patternrules

My Feedback: (6)

Comments from all of you that have used EP systems.

flyboy91

My Feedback: (1)

I say a big do is- Buy a temp gun. You will end up running these motors hot and demaging them which inturn will cause you to loose batteries motor and speed control. I found that out with my Brio when I had no airducting in there and the motor was around 180 degrees F. It is necessary to take the time and make airducts from the bottom shooting up toward the motor and from the sides shooting toward the motor.

All this air needs to go somewhere after so I also put a false former in the back right at the edge of the cut out for air to exit. This way all the air has to come out of the fuse and cant go to the tail of the airplane.

I think a dont is- Dont be affraid of taking the motor out and check it every 30 or so flights. If using a hacker it is very easy and allows you to see the ware of the gear box.

If there are anyone out there looking for more info please ask I will do my best to anwser.

Andrew Jesky

Mastertech

My Feedback: (31)

Bump for what could be a great thread.

Mvelez

don´t unplug the charge wire from the charger before unplugging it from the battery... you'll be amazed how much of a flash you'll get (and the plug litterally evaporates)

twoturnspin

Great points made above, a couple more:
DO use an arming plug to isolate the main battery(ies).
DO measure the load on your system when you fit a new component so as not overload.
DO warm your batteries when they are cold ie. get them to at least 20 deg c (70 deg f)
DO check your batteries before EVERY flight.
DON'T fly if the sound from the motor changes - there IS something wrong
DON'T discharge below 20% remaining capacity

These are all lessons learnt by me or my friends the hard way!

EHFAI

Mvelez

Consider a fuse (10 - 20A) in one of the leads from the charger to the battery. As you note - the battery is an excellent energy source.

ExFokkerFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

Make sure to not only check the amperage when you change something new, but check it every so often... say 30-40 flights just to make sure that nothing is wrong... if you keep track of your mah used, that could substitute for the test runs (or data logger downloads)... PARTICULARLY important if you are running an older C50... will help you identify if the motor is going bad.

Also, don't forget to make a visual inspection when you put the plane together or take it apart... Found this out the hard way at a contest (although I did know, just don't always do it) this weekend... motor had issues and had spewn grease from the gearbox all inside the motor... Not good.

TonyF

My Feedback: (92)

Use the timer on the TX and don't fly past it. If you do that and watch how many mAH get put in during the charge you will see any downward trends. I very rarely check my current draw, just follow the timer and watch the charge.

dreadnaut

My Feedback: (5)

If using a Castle Ice with BEC. . .
Do bypass the BEC and run a separate reciever battery.

I debated over this and was convinced here in RCU to bypass it and am glad I did. After some minor repair I forgot to reopen the cooling air exit (see above) and fried the ESC. Had I been using the BEC it would have been a total loss.

2Sunny

1) DO break-in new battery sets at 2 to 3s max for 3 or more cycles. You will double or triple their cycle life by being gentle in the beginning.
2) DO NOT discharge below 80% on a regular basis, and NEVER discharge below 3.0v. Nothing makes batteries break down faster than excess discharge.
3) ditto above: DO check the battery voltage before plugging in you'd be surprised how many times the "charged" pack isn't so charged.
4) DO try to use proven combinations when you're new.
5) If you put back more than 80% regularly then DO shorten your practice time.
6) After a couple months in storage DO treat you packs as if they were new and break them in again.
7) DO NOT store your packs fully charged. 3.7 volts resting is optimum for storage.
8) DO NOT EVER (i.e.NEVER) leave LiPos unattended when you are charging them.
9) DO invest in the highest quality charger you can afford.
10) DO be patient when the glow guy is running his motor for 5 minutes at full blast upwind of you. Someday he'll be electric too

Mike Wiz

My Feedback: (2)

I DO use a separate BEC instead of running an RX battery. Should that be a DON'T in the opinion of you guys here?

2Sunny

Hey Mike,

I do the same! Maybe we can say: "you could, but the majority doesn't".


Joe