Notices
Electric RC Helis Discuss electric rc heli's such as the Piccolo, Logo 10, Logo 20, Hornet, Eco.

HB Setup Help

Old 01-16-2004, 07:14 PM
  #1  
Gyronut
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Gosport, IN
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default HB Setup Help

Hello

I have a HB and need some advice as to setup the servo throws, along with Dual Rates and Expo plus or minus. ??????
If this were and airplane it would be a no brainer but these fancy things are out of leaque for the moment.

Thanx in advance for your help

Rick Anderson
Old 01-17-2004, 12:40 AM
  #2  
Schafe
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Cedar Rapids, IA,
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default RE: HB Setup Help

I have a HB also. I don't have dual rates or anything fancy on my radio, but I wish I did. The one suggestion I have for the servos is to make a new hole for the control rod as close to the servo shaft as possible. These things are way twichy and if you put the control rods at the end of the servo arm, I'm afraid it will be way too much control. Your dual rates can counter this as well, I think.
Old 01-17-2004, 10:10 AM
  #3  
JasonRP
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Odenton, MD,
Posts: 262
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default RE: HB Setup Help

Here is how I set up mine:

Hummingbird V2, stock motors..
hummingboard (main and tail motor ESC, mixer)
GWS R-4P micro receiver (4 channel) flight pack with 2 pico servos
GWS PG-03 gyro
Standard (birdseed) batteries, 600mah, 8.4 volt NiMH.
Using a standard, 4 channel airplane radio, with no mixing, no dual rate capability..

Before you do anything else with the heli, make sure you have your channels right, and if you need to reverse any, you've done so. I had my throttle channel normal when it needed to be reversed, and it scared the living crap outta me!! Follow the instructions for the gyro, receiver, Hummingbird, etc.. I also reset the main motor pinion to main gear clearance, using a peice of paper as someone here suggested. In a nutshell, loosen the motor mount screws, put a peice of paper between the pinion and main gear teeth, push the motor firmly so that the teeth mesh together firmly (with the paper still between the gears), and tighten the motor mounts.. now rotate the main gear to expel the paper. When you are done, you should have an ever-so-slighly present bit of play between the gear teeth, and a perfect mesh. Rotate the main gear a couple of times to make sure you have free rotation, and your set.

Once you have your servos connected, the electronics are set up, and you've got proper gear mesh/clearance, now the fun begins..
Balance is key here in my opinion, here's what I do:

Make sure the HB frame is square and the stoppers for the battery rails are tight, the battery is in the holder properly with the band on the bottom, the braces (front and back) are fully seated, etc. Ensure all 4 rotor head linkages move freely without binding. Main blades should be (in my opinion) relatively tight.. Not loose enough that if you lean the chopper on it's side, the blades will move in their holders.. My blades are tight enough that I can move them by hand, but not with gravity.. Then, make sure before you spool up that each main blade leading edge forms a 90 degree angle with the paddle bar ajacent to that leading edge..

Both paddles should be the same exact distance away from the rotor hub. Once the blades are aligned 90 degrees to the flybars, the rotor head should be balanced, with the flybars parallel to the ground.. Now turn on the transmitter, ensure throttle is off, and plug in your battery. Now that you are powered up, be sure the servos are centered, and that the swashplate is parallel, like the manual instructs.. Once the swashplate is level both fore and aft, and side to side, and the blades and flybars are still parallel, I then make sure that the paddles are perfectly parallel (pitch wise). Now, holding the chopper down on it's skids on a flat and level table, with your hand inside the skids (and making sure the main and tail rotors will not hit you or anything else, and your hand is clear of the main gear), slowly throttle up a little at a time. Check the blade tracking as instructed by the manual. Once you are sure the tracking is fine, you should slowly vary the throttle from motor start to full and back. You should have very little (preferrably no) vibration. Spool down the motor, unplug the battery, and turn the rotor head (without upsetting the angle of the blades) so that the flybars are perfectly perpendicular to the angle of the tailboom. Pick up the heli by the flybars, and make sure it is either perfectly fore and aft balanced, or every so slightly nose heavy.. Also, turn the rotor head 90 degrees and make sure side-to-side balance is good.

Now, do this one at your own risk.. **BE CAREFUL!! NONE OF THIS STUFF IS WORTH GETTING HURT OVER!!** Hey, did I say be careful already? Don't put your eye out kid!! Ok, 'nuff said- this step is optional, and if you get hurt, you didn't hear any of this crap from me: Power up your transmitter, and make extra sure your throttle is off!! Get ready to be very focused, and then plug in your heli's battery. Holding the helo in front of you by the base of the tail (where it connects to the main frame) with one hand so that you have a good grasp of it, but you are safe from the blades. With the transmitter in your other hand, double check that you are safe from the main and tail blades, and then give the helo some juice so that it feels like it is supporting it's own weight. AGAIN, BE CAREFUL HERE.. **YOU DON'T WANT TO USE THE CYCLIC CONTROL AT ALL- THIS COULD MAKE YOU LOOSE YOUR GRASP OF THE CHOPPER!!!** If the helo feels like it is pulling one way more than the other, move the trim setting ON YOUR RADIO until you feel like you have it balanced.. This mainly applies to fore-and-aft, and side-to-side balance, as the tail rotor should take care of itself with the gyro.. Spool down, put the heli down, unplug the battery, turn off your transmitter and relax.. Now that I said all that, I'd just like to add that I did this hold the heli and final trim routine, and nothing changed from the initial settings before I had started, but only after I made like a million "fine adjustments".. Oh well, that's why this step is optional.

Anyway, this is what got me flight ready again, after I crashed and had a bad vibration that made me want to throw in the towel! Some careful checks and fine tuning, and my bird is vibration free again, and more stable than ever before.. I make sure I check the main rotor blades are 90 degrees to the flybars and that the paddles are pitched right before every flight.

Hope this helps,
Jason
Old 01-17-2004, 05:28 PM
  #4  
Gyronut
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Gosport, IN
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default RE: HB Setup Help

Thanx Jason

I will try your hold the cat by the tail trick tomorrow and see what happens.....
I am using a JR8103 radio which is why I was mainly interested in the more advanced features I had.
I have made some decent hops and back down in one piece but I have found that the model likes to drift around. I guess I was hoping that it would stay in one spot for a while but perhaps thats more wishful thinking\ than reality.

Thanx once again for your help

Rick

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.