pipercub123

My Feedback: (1)

I'm looking at some optical tachs and I have found these two, http://www4.mailordercentral.com/hel...?number=113725

http://www4.mailordercentral.com/hel...?number=804260


I like the cheaper one, the xcell one has a rechargeable battery that is nice, but it isn't a big deal for me because I don't plan on using the tach all that often. I care more about getting one that works well and is a better deal for the money. The Xcell one is almost twice as much. Are there any other tachs out there that somebody could recommend?

I have an airplane tach, but it has to be held close. I saw a video where a guy hovered over an airplane tach to check the blade rpm. I think this would be hard because the airplane tach is small and would be hard to see. It's also dangerous if you ask me to have the blades spooled up while you are trying to read a tach that you are hovering over. What do you guys think? Thanks in advance for the help.

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

We have both at our field and both work and when we've checked they were both within a very small percentage of each other. So take your pick, they both do the job.

archiebald

Couldn't open the links.

I vote for a governor or a revlock anyhow. Not much more expensive (might be cheaper than some tachs) and once set up correctly, you can forget about head overspeed.

HeliTB

Boy oh boy the price of this hobby is steadily climbing, I may go the governor or revmax route.

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

Check the other one out. I have the Xcell and it only goes to 1910 RPM. The trex is supposed to be 2200 rpm from what I am told so I am having a hard time taching it due to the limit of the tach. That and I hate dealing with Miniature aircraft. Mine didn't work when I got it and they took it back and had it fixed, but it was a nightmare and took months.

pipercub123

My Feedback: (1)

Flyboy, wow it's limited to 1910! That's not all that high. Good point with the Trex, I didn't think the Xcell would be limited that low. I'm glad I know now! Thanks for the heads up. I'm going to go with the cheaper one as that one has a limit to almost 3200 RPM! That's scary fast. I haven't had any electrics where I've needed a tach, but I do plan on trying out the Trex 600 sometime in the near future.

HeliTB, this hobby is getting expensive. I think that most of us are so addicted though there is no way out. I'm there myself. I got addicted when I got my first .50 size heli! I can't wait to get a fix from a .90. HAHA! You are right though, when I saw the price on the Xcell I thought $150???!!!! WHAT, for a tach!?? Than I thought, well it is an Xcell and they are supposed to be good. Screw that, I'm getting the cheap one and I'll spend the rest of my money that I saved towards a throttle jockey pro. If you do get a revmax, you'll still need a tach to set the hovering rpm. You could probably do without and just guess. I have gone through two gallons with my Raptor 50SE now and still haven't gotten the throttle curves perfect. It seems to rev pretty high. I guess if I've made it through two gallons it should be good, but I'd rather not risk it. I'm going to go for the skytach first just to see how my rpms are in a hover. Than if I can't get it set right I'll get the governor. It might be a little cheaper to get the GV-1 where you don't need a tach to set it up, but I plan on having more helis in the future and than I'd have the tach for them. Also the throttle jockey pro has an accessory provision on it for an onboard glow that is being released in the future. Hmm, that would be nice for a steady idle!

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

I am going to sell my xcell one and buy the cheaper one also, for the reason stated, it is limited in revs. That bites. I should probably get on that sooner than later. More expensive isn't always better.

Hunter850

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Thought I would post this site. They have a cheap priced tach but I cannot find any info on it.



http://www.infinity-hobby.com/main/p...roducts_id=189

PlaneHeli

I was thinking of getting that tach from Infinity. Would like to know how it works first though. Anyone have one.

Mini Tachometer



Compact Size
- Measures 2,3 and 4-blade prop rpm
- 0/32000 rpm range
- 3V 220mAh LITHIUM battery included
- Auto shut-off function

DebianDog

That is an airplane tach It will be kind of hard to get a reading unless you going to attach it to the heli.

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

Heli tachs work different. Here is a picture of mine. You look through it at the blades, (well, the spotter does, you don't) and move the dial till the blades look like they are stopped, then you look at the number on the front and that is the rotor speed.

Airplane tachs you just point at the prop and read the speed. Can't do that with a heli very well, its too dangerous.

wck3

I've never had a problem in dealing with Miniature Aircraft. Most of my models are from Miniature Aircraft and for good reason. Their quality is far superior to anything else out there. I'm not sure if you purchased directly from them or from a retailer, shouldn't matter though. I haven't had any problems with them, just thought that a different viewpoint should be posted.

