Spirit Electric help
03-08-2003, 08:06 PM
#1
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Location: Archbold, OH
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Spirit Electric help
HI, all. could use a little advise here. I installed as follows in a
Spirit Sailplane.
Wattage IC 550
Master Air screw 05 motor 7.2 V
3.1 Gearbox with 12-8 folder prop
1100 mah 7 cell nimh battery.
The plane climbs to altitude but takes forever. climbs maybe
at a 15 to 20 degree angle.
What would be the best way to give it better climb? Change to less pitch on prop ?? Go to 8 cell battery ? Any advice would be appreciated.. Thanks ejbjh
Spirit Sailplane.
Wattage IC 550
Master Air screw 05 motor 7.2 V
3.1 Gearbox with 12-8 folder prop
1100 mah 7 cell nimh battery.
The plane climbs to altitude but takes forever. climbs maybe
at a 15 to 20 degree angle.
What would be the best way to give it better climb? Change to less pitch on prop ?? Go to 8 cell battery ? Any advice would be appreciated.. Thanks ejbjh
03-09-2003, 03:46 PM
#2
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Location: Barrie,
ON, CANADA
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Its a glider!!!
If you are climbing at 15-20 degrees, you are doing just fine.
Its a glider not a pattern plane. If you can get to 500 feet with a charge, you are doing fine.
If you want unlimited vertical, get a plane with stubby wings, a huge motor and a power to weight ratio of greater than 1 to 1.
A finer pitch prop will help keep RPM up in the climb, but you are already running a gear drive so that should not be a problem.
8 cells will probably kill your motor in a few flights.
Its a glider not a pattern plane. If you can get to 500 feet with a charge, you are doing fine.
If you want unlimited vertical, get a plane with stubby wings, a huge motor and a power to weight ratio of greater than 1 to 1.
A finer pitch prop will help keep RPM up in the climb, but you are already running a gear drive so that should not be a problem.
8 cells will probably kill your motor in a few flights.
03-11-2003, 07:16 PM
#3
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Spirit Electric help
Enough of this "it's a sailplane" nonesense - for LMR sailplanes, vertical isn't good enough! 
Ever seen an F5B sailplane climb? 27 cells, climb rates over 5500ft/min, and about 100 mph directly against the pull of gravity.
Anyway, your problem is that you're absolutely destroying your cells if they're what you're spec'ing. These are AA-type cells I assume?Try some CP-1300's or CP-1700's, and bump the cell count to 8. You should be much happier at that point.
I don't know the rating of your speed control, but IC 550 might point to a 55amp rating? I think that you'd be happier with a Graupner 13x7 CAM folding prop, which on 8 cells should draw about 25-30 amps (fine for the motor, should last a couple of seasons). Remember, not all props are created equal, so please don't cheap out on the prop.
If all else fails, drop in a Jeti Phasor motor. A 30-3 and 8 cells, propped correctly, will give very healthy climbouts (55-60 degrees with decent airspeed).
Ever seen an F5B sailplane climb? 27 cells, climb rates over 5500ft/min, and about 100 mph directly against the pull of gravity. Anyway, your problem is that you're absolutely destroying your cells if they're what you're spec'ing. These are AA-type cells I assume?Try some CP-1300's or CP-1700's, and bump the cell count to 8. You should be much happier at that point.
I don't know the rating of your speed control, but IC 550 might point to a 55amp rating? I think that you'd be happier with a Graupner 13x7 CAM folding prop, which on 8 cells should draw about 25-30 amps (fine for the motor, should last a couple of seasons). Remember, not all props are created equal, so please don't cheap out on the prop.
If all else fails, drop in a Jeti Phasor motor. A 30-3 and 8 cells, propped correctly, will give very healthy climbouts (55-60 degrees with decent airspeed).
