Bob Cat Copy Falcon 120 Jet
11-28-2007, 05:07 PM
#652
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RE: Bob Cat Copy Falcon 120 Jet
During a start sequence recently, my ECU saw the accu voltage drop below a set level, (rpm was around 6,000 rpm and EGT rising, so the ECU aborted the start sequence. There must have been a small pooling of fuel in the chamber, so the flame continued to burn as the engine was running down. The ECU obviously didnt want to re-engage the starter motor, until the rpm was down to about 1000 rpm for a cool down cycle, so what to do, just wait? Give it a blast with my industrial fire extinguisher?
I was going to make up a seperate starter motor and wand assembly to engage on the side of the spinner to turn the engine over to blow out any residual flame and help cool the engine, should this happen again. Too complex and another battery to carry around.
Well had a thought and went to my local cycle shop, bought a tyre inflator, with precise trigger operation. These devises are good for inflating cycle, motor bike or car tyres with CO2 disposable cyclinders. Cost was 14 pounds.
Gave it a test today, had the same thing happen at around 6000 rpm, (bit cold here tonight), gave the intake a 1/2 second blip on the trigger, flame extinguished immediatly. This tool is easy to use, has a safety lock on the trigger and can take threded or non threaded CO2 cylinders, and more convenient to use than the large industrial bottles. I bought a set of adaptors, for footballs and different types of valves, for £3.50 and used the plastic adaptor (orange nozzel). Might be usefull in your field box.
Cheers Tim
I was going to make up a seperate starter motor and wand assembly to engage on the side of the spinner to turn the engine over to blow out any residual flame and help cool the engine, should this happen again. Too complex and another battery to carry around.
Well had a thought and went to my local cycle shop, bought a tyre inflator, with precise trigger operation. These devises are good for inflating cycle, motor bike or car tyres with CO2 disposable cyclinders. Cost was 14 pounds.
Gave it a test today, had the same thing happen at around 6000 rpm, (bit cold here tonight), gave the intake a 1/2 second blip on the trigger, flame extinguished immediatly. This tool is easy to use, has a safety lock on the trigger and can take threded or non threaded CO2 cylinders, and more convenient to use than the large industrial bottles. I bought a set of adaptors, for footballs and different types of valves, for £3.50 and used the plastic adaptor (orange nozzel). Might be usefull in your field box.
Cheers Tim
11-29-2007, 03:37 AM
#653
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Location: Talamanca de JaramaMadrid, SPAIN
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RE: Bob Cat Copy Falcon 120 Jet
Tim, congratulations on your discovering!. An excellent option for those small fires, indeed.
I will check for them here in Spain.
Best Regards,
Jesus Cardin
I will check for them here in Spain.
Best Regards,
Jesus Cardin
11-29-2007, 01:42 PM
#655
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RE: Bob Cat Copy Falcon 120 Jet
Ran my engine this evening, had a weird snag. Engine would start and accelerate to 60,000 rpm, for calibration then decelerated towards idle. On passing @ 40,000 rpm, engine would flame out, with fault message : low rpm:. The engine normally runs up to 50,000 rpm for calibration not 60,ooo rpm. I tried to start the engine twice, with identical failure message.
I ran the engine in my plane the same time the night before in the same location, all was well.
What was the problem, I should have known instantly, as a similar snag happened to me about 5 years ago.
Answers on a post card, no only joking, read the next post, might help someone else from tearing their hair out.
cheers Tim
I ran the engine in my plane the same time the night before in the same location, all was well.
What was the problem, I should have known instantly, as a similar snag happened to me about 5 years ago.
Answers on a post card, no only joking, read the next post, might help someone else from tearing their hair out.
cheers Tim
11-29-2007, 01:50 PM
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RE: Bob Cat Copy Falcon 120 Jet
Well it is dark here by 1600, and I ran the engine at 1645 before the 9 till 5 ers get home from work, so no noise pollution.
I have to run at the front of house, due to building work in my back garden.
I had my garage door open with a Halogen down lighter and my Bandsaw flourecent light was powered up. Also had the garage lights on, 2 flourecent and one light bulb.
I switched off the halogen and moved the plane out of light, and used a torch (DC power) where the rpm sensor would be protected from the 50hz AC, Bingo, all back to normal.
I am pretty sure the lights interfered with the sensor, why it did not happen the night before, is maybe the plane was pointing slightly at a different angle to the lights and protecting the sensor.
just for info, might help someone, cheers Tim
I have to run at the front of house, due to building work in my back garden.
I had my garage door open with a Halogen down lighter and my Bandsaw flourecent light was powered up. Also had the garage lights on, 2 flourecent and one light bulb.
I switched off the halogen and moved the plane out of light, and used a torch (DC power) where the rpm sensor would be protected from the 50hz AC, Bingo, all back to normal.
I am pretty sure the lights interfered with the sensor, why it did not happen the night before, is maybe the plane was pointing slightly at a different angle to the lights and protecting the sensor.
just for info, might help someone, cheers Tim
11-29-2007, 10:01 PM
#662
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RE: Bob Cat Copy Falcon 120 Jet
Wocketman,
Sealall does get hard, but I'm not sure why that's a problem. I have used it on several planes and it's never let me down. The juice bottle tank and the homemade UAT in my Enforcer were both sealed with Sealall. After three years and 186 flights they are still holding up well.
If you want something softer, RTV or any type of automotive gasket cement or liquid gasket in a tube will work. Also Automotive Goop will probably work, although I have not tested it for that application.
