Georges Payne

Hello all,

I have a bad glitch that I can't seem to isolate on my 450SA and I need help cause it ended in a crash today. Here's all the info :

Futaba 9C super with synthetizer, works great with an E-Flite receiver on my Blade CP Pro, very solid performance, absolutely no glitches, good range.
Brand new Futaba R148DF FM receiver.
Brand new and completely stock T-Rex 450SA, with align 35amp ESC and 3550kv 430L brushless motor.
Futaba GY 401 gyro and Futaba 9650 digital servo for the tail
Hitec HS65MG servos for the swash plate

I did everything I know and I also followed Finless Bob's advice from his videos. The battery and ESC are forward of the motor, the power wires are as far as possible from the BEC cable, and the Rx is behind, along with all the extra wires neatly tucked beside the Rx. Everything very neat, lots of plastic ties. The antenna exits the frame on the right through a large opening, then goes straight to the vertical fin and back up front in the antenna tube. It is as far from the frame as possible, and never crosses itself. I tried with the gyro on top to make sure it is as far from the power package as possible. I thought it was swamping, but making the antenna shorter made it worse, and I lost control at about 100 yards in a very light EM environment.

I need help guys, so any comment is appreciated.

Regards
Georges

blacksheep1998

Is it touching the metal frame? May want to tie it up under the heli along the bottom plate, to the tail fin and back up. If it is touching the metal frame that can be a huge source of static/EM. Perhaps the reason you did not see an issue on the Blade is the heli is all plastic. The Rex SA is aluminum and plastic.

Pete

Georges Payne

You know, I had not noticed that the bottom plate was plastic. I assumed it was aluminum too. I rerouted the antenna just like you suggested, but sadly it didn't work.

I am beginning to think that the ESC is the culprit. It seems that it is the most sensitive area because when I touch components randomly with a metal screwdriver, this is where I get the strongest reaction. I am going to try to get my hand on a ferrite ring.

Even in my darker past when I didn't pay attention to glitches and kept on flying, never have I encountered such a big one.

Thanks for the help, Blacksheep, and safe flying to you,
Georges

stevennh

My 450-SA came with a Futaba 156F Rx (I was running PCM). I gave up on it and went with a DX6 (I had a 72MHz 6EX). I have the same ESC and Motor as well. I could not find a way to completely eliminate glitching, I tried a couple of different layouts and moved the antenna around, but always had a problem at certain orientations (side in). I wanted to move to 2.4GHz anyway so the glitching issue made it easier to make the swap.

Steve

Crabstick

i run a older futaba FM rx that came with the t6xa TX i use and i have no issues, I would put a Toroid on the esc signal lead and try that.. I run the Hyperion titan v3 ESC and have no problems with glitching at all.

Georges Payne

Until proof to the contrary, the ferrite ring really got rid of the glitch. Absolutely no shivering, 100% stable even when I touch various parts of the helicopter with a piece of metal. I cannibalized a toroid out of a computer cable (what they call the FCC lump), removed the plastic housing at the end of the ESC plug, passed the wires through the hole, did a loop around and through the hole again, and put it back together. Works great. A shame that the one-way-bearing was stripped in the crash and I have to wait for a replacement.

Thank you all for the help!
Georges

blacksheep1998

Glad you got it fixed. Did your ESC not come with a ferrite ring already installed? I have the Align BL-35G that came with my 450SE and it already had a ferrite ring on the throttle/esc lead.

Pete

Georges Payne

Nope, there was no ferrite ring with the ESC. I could blame them for selling an ESC that is renowned for its glitches with no toroid or not even a warning, but then I could blame myself for attempting to fly a model without being sure that it was safe to do so.

Nobody died, lesson learned, case closed.
Georges