unplug the battery when not in use. Even with a switch I will still need to unplug the battery. All makes sense. Thank you for your help.

BadSplice

My Feedback: (1)

I would like to add another thought to this...

Why do you want to leave the battery plugged in to the plane? Are you leaving it in the plane while charging? That is not a good idea with a Lipo battery. I have seen one ignite while charging and the only reason it didnt burn the kitchen was that it was in a ceramic container.

thrawn150

On my giant scale EP planes I stopped using plugs, because I was afraid of the high amps going thru them. My hatches are large enough to get at the lipos fast.

LSP972

My Feedback: (13)

The idea is to disable the throttle stick while you're transferring the model from the table/whatever to the ground, just prior to take-off; and bringing the model back to said work surface after the flight, just prior to opening her up and disconnecting the battery. That way, if you bump the throttle stick during these movements, nothing happens.

I just programmed Throttle Cut into my new Sig Sbach XA41. Futaba 12Z, throttle cut at 0% (bottom stick), works like a champ, the throttle stick is inoperative when the mix is activated. I used a three-position switch, so I must go through two positive detents to turn this on/off.

One thing… this model has a separate receiver battery due to the servos I used not being rated for six volts. The ESC BEC circuit is dead (I cut the red wire, to prevent two sources of power to the receiver); which means that even though the motor has power and is armed when the big battery is plugged in, I must turn the receiver on before it will send commands to the motor.

That would work as a "safety"; but I prefer doing it from the transmitter. This way I can have everything "turned on" before I pick the model up, but the throttle stick is disabled and the only way the motor will run is if something fails in the system. Once I have the model safely on the ground in the pits, then I can go through my last pre-flight checks (servo direction, etc.) without having to bend over again. When I'm satisfied, I flip off the Throttle Cut mix and buzz away.

It works on this particular set-up. The rest of my e-ships have the BEC operative and work off of the big battery. My point here is, I have yet to determine if Throttle Cut works on that sort of set-up. I'll find out later; right now we've got severe clear, light winds, and a new model to maiden. As soon as the TP 4S 3900s charge up, I'm outta here!

Lopflyer, thanks a ton for this tip. Its one of those "Now, why didn't _I_ think of that???" deals. I just hope it works on my other planes; but the 12Z is full-featured, so if I have to do a program mix of some sort on them I can still put it on the same switch so I don't confuse myself.

I have had a lot of folks ask me why I needed "so much radio"… things like this is why.

.

shd3920

AMA 74894, there are 2 wires for the battery. Which wire do you solder the switch to? I will be using a 2-wired switch harness (one without a charging wire) that I already have so I won't have to buy one. What wire of that would I solder to the ESC battery wire? And what to do with the 2nd wire? Sorry to sound so ignorant, but I am.

I really need a graph to show how this is done. After soldering the switch to the battery wire, where then does the battery plug into?

BadSplice

My Feedback: (1)

You can solder the switch to either wire, all you have to do is break the circuit..... but

If the idea is to leave the battery in the plane all the time, including when charging, thats not a good idea. don't you have more than one battery for the plane?

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but it sounds to me like the OP does not EVER want to have to unplug the battery, even for charging.

shd3920

All I want is too be able to store the plane after flights without having to unplug the battery. I had no thoughts of charging the battery inside the plane. And by summer I will have 2 or more batterys. But I am having second thoughts and beginning to think it is not worth the time and effort. Just unplug the battery when not in use.

AMA 74894

My Feedback: (1)

It's no problem at all, we all had to learn at some point
you want the switch to be soldered to the ESC's input wires, not the battery's wires (if you put the switch on the battery, you'd need a switch on every battery)
look at how the electricity would flow out of the battery and into the ESC. the battery needs to have BOTH wires connected to complete the circuit, so as BadSplice pointed out, the switch only needs to be soldered to one of the two wires.




you would cut the RED wire on the ESC between the battery plug and the ESC itself.
the switch should have two solder connections, solder one of the wires you just cut to one connection on the switch, solder the other wire you just cut to the other connection on the switch.

done.

LesUyeda

I will argue with you, AMA. I would not use/trust that switch at the currents we are talking about. The contacts are not rated for it.

Les

AMA 74894

My Feedback: (1)

I don't disagree Les, the switch I pictured would ONLY be used in a 1/2A sized airplane, but your point is well taken.

to shd3920, I'm going to go back to your post #3 with the picture of the arming plug, because I think this is where you're getting confused...


this arming device is placed between the battery and the ESC, and not between the ESC and the receiver.
(in other words, you would plug the battery into the pictured arming circuit, then you'd plug the ESC into the other plug on that same arming circuit, )
by putting the device between the battery and the esc, when the arming plug (which itself is essentially a manual switch) is removed, that opens the circuit, completey disconnecting the battery from everything.
(removing the arming plug does the same thing as unplugging the battery.)

flyinwalenda

My Feedback: (5)

We already addressed the arming switches with the OP. After discovering it is a 1/2a plane there probably won't be much space inside for all of that..
If the OP is going to use a simple switch make sure the switch can handle 10-15 amps . Unknown what set-up he is running but 10-15 amps sounds about right.
To the OP ; If the plane is that difficult to take apart and get to the battery and you are not comfortable making, soldering in switches , here is an option. Drill two small holes in the fuselage near where the battery connector plugs into the ESC large enough to fit a JST plug/connector. Slide the JST plug out on hole and the connector out the other so they are outside the fuse. Plug the JST's together to power the plane and then unplug them when done.,.....never have to take the plane apart and remove the battery.

AMA 74894

My Feedback: (1)

flyinwalenda, exactly.
shd 3920 is / was getting confused as to WHERE the switch / arming device should go. when shown that arming switch in post #3 he was asking about how it would attach between the ESC and the receiver.
I was simply making sure he understands the device should be between the battery and the ESC, not between the ESC and receiver, and that only one wire needs to have the device on it.

crash1ace

It also wouldn't hurt to pick up a soldering iron kit from Radio Shack. It will tech you the basics of how to solder, which really will come in handy at some point if you are
going to be getting into electric planes of any size and type. Even for a quick field repair if ever needed.

LSP972

My Feedback: (13)

I set it up on my ParkZone T-28, which is bone-stock; works great.

Did you put your throttle stick at the bottom, and set the TC value at zero per cent?

.

flyinwalenda

My Feedback: (5)

On my DX7 no TC feature but it works with a mix as in my earlier post.
On my Futaba 8U Supers the TC feature when on will not prevent the ESC throttle from advancing regardless of the % value. Only a mix will accomplish this and does work OK..
On my Hitec I didn't try it as it's assigned to a momentary switch and can't be reassigned to another switch.

LSP972

My Feedback: (13)

Interesting.

Well, at least you got it working with a mix. I think this is a terrific feature. Half of my planes have high-end ESCs with cut-off switches already hooked up. The half that don't (foamies) I've always been worried about bumping that throttle stick while moving about with it just prior to launch/take-off. No more.

.

lopflyers

My Feedback: (12)

Throttle cut (hold) is an excellent safety feature. Now, after reading walenda I realized it is not on every transmitter model.
the OP idea of keeping the batt in the plane is not good. Lipos are dangerous and should be handled w care