This may be an ignorant question, BUT do we need fuses on the brushless motors?

Not an ignorant question at all, a rather good one in fact. I would suspect not, the ESC is rated 20 amps, and somehow senses the rotation of the motor, so if the motor was stalled, I don't think the esc would even try to deliver that much, but of course I could be wrong. Does the draw of a BL motor go up in the same way as a brushed motor when it is stalled? I dunno, but I'll bet someone does...
Why don't you try it?
In any event, if the esc is rated 20 amps, then a 20 amp fuse should be enough to protect it, so if you use a 10 amp fuse, stall the motor while giving it throttle, if the fuse blows nothing will be harmed and we will know the answer, or at least part of it.

Oh, and I've managed to crash twice since the mod, dead-chickened for about 1 or 2 seconds both times because I was in idle-up and forgot to hit throttle-hold. I'm sure it would have fried a 3-in-1 but the ESCs obviously survived fine.

Jellyson

Did you decide if that new head is worth it yet?

Which skids did you order?

Worth it? Sheesh, I dunno. I spent the money, so of course i'll try to justify it.
It handles differently. Smoother. There is a strange severe vibration as I pass thru zero pitch in idle-up, I don't know if it is the head or what, still experimenting.
I don't like the method for holding it on the shaft. Instead of using a shear pin, it uses two tiny little setscrews that are supposed to clamp down on the shaft at the pin hole. The screws work loose even with a bit of Tamiya threadlocker, I'm afraid to use anything stronger because they are so small. This is definitely a check-before-each-flight item.
I like it, I need to tune it, it looks nice, the damping seems a bit stiff, it feels different. I may have to figure out how to adjust the Bell-Hiller mix, probably by modifying the mixer arms to accept a link ball in a different location if that is possible.

SuperSkids V.3, as Choppersrule/Dave suggested. Hopefully Monday or Tuesday, or who knows when. Sorry I don't have the link in front of me, I'll try to find it.

Just ordered the super-skids..

I have been suspect of the set screw in place of the shear pin... can you cross drill a shear pin hole perpendicular to the set screws?

Hole is so small, it shouldn't degrade the strength at that point...

By the way, on the plastic head, where you using a paper clip or the stock steel shear pins.

that's a good idea, maybe I'll try it, I'm worried about burrs though, the fit of the hub on the shaft is pretty precise and if the shear pin does its usual thing it will make a little burr on the shaft at the hole and I'm worried about scoring the inside of the hub. With the plastic hub it isn't an issue, the fit is a lot sloppier to begin with. I may do an external retaining collar and slot the hub so it will squeeze onto the shaft. I want to preserve the ability to shear around if the head hits something.

I've always used the stock pins, haven't tried the paper clip. May have to with this one, just put the clip thru the screw holes and the shaft hole, since the clip is softer it might not leave a burr when it shears.

How does the TREX/MX400 head attach...

Maybe you can steal their idea.

I do know that the shaft on the 400 size heli's has a larger diameter, and maybe that is the problem we will just have on the cp pro...

The micro heli cnc main frame for the cp looks very cool... Just to expensive!

What if you ground an ever so small flat spot on the shaft on each side where the set screws hold onto it.

Jellyson,

Sweet lookin' pics. What type servos are those, I can see the gears through the servo case.

Also, see ya' got the old MX in the background too. Almost got one, it was between the MX 450 Pro and the T-Rex 450, got the T-Rex 450, cuz helidirect had a combo special with the DX sprectrum system and was somewhat less expensive than the Mx.

Take care pal,
Dave / Choppersrule

Yeah I thought of that--my MX400Pro has a 2mm screw thru the hub and shaft, and the hub is slotted so it will compress a bit when the screw is tightened down. I replaced the stock bogus panhead screw it came with with a grade 5 socket head cap screw and elastic locknut. The MX400 has a one-way bearing and an autorotation collar on the bottom of the shaft and that's where it will shear in a crash, another bogus screw thru there.
Cant use that idea on the bcpp, the shaft is too small.

On the MicroHeli lower head that I put on my CX it had the same tiny setscrews, I took them out and used the stock Philips screws that held the old plastic head on. They fit and are easier to work with, I may try to use a pair of the same screws here.

Hey Dave those are the stock s75s, a freak of the flash made them transparent. Cool, huh? I wish it really looked like that. But with the new MH head I can really feel the slop in these servos, out they go, HS55s on the way. Blue transparent cases!

