EVP/Animal Setup
09-26-2005, 11:45 AM
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EVP/Animal Setup
Hello,
Let me share with you my experiences with the Nikitis Animal EVP setup. First of all let me tell you it is an amazing airplane/power/variable prop combination. But you must take some time to find the appropriate setting. I hope this following info can save you time and some extra dollars.
The prop servo I use is Hitec 56HS. It has 1oz over Hitec 55 servo, but also has a Karbonite gear train which is a little stronger than nylon(white) ones. Just assembly the EVP (sell by hobbylobby as Animal kit too) per instruction included; even though I replaced the metal washer by a nylon type. I will explain it later.
The trick to avoid strip the servo gear is the radio program. As you must know, you need a transmitter with dual airplane/helicopter capability. The original program described on EVP manual works, but it destroys your servo gear in three or more flights; the reason is: drastically pitch change from normal mode flight to stun or Idle up mode and vise versa.
First, set all the EVP, Servo and Transmitter EPA or ATV per your manual. IMPORTANT is: at 90 degrees between servo arm and carbon pushrod, the pushrod must be align parallel to motor axe (at 50% transmitter throttle stick). Once you get the setup as your EVP manual says, I recommend following the next steps:
1.- Remake the transmitter program per next table:
Following is a table with the program I made (based in my flight way and a 5 Point Curves)
Point 1 Point 2 Point 3 Point 4 Point 5
Thro. Norm. 0 15 30 65 100
Pitch Norm 49 65 84 100 100
Thro Stunt 100 44 20 60 100
Pich Stunt 0 19 69 100 100
With this setup, you will take off at flight at normal mode and you can make a standard aerobatic flight. Then you flip the switch to Idle up or Stunt mode and you will continue flying without any problem. With the original program suggested by the EVP manual, the prop will enter in reverse pitch drastically at switch flip, it obligate you to make a rapid movement of throttle stick to get a positive pitch and enough motor power to keep the airplane flying. This last makes the servo to change the pitch twice from positive to negative very fast and it is hard to be handling by the servo gears.
2.- Right Full Pitch. OK, now you need to find the right pitch/motor power setting. The best way is operating the motor “VERY CAREFULLYâ€. TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY INTEGRITY, “PLEASEâ€. The other thing is you need to make this steep as fast as you can because the motor and battery get so hot capable of melting the plastic firewall and destroy the battery. Just try four times 3 seconds each and leave the system to cool down by a 20 seconds or more.
You must accelerate the engine at normal mode. IF the motor and model start to vibrate, get back the throttle immediately. Then, increase the ATV or EPA at the POSITIVE side of your Pitch channel; try again until the motor do not vibrate. If you put too much pitch, the engine appears to reach high RPM but then start to decrease RPM, it means too much pitch. Then at 50% throttle stick, flip the flight switch to idle up or Stunt Flight mode, a little power change can be felling and it is ok. Then get back the throttle stick to negative pitch, you will get the same effect as before at positive pitch. IF the motor and model start to vibrate, get back the throttle to 50% immediately, flip the flight switch to normal and stop the motor. Then, increase the ATV or EPA at the NEGATIVE side of your Pitch channel, Repeat again until the motor do not vibrate at negative Pitch. If you put too much pitch, the engine appears to reach high RPM but then start to reduce RPM, it means to much negative pitch.
To much CAREFULL you must have to make the pitch ATV setting because you are playing with the motor full energized. Normally the modern transmitter has the LOCK function which keeps the motor position on hold while you make the program adjustment. If your radio does not have it, I recommend to disconnect the airplane battery in order on avoid any motor start in dangerous situations.
Much of this adjustment is based on my experience with Helicopter and Variable Props used in Pattern RC.
Using this setting, my Animal has about 50 flight of full enjoyment, plenty of the inverted torque rolls with same servo and EVP parts. About the EVP offered with the Animal, the only thing I recommend is to change the metal washer by a nylon one. The reason is during a extended reverse pitch the soft plastic spinner and the plastic pitch slider are separate by the metal washer and get too hot to melt both parts.
If you need any extra question about the EVP setup or the Nikitis Animal, will be a pleasure to answer it. Any way let me advise that Hobbylobby and Nikitis customer service are very good.
