midwestpilot

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Ok...I am going to get the zagi tazz...question is do I get their brush-less or are there better options? Also speed controllers is the stock one any good? I am pretty sure I can get just the air frame and stock it anyway I see fit. The Tazz has been out for a little while now, so I am looking for advice from you folks who are flying them. The LiPo question is out there too...I think I am just going to go with the stock pack so I don't have to worry about current draws and such...I am new to electrics but not to the hobby.

Please let me know what you think.

Greg Covey

On Monday or Tuesday next week, check out the RCU magazine for your answer.

ZAGI-XS-=FatalFlyer=-

Hey Greg, he should read your review on the wing. Midwestpilot, due a search in this foamies catagory for Zagi Tazz, and you'll see Greg's video of the zagi tazz flying on lipo and stock NIMH cells. Its awesome!!

midwestpilot

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Thanks for the info...nice thread Greg. Are you affiliated with Zagi?

Greg Covey

No affiliation with Trick RC (Zagi designers), just an old wing fan. Remember that in the "old days" it was the Speed 400 electric wings that pulled electric flight up by the boot straps.

My review on the Tazz should be on RCU tonight.

iflyrotors

I have a Tazz, and if I were to do it again I'd probably do my own setup and buy the basic airframe. The ESC has a percentage cutoff instead of a voltage cutoff, which is bad if you want to fly on a pack that isn't full charged. The cutoff is at 67%, which is less than the 3v per cell recommended for the packs. I would buy a castle creations phoenix 25, which you can program to the 3v per cell cutoff. The battery I am using is a Thunder Power 3 cell 2100mah pack. The stock motor had plenty of power, but was not very happy with a 3 cell for an extended period of time (drew too many amps). My radio glitched after I had landed, and the motor turned the prop into the ground, which burned up the motor. I replaced it with a Himax 2815-2000 running a 6x5.5 prop. I love this setup; it will still go vertical, and has more speed than the factory setup. It pulls about 24 amps, so you won't damage your pack or esc. Also, the motor is 70, and the speed control is around 60. Not sure how much the cores are, but it will probably be cheaper. I rarely use the nickel metal pack provided with the tazz because the lithium pack is so much lighter and has better performance. Anyway, thats my two cents... the stock setup is great, but if I had to do it again I would probably just get the cores and pick the components.
Chris

midwestpilot

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So I saw the review...most excellent...Greg what do you think about the above comment about the speed controller? And if I wanted a LiPo set up that I did not have to worry about amps what would you recommend? Phoenix 35? matched with what motor? I originally though I would just run the nickel metals...but I must say...faster is better. I have flown wings before...I have a fma razor which I converted to nitro with a norvel .074...worked ok but the nitro is more of a pain than it is worth...don't get me wrong it goes faster than that airfraim can handle(my plane is shown on the fma web site "razor on steroids" )

So I am not new to wings...but new to electrics and need your advise...

Greg Covey

The funny part is that the controller is likely already a Castle Creations controller. The Zagi Tazz 25-amp ESC means 25 amps continuous amps with safe 35 amp peaks. The Tazz 25 ESC emits a three note tone set when powered-up followed by another three note set signaling that the ESC is armed. The Tazz ESC is “LiPo ready” with a self-adjusting feature. Ready to use 8 to 10 cell NiCd/NiMH or LiPo 3s battery packs. Discharging LiPo cells below 3 volts per cell will cause permanent damage if that state is sustained. This won't happen because as soon as the motor is shutdown, the pack voltage rises above 3v per cell again.

To protect LiPo battery packs, the Zagi 25 high voltage cutoff will turn the motor off at 67% of the initial battery voltage. Even if the pack is not fully charged, the ESC can easily determine if it is a 2-cell or 3-cell pack and shut down accordingly. I don't think it is a valid concern but rather a poor choice of words by Trick R/C in thier description of the ESC.

My 3-cell LiPo setup on the stock system draws 33amps static. First, this is worst case and is likely offloaded by 10% minimum in the air which would make it around 30amps. Second, you won't be using full throttle for much longer than bursts of a few seconds, because the wing gets small real fast!

I've also discovered that the new 3-cell Kokam 3.2AH pack is a perfect fit and weight for the Tazz.

midwestpilot

My Feedback: (1)

Thanks Greg...so given that the lipos are just to the limits of the esc...would going up to the next castle creation speed controller make it so I don't hurt anything with extended blasts of full speed....kind o' worried I will forget to manage my throttle.

I guess I could run the stock set up....what happens if you pull to many amps and fry things...is it just the esc or does the pack and motor all go up in smoke

Greg Covey

The motor is usually still safe. Going to the next higher ESC can't hurt. It all depends on how you want to fly it.

iflyrotors

When I talked to the guys at trick r/c on the phone, they told me not to fly on a lithium pack if it wasn't completely charged... maybe they were mistaken, but I figure better safe than sorry.

midwestpilot

My Feedback: (1)

I ordered it up today...stock...looks like I will like it ok as is...if not I will upgrade later. It looks like this will get me into the "e" world just fine though

Greg Covey

The stock Zagi Tazz is a very fast flyer! I think you'll like it just fine.