RE: Hobbico Electristar Select EP Trainer RTF  
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    • All Forums >> Electric Aircraft Universe >> Electric Training >> RE: Hobbico Electristar Select EP Trainer RTF
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    RE: Hobbico Electristar Select EP Trainer RTF - 7/22/2008 2:34:28 AM   
    dbc


     

    Posts: 7
    Joined: 7/22/2008
    From: , FL, USA
    Status: offline     		I've been successfully using relatively inexpensive 4S 15C lipos with this plane for 95 flights now. Only requires one. I'd recommend the 3600mah mega power, costs $79 and has about 20% more capacity than the recommended NiMH batteries. Gives 12-14 minute flights with a little throttle management and reduces the weight of the plane by a pound. Another lipo battery I've had good results with is the Zippy 4400 mah for $68. Either of these costs only a little more than the NiMH that is recommended and the plane performs so much better due to the weight reduction.

    (in reply to HEMICUDA)
           Post #: 526

    RE: Hobbico Electristar Select EP Trainer RTF - 7/22/2008 7:47:32 AM   
    1Crash test dummy


     

    Posts: 66
    Joined: 1/29/2008
    From: , OR, USA
    Status: offline     		I fly my E-star on 5sA123 and a 4s 3200 lipo both give me around 12 to 15 mins. The 5s A123 costs about $70 to make up. Nice thing about the A123 is the 15min charge time and the 1000+ charges also no fire danger.
    Wtih new batteries coming out the cost of Lipo's will be dropping fast.

    (in reply to dbc)
           Post #: 527

    RE: Hobbico Electristar Select EP Trainer RTF - 7/22/2008 9:18:14 PM   
    spacestout


     

    Posts: 29
    Joined: 1/30/2007
    From: , WA, USA
    Status: offline     		Mr Crash test, I've wondered if you have any trouble with 5 cells. As you know, setting up a plane's propulsion involves knowing the motor max and surge currents, same as for the ESC. However, Electristar provides none of this information. I found, in reading the specs on my Real Flight flight simulator that the motor is a Electrifly Rimfire outrunner 42-60-600. You can read about it here, http://www.electrifly.com/motors/motors-rimfire-42-60.html. It allows up to 25V. You are probably driving it at 21V full charge. The ESC in this plane is the SS-45D, rated at 3-4 cells, 45A max, 50 surge. http://www.electrifly.com/escs/silverseries.html. So, with your 5 cell setup, you are technically safe with the motor, but have more cells than recommended for the ESC. If you fly with the standard 11x7 prop, you may have trouble getting over 30A, as I found in Utah at 4300'.

    I like your approach of 5 cells. It's a good way to increase power. I wonder if you have ever put a power meter inline to see how much current you draw at full throttle? If you are staying at 45 or 50 and under it might be a good way to go. Can you tell my your prop size, make, elevation and current? I'm running 4200mAh batteries with an APC 13xwhatever prop and come in at about 45A.

    I'm glad LiPos are coming down. I haven't flown for a couple of years after taking a bullet in the knee in Iraq. My current thunder powers are degrading with disuse. We can expect them to keep coming down as there is a lot of research on them for electric cars.

    I was given an extra fuse and wings for the 'star. I'm thinking of making the wings straight across (of course they won't be symmetrical) and using either the stock motor (heck, the A on it is 60-70A and up to 14" prop) and a larger ESC and seeing if it will fly more 3D. May fair the wheels.

    Anyway, I like what you and DBC are doing.

    (in reply to 1Crash test dummy)
           Post #: 528

    RE: Hobbico Electristar Select EP Trainer RTF - 7/22/2008 9:56:06 PM   
    screendoor


     

    Posts: 13
    Joined: 2/11/2007
    From: , PA, USA
    Status: offline     		I have a newbie question about a new plane that would be compatible with the guts of my electristar. After a few too many crash/repair cycles, the entire body of my estar (fuse, wings, tail, etc.) is ready to be retired. I guess that means I want to get a new ARF plane that will allow me to reuse the electronics the estar came with (tx, rx, etc.), my current batteries (I'm using the 3000mAh NiMH batteries that Hobbico recommends), servos, and motor. For a newbie, it's a little tough to figure out what my options are. If the new plane is somewhat more advanced (i.e. acrobatic) than the e-star, that's not necessarily a problem.

    Anybody have any ideas/suggestions? Thanks in advance for any help.

    (in reply to spacestout)
           Post #: 529

    RE: Hobbico Electristar Select EP Trainer RTF - 7/23/2008 10:09:52 PM   
    dbc


     

    Posts: 7
    Joined: 7/22/2008
    From: , FL, USA
    Status: offline     		For about $114 you can buy an entire new airframe from available parts for the E-Star. Sounds like you want to move on though. Be aware that oftentimes "moving" components to a new plane is more involved than it initially appears - ask me how I know.

    (in reply to screendoor)
           Post #: 530

    RE: Hobbico Electristar Select EP Trainer RTF - 7/24/2008 12:34:35 AM   
    HEMICUDA


     

    Posts: 60
    Joined: 2/29/2008
    From: Greensboro, PA, USA
    Status: offline     		Would somebody please answer this question : Where can I get these A123 batts everyone is
    talking about? Do they sell them as a pack or do you have to make them into a pack?