Regards,
Ricardo.
Let me share with you my experiences with the Nikitis Animal EVP setup. First of all let me tell you it is an amazing airplane/power/variable prop combination. But you must take some time to find the appropriate setting. I hope this following info can save you time and some extra dollars.
The prop servo I use is Hitec 56HS. It has 1oz over Hitec 55 servo, but also has a Karbonite gear train which is a little stronger than nylon(white) ones. Just assembly the EVP (sell by hobbylobby as Animal kit too) per instruction included; even though I replaced the metal washer by a nylon type. I will explain it later.
The trick to avoid strip the servo gear is the radio program. As you must know, you need a transmitter with dual airplane/helicopter capability. The original program described on EVP manual works, but it destroys your servo gear in three or more flights; the reason is: drastically pitch change from normal mode flight to stun or Idle up mode and vise versa.
First, set all the EVP, Servo and Transmitter EPA or ATV per your manual. IMPORTANT is: at 90 degrees between servo arm and carbon pushrod, the pushrod must be align parallel to motor axe (at 50% transmitter throttle stick). Once you get the setup as your EVP manual says, I recommend following the next steps:
1.- Remake the transmitter program per next table:
Following is a table with the program I made (based in my flight way and a 5 Point Curves)
Point 1 Point 2 Point 3 Point 4 Point 5
Thro. Norm. 0 15 30 65 100
Pitch Norm 49 65 84 100 100
Thro Stunt 100 44 20 60 100
Pich Stunt 0 19 69 100 100
With this setup, you will take off at flight at normal mode and you can make a standard aerobatic flight. Then you flip the switch to Idle up or Stunt mode and you will continue flying without any problem. With the original program suggested by the EVP manual, the prop will enter in reverse pitch drastically at switch flip, it obligate you to make a rapid movement of throttle stick to get a positive pitch and enough motor power to keep the airplane flying. This last makes the servo to change the pitch twice from positive to negative very fast and it is hard to be handling by the servo gears.
2.- Right Full Pitch. OK, now you need to find the right pitch/motor power setting. The best way is operating the motor “VERY CAREFULLYâ€. TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY INTEGRITY, “PLEASEâ€. The other thing is you need to make this steep as fast as you can because the motor and battery get so hot capable of melting the plastic firewall and destroy the battery. Just try four times 3 seconds each and leave the system to cool down by a 20 seconds or more.
You must accelerate the engine at normal mode. IF the motor and model start to vibrate, get back the throttle immediately. Then, increase the ATV or EPA at the POSITIVE side of your Pitch channel; try again until the motor do not vibrate. If you put too much pitch, the engine appears to reach high RPM but then start to decrease RPM, it means too much pitch. Then at 50% throttle stick, flip the flight switch to idle up or Stunt Flight mode, a little power change can be felling and it is ok. Then get back the throttle stick to negative pitch, you will get the same effect as before at positive pitch. IF the motor and model start to vibrate, get back the throttle to 50% immediately, flip the flight switch to normal and stop the motor. Then, increase the ATV or EPA at the NEGATIVE side of your Pitch channel, Repeat again until the motor do not vibrate at negative Pitch. If you put too much pitch, the engine appears to reach high RPM but then start to reduce RPM, it means to much negative pitch.
To much CAREFULL you must have to make the pitch ATV setting because you are playing with the motor full energized. Normally the modern transmitter has the LOCK function which keeps the motor position on hold while you make the program adjustment. If your radio does not have it, I recommend to disconnect the airplane battery in order on avoid any motor start in dangerous situations.
Much of this adjustment is based on my experience with Helicopter and Variable Props used in Pattern RC.
Using this setting, my Animal has about 50 flight of full enjoyment, plenty of the inverted torque rolls with same servo and EVP parts. About the EVP offered with the Animal, the only thing I recommend is to change the metal washer by a nylon one. The reason is during a extended reverse pitch the soft plastic spinner and the plastic pitch slider are separate by the metal washer and get too hot to melt both parts.
If you need any extra question about the EVP setup or the Nikitis Animal, will be a pleasure to answer it. Any way let me advise that Hobbylobby and Nikitis customer service are very good.
Regards,
Ricardo.
