sortegon

My Feedback: (9)

These are my downandlocked converted retracts

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFC9n...e_gdata_player

causeitflies

That speed is just right... the doors are another story

Terry Holston

My Feedback: (1)

So....What are you using on the doors? Air?

marc s

Would seem a little silly to........

marcs

FenderBean

I like having the air/electric combo, my gear is electric but the brakes, doors, canopy open and canopy lock are all air. Its the lightest way to go electric. I you did say the f-15 which has 8 or more gear doors, a speed brake and then electric canopy with locks and electric brakes the weight of all the electric motors, wiring and battery to run it would be much heavier. For something my f16 which has 3 doors I would deff go all electric if I wasn't worried about weight. Its all in what weight u have to work with and how complex your jet is.

Pepperpete

I want to convert my doors on my 1/8th f16 to electric. Did I miss the links on here to be able to do this? The search engine is awful

sortegon

My Feedback: (9)

Gear doors and breakes are pneumatic.
Its great to know your gear is always locking down no matter if you get an air leak.

sortegon

My Feedback: (9)

Right now having trouble with my f16 1/8 gear doors... Thinking about doing something like in previous post... Just a cord and a piano wire...

extra 300

My Feedback: (3)

or you can go this way: http://www.lado-tech.net/en/7-e-doors beautiful solution where you get rid of the air system for doors and install e-actuators. You can get yourself the programming card and set the proper sequencing for your retracts and doors. When you add the weight of all components (air tank, air tubes, connectors, fill valve, operating valve) in addition to the %$&^ work needed to install all this equipment and as a bonus not having to worry about air leaks anymore. You will find that this is the best way to go...

Eagerly waiting for the e-brakes which should soon be available to finally get rid of all air accessories i have around...

I have already converted 2 ESM air retracts for an 89" Spitfire and my FB F-15D retracts to electric and it is all working perfectly!!!

Rgds,

bokis

There is a connection between price and quality and it´s difficult to save money and at the same time get somthing to rely on,
believe me,i tried!
Here in Europe Eurokit have started selling electric retracts at about the same price as Electron.
They look OK but I have not seen them live yet..
Buying a airset and rebuild them is not an option for me anyway..Then I end up with paying for the same function twice?
If I had a complicated gear mechanism that is hard to come by,ok,but otherwise its a big NO for me.
I liked the Electrons so much so I bought a set yesterday for the 1:10 Connie that Ivve is building,simplicity to install and
great workmanship from their part made this choise simple..
There is nothing that can ruin a good days flying like crappy undercarriage that is unreliable for me anyway.

//Bokis

extra 300

My Feedback: (3)

Bokis,

The idea of conversion is based on the fact that one has already an air system otherwise buying an electric set is definitely the way to go!

Regards

bokis

Yes but there are those who buy air retracts AND THEN send them off for rebuild or buy an aftermarket electric actuator..
Not so uncommon according to what I se in different forums..[8D]
//Bokis

Kevin_W

My Feedback: (1)

Tom,
Is a battery pack included with the Electron retracts?
What battery pack does it use?
Is there a separate on/off switch for the retract battery?

From the pictures on their website I see that the ECU for the retracts has an output for each one of the three retract units, two for brakes (which I assume will be available at a later date), and four other outputs (or inputs) that I cannot read the labels on. What are the other connection ports on the ECU?

Can the ECU also control door actuators?
If so, can it be programmed for different gear/door sequences?

asimace

Here you go!
Battery is not included in the set, I use a 2S1P 5000 mah Lipo (I need weight, a 1500 mah is safe for many cycles).
The retract ECU does not have a separate switch but switches off automatically when receiver signal is off, just like most turbine ECUs.
The outputs for the brakes are actually three, just like the retracts.
Three are the inputs too: retract signal, brakes and front steering.
Then there is the output to the front steering servo. This is a clever trick as the servo is disabled directly by the ECU as soon as you hit the retracts.
The round led push button is used for setting the ECU, very simple.
The ECU cannot drive other devices such as gear doors but sequencing is easily achived by using servo slow function as the electric retracts and electric actuators (Lado e-doors in my case) only start moving when 100% channel travel has completed.
I'm completely sold to this system, fantastic!
Mauri

Kevin_W

My Feedback: (1)

Mauri,

Thanks for the detailed answers. I am in the process of designing a new jet and since I will have to buy a new set of retracts for it anyway I have decided to use the Electron retracts from the start. Thanks for the help in making the decision.

nipmuck2

My Feedback: (52)

I just received the set that I ordered today. I can NOT get them to work. They just grind. I followed the directions and don't know if I'm missing a step. Do you mind going over the set up sequence. They don't seem to be that difficult I may just have gotten a defective set. i got the ER45. Thanks for your help.

Steve

AndyAndrews

Back in 2010 I posed the question "why not electric Retracts for Turbines"? Now we are seeing them everywhere -

What I see now with the advent of FEJ including electric retracts on F-16 gear is that ALL of the major jet kit manuacturers will start to offer these. My cyrstal ball tells me that once the chinese manufacturers get into these they will see the benefits of not having to deal with customer complaints about their cylinders not holding air and that the old problems they have had with air in the past will go away.

Moreover, watch out (USA companies that make them) because these will be std equipment and they will offer them for the same price as air. Better diversify...

AndyAndrews

double post.. sry

Terry Holston

My Feedback: (1)

Now we just need some electric door cylinders that are the same dia as the air type. I bought a set of Lado door cylinders and they are so big in dia as to be unuseable in my 1/8 scale F-16......ARGH I resorted to steel cabls that "almost" work.........They open and close, but don't close all the way.

Pepperpete

Yup I had the same issue with them. They work fantastic but are simply too large for a size like 1/8th. I just couldn't make them work.

highhorse

My Feedback: (2)

Robart is making and selling 'em already, if their website is correct.

Still need braking solutions though........

asimace

Finished at last!
[link=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHMcBVyc7l0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHMcBVyc7l0[/link]

Maiden soon!!!

FenderBean

pretty cool, actuators did u use for the doors?

asimace

The 3 main doors are moved by Lado E-Door actuators (30mm stroke).
The outer doors of the mains are linked to the legs.
The small nose door is moved by a servo.
The retracts are Electron Retracts ER-50 units.
The legs and wheels are by Behotec (very heavy and sturdy).
Last weekend during final setup I cycled the gears 75 times on a 2S1P 2500 mah Lipo and I still don't need to charge!

Mauri

Xairflyer

My Feedback: (1)

I like it!