MTT

My Feedback: (8)

Hi guys,
I am a total newbie when it comes to electrics, although I have been flying gliders off and on for 15 years on the winch or on the slope.
I am currently restoring my old Multiplex Alpina (160" sailplane), and am thinking of installing an electric powerplant, in order to be independent of the winch or hi-start( no slopes around here).
Can any of you give me recommendations for a powerplant ?
Type of motor, speed controller, number of cells, prop, etc.
Flying weight of the Alpina (without electric powerplant) is 8-9 lbs.
What I am looking for is a powerplant/battery combination which would allow me to handlaunch the airplane, and the get to a decent altitude to hunt for thermals.
Last but not least, of course I don't want to break the bank with this.

Thanks for any info,

Michael

dryflyer

Hello Michael,
A friend of mine has an Aveox(www.aveox.com) F27 brushless motor/w 3.7:1 planetary gear reduction in a 6 meter Nimbus 4D. Not sure what ESC/prop he uses though. He flies it on 24 cells. Climbs like a homesick angel! I have an F12 in my 112" Multiplex Kranich. I Have had good luck with Aveox. It's hard not to spend a lot of money when electrifying something large. I would say you would spend in the six to eight hundred dollar range depending on how many battery packs you buy. After outfitting my Kranich, I could only afford one 10 cell 2400mah pack at $100.00ea.! But, please don't let any of this discourage you from converting your Alpina. The joy of being totally free of winches and slopes is cool! I'm usually in the air for fifteen minutes before the other guys even have the winch set up! Keep us posted on your project!

Randy

gwright

Try www.tnrtechnical.com for batteries. Call Wayne on the phone (in the florida location) and ask for the current price on CP2400's. The price is not accurate ont he website, and they've been generally running from $3.25 to $4 per cell from him. Even at $4 per cell, you could make up 2 and a half packs for the cost of your single pre-made 10 cell pack. I got some more CP2400's and some CP1700's from him 2 weeks ago and they were $3.25 at that time. They do fluctuate, but generally they're under $4 per cell. if you have something with low current draw that you want long flights from (30 amps or less), he sells a sanyo 3000 nimh cell that's an "industrial cell", for the same price. I can't tell any difference whatsoever in them and the RC3000 nimh that are double that price. Over 30 amps, the nicads are a bit better, but under that,.. the 3000 hydrides are fine. I've ran them at 40 amps, and they survive, but the power is down from the nicads, and the capacity at those currents isn't much better than the nicads, so i prefer nicads.