    Thanks,
    HEMICUDA

    (in reply to dbc)
           Post #: 531

    RE: Hobbico Electristar Select EP Trainer RTF - 7/24/2008 6:13:58 PM   
    vtrally


     

    Posts: 5
    Joined: 7/23/2008
    From: cambridge, VT, USA
    Status: offline     		Hemicuda,
    I just googled them and found them here:
    Maxamps.com

    For $145

    (in reply to HEMICUDA)
           Post #: 532

    RE: Hobbico Electristar Select EP Trainer RTF - 7/24/2008 11:38:50 PM   
    spacestout


     

    Posts: 29
    Joined: 1/30/2007
    From: , WA, USA
    Status: offline     		screendoor, I like what dbc said about buying the new fuse. If the plane doesn't do enough for you, go with LiPos and 13" prop (staying under 40A continuous).

    A next step up is E-Flite Ultra Stick 25e ARF. Ultra-stick began life as a glow. Now, you can get it in mini or this larger size which approximates a .25 glow (with E-flite power 25) or with the larger motor something closer to a .40 glow. I just got one with the E-flite power 32, a SS-60A ESC. I plan on using my 14.8V 4200 mAh batteries from the Electristar. So, you could likely use your electristar components in the Ultra Stick. May need another servo. You really become a test pilot when you do such a thing. When you buy an ARF, they usually recommend certain components. Find out your motor weight, kV, prop size, ESC power rating, battery input, and compare all of this to what is recommended for your new ARF. Make sure the torque of the servos will move your ARF flight surfaces.

    Anyway, you're in the same ballpark with a power 32 and what I believe is in the electristar, an electrifly Rimfire 42-60-600.

    (in reply to vtrally)
           Post #: 533

    RE: Hobbico Electristar Select EP Trainer RTF - 7/25/2008 4:02:14 AM   
    dbc


     

    Posts: 7
    Joined: 7/22/2008
    From: , FL, USA
    Status: offline     		Those A123 batteries referenced by vtrally above are only 2300mah and will provide very short flight times. Sure doesn't seem like a very good value for $142 when you can get 4S lipo's with 3600mah for only $79. Don't let people scare you about the "safety" of lipos. I have over 25 of them in various sizes and configurations and most have dozens, if not hundreds of cycles. I have never had any issues with fires, etc. Just make sure you have a proper charger and monitor them during charge.

    (in reply to spacestout)
           Post #: 534

    RE: Hobbico Electristar Select EP Trainer RTF - 7/26/2008 6:19:11 AM   
    HEMICUDA


     

    Posts: 60
    Joined: 2/29/2008
    From: Greensboro, PA, USA
    Status: offline     		vtrally,
    Thanks for the info...still out of my league though. They will come down in price like the reg lipo's are doing
    eventually.

    Thanks
    HEMICUDA

    (in reply to dbc)
           Post #: 535

    RE: Hobbico Electristar Select EP Trainer RTF - 7/27/2008 1:47:19 PM   
    Fast Guy



    Posts: 539
    Joined: 11/24/2002
    From: Pass Lake, ON, CANADA
    Status: offline
    quote:

    ORIGINAL: dbc

    Those A123 batteries referenced by vtrally above are only 2300mah and will provide very short flight times. Sure doesn't seem like a very good value for $142 when you can get 4S lipo's with 3600mah for only $79. Don't let people scare you about the "safety" of lipos. I have over 25 of them in various sizes and configurations and most have dozens, if not hundreds of cycles. I have never had any issues with fires, etc. Just make sure you have a proper charger and monitor them during charge.


    I have the A123 batteries and my flight times are 12min., the same as my 3400 lipos. This is becauce the A123's have a wider usable voltage range. The performance is better because the A123 5s1p pack is 18v fully charged while the 4s1p lipo is 16.8v. When you increase the voltage you drop the amperage to produce the same wattage output and amps are the fuel stored in your batteries so when you use less fuel (amps) you can go futher on a smaller tank. In the hour it takes to charge my lipo batteries I can fly and charge my A123s 2 1/2 times. I think they are a good choice for the Electristar.

    _____________________________

    Drive to Stay Alive!!!!!

    (in reply to dbc)
           Post #: 536

    RE: Hobbico Electristar Select EP Trainer RTF - 7/27/2008 3:17:50 PM   
    itchycods


     

    Posts: 27
    Joined: 3/8/2007
    From: lewisville, TX, USA
    Status: offline     		Excellent points Fast Guy. Seems you'd have to spend more than the cost of the A123s for additional lipos to get the same amount of "in air" time. Wanna play, gotta pay...

    BTW, flew mine yesterday for the first time in months. Still a blast, but I'm wanting something faster...

    < Message edited by itchycods -- 7/27/2008 3:20:14 PM >

    (in reply to Fast Guy)
           Post #: 537

    RE: Hobbico Electristar Select EP Trainer RTF - 7/29/2008 1:48:46 PM   
    nk1851


     

    Posts: 89
    Joined: 8/30/2005
    From: sachse, TX, USA
    Status: offline     		What happened to the Electristar? Why did they discontinue it? Did it have performance flaws?
    Know where I might get one?
    Thanks

    (in reply to Greg Covey)
           Post #: 538

    RE: Hobbico Electristar Select EP Trainer RTF - 7/29/2008 2:56:40 PM   
    dbc


     

    Posts: 7
    Joined: 7/22/2008
    From: , FL, USA
    Status: offline     		E-Star has no glaring performance flaws. It is a well thought out design with no inherient deficiencies. For some reason it was not as popular as anticipated and was superceded by the Nexstar. It was closed out by several retailers at less than $200 which made it an incredible value. Most of them were sold out very quickly.
    I have two E-Stars. One I've logged over 100 flights on and one complete new outfit as a "spare" (don't want to sell it). I've gotten more long term satisfaction from this plane than any other RTF I've owned.

    (in reply to nk1851)
           Post #: 539

    RE: Hobbico Electristar Select EP Trainer RTF - 7/30/2008 9:03:13 PM   
    tubamike78