Joe
Sealall does get hard, but I'm not sure why that's a problem. I have used it on several planes and it's never let me down. The juice bottle tank and the homemade UAT in my Enforcer were both sealed with Sealall. After three years and 186 flights they are still holding up well.
If you want something softer, RTV or any type of automotive gasket cement or liquid gasket in a tube will work. Also Automotive Goop will probably work, although I have not tested it for that application.
Joe
11-29-2007, 10:30 PM
#663
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RE: Bob Cat Copy Falcon 120 Jet
Well, years ago, when I was flying an original Kangaroo with a 2 liter pop bottle for a main tank, I used Sealall. I had it on the vent at the very top of the 2 liter (when lying down), where the plastic is very thin and flexible. The Sealall was orders of magnitude more rigid than the pop bottle plastic and any deformation in the plastic would cause a delamination with the Sealall. Goop would have been far more flexible and less likely to pull away, but it ain't fuel proof. A flexible Sealall would be the best of both worlds. Anyone know if Automotove Goop is kero-proof???
11-29-2007, 11:03 PM
#664
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RE: Bob Cat Copy Falcon 120 Jet
As I said above RTV or any type of automotive gasket cement or liquid gasket in a tube will work.
Why don't you try putting some Goop on a piece of plastic, let it cure, then stick it on a jar of kero for about a week and see what happens. I wouldn't be surprised if it works.
Joe
Why don't you try putting some Goop on a piece of plastic, let it cure, then stick it on a jar of kero for about a week and see what happens. I wouldn't be surprised if it works.
Joe
11-30-2007, 07:57 PM
#668
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RE: Bob Cat Copy Falcon 120 Jet
Mine was like that, typical Chinese covering. Just go over it with your iron set for low or medium heat. It can burn through if the iron is too hot, so start low and gradually increase the heat until you find the right temperature. It will take a while but it looks fine when you are done.
Joe
Joe
11-30-2007, 09:57 PM
#669
RE: Bob Cat Copy Falcon 120 Jet
Got mine yesterday covering was not soo bad, but I remeber my 50 size one was horrible, I actually forgot how bad the covering on the 50 size one was till I just read your post.......One thing though I was just suprised at how light the wings are. I had ordered a set of Robart 700 series spring down retracts for the 8-18lb planes with 1/2 in struts, IMHO these were way too heavy for the airframe, the retracts struts and tires would have weighed more than the entire wing!!! I re-ordered a set of the robart 500 series spring downs with the 3/8in struts instead, seems like that's about the size most are using anyway.... well keep up the info on the thread guys, it's helped me out a lot.
Joe I'm using your diagram to make my engine mount, throwing an FTE 500 in mine.
Joe I'm using your diagram to make my engine mount, throwing an FTE 500 in mine.
11-30-2007, 10:39 PM
#670
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RE: Bob Cat Copy Falcon 120 Jet
Mugenkidd,
Your T-500 has a larger diameter than my Artes Bee that I designed the mount for. You may have to make the sides of the mount 1/16" to 1/8" taller than I did, depending how far fore or aft you mount it. I suggest that make a template out of heavy paper first, then make appropriate adjustments before cutting any aluminum.
Joe
Your T-500 has a larger diameter than my Artes Bee that I designed the mount for. You may have to make the sides of the mount 1/16" to 1/8" taller than I did, depending how far fore or aft you mount it. I suggest that make a template out of heavy paper first, then make appropriate adjustments before cutting any aluminum.
Joe
12-01-2007, 11:58 PM
#671
RE: Bob Cat Copy Falcon 120 Jet
Here are a couple of pics of my fuel tank---2000 ml/67 oz.....Is this enough for a Ram 500???....This tank started out as a soap dispensing container. I saw the custodian at work changing out the empty for a fresh one and a light bulb went off in my head...Tank fits PERFECTLY!!!!
Kevin
Kevin
12-02-2007, 07:24 AM
#673
RE: Bob Cat Copy Falcon 120 Jet
ORIGINAL: Kevin Greene
Here are a couple of pics of my fuel tank---2000 ml/67 oz.....Is this enough for a Ram 500???....This tank started out as a soap dispensing container. I saw the custodian at work changing out the empty for a fresh one and a light bulb went off in my head...Tank fits PERFECTLY!!!!
Kevin
Here are a couple of pics of my fuel tank---2000 ml/67 oz.....Is this enough for a Ram 500???....This tank started out as a soap dispensing container. I saw the custodian at work changing out the empty for a fresh one and a light bulb went off in my head...Tank fits PERFECTLY!!!!
Kevin
Can you share with us the soap dispenser name and part number of the soap? Looks better than a juice bottle.
Dave
12-02-2007, 10:12 AM
#675
RE: Bob Cat Copy Falcon 120 Jet
Guys---Here is the info as written on the lable of the soap container---The cap is the one that came with the bottle but is modified...I have an extra but I ruined the cap by enlarging the hole too much on the first one...There are some "ears" on the back side of the cap that have to be removed and there is a tube on the front of the cap that has to be removed also...A Dremel made short work of it---To much though on the first bottle [:@]....I'm thinking of also using the stock tank in addition to the soap tank for additional flight time...
PS---Enlarge the pic further by clicking on the box that appears in the lower right hand corner when you place the mouse there---The writing will show up much better...
Kevin
PS---Enlarge the pic further by clicking on the box that appears in the lower right hand corner when you place the mouse there---The writing will show up much better...
Kevin