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MX400 Pro is awesome - 3/4/2007 2:39:55 AM   
AirmanBob



Posts: 389
Joined: 6/14/2004
From: Emmett, ID, USA
Status: offline 		I got my MX400 Pro up and running today. It has the Heli-Max brushless motor which
seems to have lots of power.

I found the stock Heli-Max ESC to be a poor controller for a heli. The motor starts
so abruptly that it folds the blades up. Thats in brake mode. Turn off brake mode
and same thing...its going to strip all the teeth of the gear sooner or later. The same
thing happened on my sons MX450. We got a better ESC for his too.

I installed an E-Flite 25A ESC and now the motor spins up slowly like it should. It
really makes a difference.

I installed a Futaba GY240 gyro and set it up like they tell you to and its just amazing.
The heli literally flys hands off in a hover. That tail don't even twitch...

I would have to say this is one of the best heli's in its size range you could ever buy.

I also used my Polks Seeker 6 receiver. It does not use crystals and will work on any
channel. I've had it for two years and its never given me one single problem. I just
might buy another one I'm so happy with it. I use a Futaba 6EXH transmitter for the
MX400 and my Blade CP Pro.

I'm using a Thunder Power 3 cell rated at 1320 mah. It can handle 17 amps continuious
and 27 amps burst.

My sons MX450XL is great too....but stuff for his costs alot more than mine...

Airman Bob


       Post #: 1

RE: MX400 Pro is awesome - 3/4/2007 2:47:19 AM   
whattheheli


 

Posts: 30
Joined: 10/5/2006
From: perry, MI, USA
Status: offline 		got any pics ??? i love seing other mx400's it gives me ideas !

(in reply to AirmanBob)
       Post #: 2

RE: MX400 Pro is awesome - 3/4/2007 2:57:40 AM   
pilotjoe50


 

Posts: 10
Joined: 5/20/2004
From: Blue Springs, MO, USA
Status: offline 		Just bought the mx400 pro, can you tell me if my DX6 will work with it, and can I put the futaba gy240 gyro with this combo?
I fly the Blade dx2 ; cp and a cp pro.
This will be my first Helimax.
Thanks

(in reply to AirmanBob)
       Post #: 3

RE: MX400 Pro is awesome - 3/5/2007 4:15:22 AM   
AirmanBob



Posts: 389
Joined: 6/14/2004
From: Emmett, ID, USA
Status: offline 		Whattheheli: I don't have pictures yet...But I will when I finally get tired of flying it.

PilotJoe50: I think the gy240 would work very well for you. My son has a GY401
and he has a heck of a time with it getting it dialed in. Too complicated...

I also have a Blade Pro and I really like it. It almost flys better than my MX400. But,
when I get the 400 dialed in it will likely be a much better heli. I love the sound of it in the air.

Good luck with yours,
Bob

(in reply to pilotjoe50)
       Post #: 4

RE: MX400 Pro is awesome - 3/5/2007 8:46:47 PM   
windbender


 

Posts: 13
Joined: 10/13/2006
From: , QC, CANADA
Status: offline 		hi Airman,
I don't want to be a 'wet blanket' but if you still have the plastic center hub (4001-101) you may want to get a metal one even if you don't want to install it right away, they tend to break with notice.

Wb

_____________________________

The wind is my teacher.

(in reply to AirmanBob)
       Post #: 5

RE: MX400 Pro is awesome - 3/5/2007 9:08:44 PM   
pilotjoe50


 

Posts: 10
Joined: 5/20/2004
From: Blue Springs, MO, USA
Status: offline 		Does anyone know anybody, that uses the DX6 and the GY240 together with the MX400 pro?
Also what is the problem with the esc that comes with the MX400 pro, I've heard both good and bad about it.

(in reply to windbender)
       Post #: 6

RE: MX400 Pro is awesome - 3/6/2007 3:26:55 AM   
AirmanBob



Posts: 389
Joined: 6/14/2004
From: Emmett, ID, USA
Status: offline 		Windbender: I forgot to mention that mine is the pro version which has the
alum swash and tail drive. Both are very smooth.

PilotJoe50: The ESC that comes with the MX400 has very few features. In fact
it only has one feature...brake on and brake off. For some reason no matter
which way you set it, it makes the motor start abruptly so you have to have
your blade grips a little tighter than usual.

I tried the E-flite ESC and it worked good. But, I've gone back to the original
MX400 ESC because it has longer leads on it and I can mount it on the side
of the frame instead of under the frame where it did not get much air.

The MX controller detects your battery voltage and when it gets below a certain
setting it starts lowering the voltage which forces you to land wether you want to
or not. But, its kind of a neat feature.

And YES, the GY240 WILL work with your DX radio. It plugs into your rudder channel
(4) and the rudder servo plugs into the GY240.

Be sure to get a lipo battery with 2100mah capacity and at least 12c discharge rate.
A 15 to 20c discharge rate would be even better.

The heli can handle the weight just fine and you'll be able to fly for 12 to 15 minutes.

So, get in there and start building....

