Setting my Idle up...Help!
 

I have a magnum XL.91 four stroke and I can't seem to figure out how to set my idle up properly on my Spektrum DX7 radio. My throttle opens and closes fully but does not have any idle when I try to increase or decrease it while the engine is running...what setting feature on my radio do I use to fix this?

RE: Setting my Idle up...Help!
 

Your throttle end points.

RE: Setting my Idle up...Help!
 

I am still fairly new to the whole build/plane setup electronics, so don't mind me asking what would be the throttle end points you are talking about. Would it have to do with my throttle cable setup?

RE: Setting my Idle up...Help!
 

I am not familiar with the spektrum line of radios but I am sure the manual talks about end points. It is simply the point your servo will travel to from center. If your radio is on and rx is powered up then your servo's should be centered (all but your throttle which will be where ever your stick sits). Endpoint is the end of the servo's travel in one direction. You can set both endpoints. Lower endpoint will be for idle and upper is for WOT. You don't want WOT at 1/2 stick or visa versa. Try to make your throttle move with each click of the stick until you have reached a good idle and top end. I am not the best at describing this but try like heck. Hope it helped.

Kevin

RE: Setting my Idle up...Help!
 

He's talking about settings on the Transmitter. Not on your airplane. You can adjust the amount of servo throw on you transmitter for all servos. Idle up is normally used on Helicopters, not on airplanes.

RE: Setting my Idle up...Help!
 

Here's an easy way to do it. Use a "cable in a tube" linkgae w/ clevis on the throttle arm and EZ connector on the servo end. Pull the throttle barrel all the way shut, and move the throttle servo to the full closed position w/ the trim all the way closed. Then adjust end point to allow full open and closed. Then using the trim adjust barrel position so that you can just see an opening. Then give it a few clicks of throttle stick to start it and adjust the idle you want by using the trin lever. Works like a charm and you can do it in about the length of time it takes to read this.
Al

RE: Setting my Idle up...Help!
 

Here's an easy way to do it. Use a "cable in a tube" linkgae w/ clevis on the throttle arm and EZ connector on the servo end. Pull the throttle barrel all the way shut, and move the throttle servo to the full closed position w/ the trim all the way closed. Then adjust end point to allow full open and closed. Then using the trim adjust barrel position so that you can just see an opening. Then give it a few clicks of throttle stick to start it and adjust the idle you want by using the trin lever. Works like a charm and you can do it in about the length of time it takes to read this.
Al

RE: Setting my Idle up...Help!
 

Mobyal that is the exact setup I have in my plane. Will take your advice on setting the trim all the way to the low position. I think when I first set it up I left my trim at the half position which it was factory set that way. I will redo it and see what happens, if not I was told to look at possibly adjusting my low speed needle valve to have it run better at about 1/4 throttle or so.

Thanks for the tip

RE: Setting my Idle up...Help!
 

Brrzee
Sorry for the double post!
Before you go messing w/ the needles, give the simple way a try. Most of the low speed needles are set pretty well @ the factory, at least for the climate we have here in the Southeast, but you won't really know whether it's set all right until you get the linkage correct. Once the lingkage is set, if you have trouble in the transition from low speed to high, then you can fiddle around w/ the needle(s). (If I have a problem w/ transition I always start w/ the high speed needle and get that set correctly; most of the time that'll solve any problems I have.) I mess w/ the low end only as a last resort.
Best of luck and let us know how you make out.
Al

RE: Setting my Idle up...Help!
 

One of the beauties of using comp radios is being able to set things up electronically and not so much mechanical tinkering. I would suggest taking the time to read the manual and setting the end points before adjusting the low end needle.

I don't have the DX7 but most radios use ATV and then select channel 3 for the throttle.

Good luck.