10-06-2005, 09:55 PM
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RE: EVP/Animal Setup
hey, i'm looking into evp, but mostly everything I have read so far is negative, for both the evp and ikarus, do you have any video's of your setup? Everyone says the HL evp is flimsy and cheap, and vibrates, but now it sounds like they just weren't set up right, and were beat on alot... anywho, post a vid if you have one, Thanks 
10-07-2005, 07:39 AM
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RE: EVP/Animal Setup
Hello emnm79,
I posted my report because I read many articles about the Variable Prop problems. But based on other electric tips about RPM/Current/Torque and my heli experience I reached a good setting for my EVP. Again, it is my particular setup for my particular flight way.
The plane has now 1:30 hours of flight with same EVP components, except the prop servo which train gears were changed 3 times, two looking the right setup an one during a EVP malfunction (corrected with two nylon washer and described on my article).
But let me tell you that it system works very well, and I make a lot of inverted torque rolls with enjoyable feelings. If I go today to the field and find someone to take the video, I will post it today.
Get the complete system and I will help you to put everything working. It is important to have the right plane and component because of the weight. The Prop servo I use is Hitec 56HS with Karbonite gear set
Over RPM = Vibration
Motor and Battery heat = Too much prop pitch
Regards......
I posted my report because I read many articles about the Variable Prop problems. But based on other electric tips about RPM/Current/Torque and my heli experience I reached a good setting for my EVP. Again, it is my particular setup for my particular flight way.
The plane has now 1:30 hours of flight with same EVP components, except the prop servo which train gears were changed 3 times, two looking the right setup an one during a EVP malfunction (corrected with two nylon washer and described on my article).
But let me tell you that it system works very well, and I make a lot of inverted torque rolls with enjoyable feelings. If I go today to the field and find someone to take the video, I will post it today.
Get the complete system and I will help you to put everything working. It is important to have the right plane and component because of the weight. The Prop servo I use is Hitec 56HS with Karbonite gear set
Over RPM = Vibration
Motor and Battery heat = Too much prop pitch
Regards......
10-16-2005, 10:52 AM
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RE: EVP/Animal Setup
Hi, I'm new to all this (first computer radio) and never flew a heli before .. Does anyone know how to set-up my tx for the animal ( hites optic 6).. It asks for swash plate type? Any help would be appreciated...[
]
Thanks
]Thanks
10-16-2005, 11:48 AM
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RE: EVP/Animal Setup
Cosmic.
Swash Plate: norm
Just follow the manual and you will be on the right way. It seems complex at the beginning, but not. Just make your first 2 or 4 flights in normal mode (no negative pitch at all ) in order to set the EPA (full servo travel in each direction), dual rates asd exponential. Use low dual rates (low travels) on first flight until you know your plane capabilities.
If you still have doubts, please do not hesitate of contact me or this forum again, OK ?
Rick.
Swash Plate: norm
Just follow the manual and you will be on the right way. It seems complex at the beginning, but not. Just make your first 2 or 4 flights in normal mode (no negative pitch at all ) in order to set the EPA (full servo travel in each direction), dual rates asd exponential. Use low dual rates (low travels) on first flight until you know your plane capabilities.
If you still have doubts, please do not hesitate of contact me or this forum again, OK ?
Rick.
10-19-2005, 08:08 PM
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RE: EVP/Animal Setup
Hello Ray,
On Hitec Tx (I have the Eclipse with Electron 6 Ch Rx) at Heli program you can not program two aileron servos. Just need a little Y lead to do the connection. The free channel 5 (gear in airplane configuration) is gyro gain in heli mode. Sorry about this but Optic and Eclipse are cheap radios with few channels. But you will still enjoy with simple aileron control (no flaperons for example)
Pitch servo goes in Channel 6
Regards,
Rick.
On Hitec Tx (I have the Eclipse with Electron 6 Ch Rx) at Heli program you can not program two aileron servos. Just need a little Y lead to do the connection. The free channel 5 (gear in airplane configuration) is gyro gain in heli mode. Sorry about this but Optic and Eclipse are cheap radios with few channels. But you will still enjoy with simple aileron control (no flaperons for example)
Pitch servo goes in Channel 6
Regards,
Rick.