Bob

(in reply to pilotjoe50)
       Post #: 7

RE: MX400 Pro is awesome - 3/6/2007 1:39:05 PM   
pilotjoe50


 

Posts: 10
Joined: 5/20/2004
From: Blue Springs, MO, USA
Status: offline 		Thanks Bob for the great info!
I can't wait to get started on mine when I get back home, I am in San Antonio this week visiting my Daughter.
I am a retired Army Helicopter Pilot and I am here to tell you the real ones are easier to fly than the RC ones. I have been flying RC since 1978, but only airplanes, it was really fun going to Helicopters this past year.
I don't think the RC Helicopters go through ETL (effective translational lift) like full scale aircraft. In a full scale aircraft as you pass though about 25 knots, the aircraft starts getting into clean air and will gain altitude without applying collective pitch. I don't notice this in RC aircraft, I have to apply collective or the aircraft drops some. Maybe someone out there can explain this to me.
Other than that all other flight modes work the same as far as I can tell.
I love balancing the blades and tracking the rotor system. I made a little tracking flag and use grease pencil (red and black) to track the blades. In the Army we had a machine we used for the main rotors to track, which used tabs that attached to the end of the blades, each tab had a strip (one was vertical and one was horizontal) I had a light gun in the cockpit with me, I would bring the aircraft to a three foot hover and the mechanic would be in the co-pilots seat and he would point the gun at the targets, if it made a cross the blades were in track, if not we would raise the lower target until we had a cross.

Anyway this is a great hobby and keeps me busy.

(in reply to AirmanBob)
       Post #: 8

RE: MX400 Pro is awesome - 3/6/2007 9:08:41 PM   
AirmanBob



Posts: 389
Joined: 6/14/2004
From: Emmett, ID, USA
Status: offline 		Whoa... you're a lucky guy to have all that experience in real heli's. I once considered
building my own heli from a kit. It was called the RotorWay Exec...but I chickened out
and besides, my wife said if I did it I'd have to sleep in it.... I got my pilots license
though...but I never fly anymore....gettin to old.

I hate blade balancing... it seems to take so long...whew.. I wanna go fly.

Here's a picture of mine...you can see the Polk's Seeker 6 sitting in there.
I used the tin lid of a box of buss fuses to make a mount for the GY240. Works
perfect.

Bob... whoops...uploaded the pictures twice...

Attachments
Click to see fullsize image.
Click for fullsize 		Click to see fullsize image.
Click for fullsize 		Click to see fullsize image.
Click for fullsize 		Click to see fullsize image.
Click for fullsize


< Message edited by AirmanBob -- 3/6/2007 9:11:02 PM >

(in reply to pilotjoe50)
       Post #: 9

RE: MX400 Pro is awesome - 3/6/2007 9:22:37 PM   
pilotjoe50


 

Posts: 10
Joined: 5/20/2004
From: Blue Springs, MO, USA
Status: offline 		the rotorway exec is one of the nicest kits in my opinion. We had the Mini 500 (Revolution Helicopter Co.) here in Missouri, but he went bust.
I have the Tracker III radio and a seeker 6 receiver in some of my fixed wing aircraft. Can the tracker III be programed foe heli's? I haven't messed with the programming on it that much.

I miss flying full scale, but I retired because of an eye problem that grounded me. It's Hell getting old!LOL

Nice pics, thats a great idea using the fuse cap, I will keep that in mind when I do mine.

I brought my Blades to Texas with me, the wind almost blew my CX2 away yesterday, and I broke a skid on it, I am making a trip to the LHS tomorrow to pick up some spares. My CP Pro flies great in a little wind though, my Daughters house has a Golf course behind it so I have alot of room to fly, WATCH OUT GOLFERS!!!!! hehehe!

(in reply to AirmanBob)
       Post #: 10

RE: MX400 Pro is awesome - 3/6/2007 9:39:34 PM   
quickster47



Posts: 649
Joined: 8/9/2005
From: Orlando, FL, USA
Status: offline 		AirmanBob,

Where do you get the Polk's Seeker 6 receiver? I have read lots of good things about them and would like to purchase a couple of them.

Thanks much,

Carl

(in reply to pilotjoe50)
       Post #: 11

RE: MX400 Pro is awesome - 3/7/2007 2:55:38 AM   
AirmanBob



Posts: 389
Joined: 6/14/2004
From: Emmett, ID, USA
Status: offline 		Quickster: You should find them here: http://www.polkshobby.com/index1.html

You will really like um...

Bob

(in reply to quickster47)
       Post #: 12

RE: MX400 Pro is awesome - 3/7/2007 3:30:14 AM   
AirmanBob



Posts: 389
Joined: 6/14/2004
From: Emmett, ID, USA
Status: offline 		PilotJoe50: Yeah, the exec was nice....but I probably would have killed myself
with it. My wife knows whats best for me.

The wind got my blade pro and tipped it today. Tore up the tips of the blades so I gotta
go get some more. I could fix um but I need new ones. My MX is grounded till I get
some bigger lipo's for it.

I have never used a Polk's transmitter so I don't know if it works with heli's. I
don't think they will do CCPM. The receivers will of course, but not the xmitter.

Bob

(in reply to AirmanBob)
       Post #: 13

RE: MX400 Pro is awesome - 3/7/2007 11:21:35 AM