Actually, there is a newer version of the Miniature Aircraft tach and it goes to 3k RPM. More than sufficient even for a TRex. If you have the older one, I believe you can send it into MA to get it upgraded/updated. But, you said you had problems with them and I am not familiar with those details. I would suggest contacting them or a retailer and seeing about the update/upgrade. To be honest, when it comes to parts or tools or field equipment, you get what you pay for. I do have the ModelAvionics tach and it is certainly capable. However, it has a rev limit as well, but the newer Miniature Aircraft one has a higher limit.

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

Didn't know they had an upgrade for it. I like the tach so I will try to get a hold of them and see what I can do to upgrade it.

I used to have a dealership with them in my hobby shop when I had it and they were good, but since then I have had not a lot of success dealing with them. I will give them another shot though. I do like this tach better than the other one.

DebianDog

Yeah I have the old 2k Xcell one to. I will ask Jeff (he is the MinAir lacky) if we can get it upgraded. Maybe we can do a 3 for 1 deal or something.

wck3

I'm going to tell Jeff you called him "Lackey". Should be for a good time at Clints I'm going to laugh if he shows us both up with his flying....

DebianDog

pffft! He knows he is the MinAir lacky, gofer, whipping boy.

Look at him working
http://danslagle.com/interests/RCHel.../large-14.html

He like wrenching on Helis and not flying them. Plus he gets paid for it! But he likes his job so, good for him.

PlaneHeli

Thanks Debiandog & Flyboy.

Are there any inexpensive tachs you can use with both planes and helis.

Is there one you could temporarily mount on your heli that would work similar to the plane tach, read and record the highest rpm so when you land you can read the highest rotor speed.

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

Well, no luck there. Miniature aircraft was their normal charming self, and I called Min Air and they said they can't upgrade it. You just have to buy a new one, but you can be damn sure it won't be the miniature aircraft one! I will get the other one. Its cheaper and will do the same job, and I don't have to deal with Miniature any more. That will make it all worthwhile.

DebianDog

Yeah I had a feeling it would be like that. [] MinAir make the best helicopters but I do not have any of them... yet

syclic

I have both tachs - I will use the MinAir unit for ANY heli I am taching with rotor speeds under 1990 - my nitros and larger electrics. I will only use the other for helis above that (my mini and micro electrics) - Why?

Because I have found there is a bit more to using such strobe type tachs then the limit of their RPM reading.... that being ease of use!!!

I can nail the rotor speed much faster and easier with the Minair unit, because the motor they use accelerates and decelerates the strob disc a LOT faster then does that of the other. Consequently when "eyeing" the rotor and pushing the up/down buttons to lock in the strobe, the MinAir unit does so much better causing less frustrating over shoot and undershoot.

As for MinAir helis and dealings with them. I would not say they make the best helis (I have found a number of others that I prefer) because I, and a number of my flying peers, have experienced as many, if not more, issues with their helis as with others.

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

Ed I'll thump Tim for you next fun fly I catch him at.

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

Thanks. No worries, I will probably end up doing it like syclic and have both. Can't see selling this one for what people want to pay for them used, and like he said, it is easy to use.

Man, I haven't talked to Tim in ages. I bet he wouldn't remember me. I was a dealer back when they were a schluter dealer and I had only schluter stuff, then when they switched to Xcell I sold the Schluter stuff and flew all Xcell, I sure like the newer stuff though. It is so much easier to deal with and maintain. There are a lot of great helis on the market now as compared to back then.


Heck, hate to date myself, but I remember when Mike Maas flew the first one inverted. That was a sight to see.

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

Wasnt that Ernie Huber with a Kavan Jet Ranger??

Seriously I know the story, ernie hovered first, mike flew around first with a button that locked the throttle open so he couldnt' manipulate the throttle to hover with.

DebianDog

Switchless inverted

Mike Mas still has a "pull start" Raptor 30 I about cry laughing every time I see him start it, but it flies awesome!

PlaneHeli

Just found info on this.

Sigma BC800 Bicycle Tach. 16-20USD.

Sorry cant cut and paste link from Hotel computer im on. But do a search

Also hueyman from this forum has got it to work.