I just got bigger balls! I mean that I replaced most all the MX400 aluminum link balls with the Align stainless steel balls, they are just sufficiently bigger enough to remove all play in the linkages without binding. It has made an unbelievable difference in the handling of the MX400Pro. I just hovered off a whole 2250 mAh pack--right here in my little living room, climbing and swooping like I do with the Blade CPPro. It is really stable yet instantly responsive with no slop. Mechanical ccpm! I can't wait to get it outside.

Now, I have figured out, I think, the handling difference in the MicroHeli head.

First let me say that the stock Bell-Hiller head on my BCPP is tuned to the max, damping is tight, it is extremely smooth, the helicopter is stable and responsive with it, climbs out well. I'm no 3der but I imagine that this stock head (with the EFlite aluminum swash with big Align servo link balls but no other mods) is working about as well as the stock head can work.

The MH head is better. It handles better. At first I didn't think so. But now that I have it tuned up and with a better pitch curve, it is better. The Bell-Hiller mix ratio is different than the stock head. With the stock head, it's like reverse expo or something, the cyclic is verrry sensitive right at center stick, you get most of the responsiveness with tiny deflections, and the response tapers off as you move the stick more toward the stops.
With the MH head, I was actually able to watch the flybar control the rotor disk, and if I deflected aileron, say, 15 degrees, the rotor disc tilted 15 degrees. Elevator the same way, the response of the helicopter rotor disc seemed to exactly follow the amount of stick deflection. Really neat. It makes the controls seem a lot more sensible somehow. And of course you get full responsiveness, it just happens at a more logical place--near the ends of the stick travel rather than just off-center.
I'm exaggerating for effect of course, the difference isn't that great, it took me several packs to figure it out. Definitely better though.

The only programming change I made was a calmer idle-up pitch curve. I'm still using no expo and 100% travel on the cyclic controls, just like with the stock head.
I tried expo before when I first started flying this heli, and used it for a few days until I found I could calm down enough to fly without it in spite of the "twitchyness". Now I think it would be bad, with this head you really don't need it.

And some data:
Flying weight 408 grams, a 1320 mAh 13C battery and the Hacker 4900kV brushless main, the GWS DD tail.
Idle-up flight mode, heavy swooping, as much cyclic workout as I could manage in my pad, gyro/tail stress testing.
Start: 1753
End: 1808
that's 15 minutes. So I don't think the brushless main/DD tail reduces the flight time very much. I was glad when the battery ran out, I needed a shower and a beverage.

I thought I would add that if you want the G90 Gyro that E-Flite recommends for 90$, you could probably just use the Falcon 3D gyro, 52$, or the Raptor G2 Z400's gyrok, 50$. I think Im just gonna hook one of these up to my BCPP when it comes back friday, I finally sent it in so that they can either replace it, or figure what the heck is wrong with it.

Alex

alex k

I bought the telebee/zoom HH for 50.00 shipped off ebay and it works great.

It seems like the align/telebee/zoom HH are all the same gyro from what everyone says and the performance we are all getting, different sticker on front....

Great for cp's since it will NOT drive a digital servo for a tail rotor....

Yeah but do they have the cool little blue light? That's the most important thing...
I know the Align does...

Alex what was wrong with your BCPP?

Robmoney,

For what it's worth, I've been using paper clips on the plastic heads for several months, also, I have the 7.5 amp fuse on the main motor. Between the two, one backing up the other, I think it would be extremely difficult to fry a 4n1. Also, with the paper clip trick, I've never busted a main rotor or blade grips either, the paper clip snaps and saves it all. You may have seen my earlier post with picture of a pair of busted carbon fiber blade, paper clip snapped and nothing else damaged.

Dave / Choppersrule

choppersrule

So do you just cut a straight piece and use it like the shear pin or do you cut it longer and wrap it a bit around the hub?

Robmoney,

Pictures worth a bunch of words. Get paper clip, the small one. Straighten out, make it about an 1 1/2 long, easier to handle, trim later.
Use needle nose plies and make a 90 degree bend, of about 1/4 inch. Looks like an "L". Snip the long end at about a 45 degee angle, riight at the end of it. This makes it easier to put it throught the rotor and shaft. Push through assembly, hold on side with bend. Take pliers and bend down other side. Cut to length, about 1/4 inch on each side. There will be a tad bit more play. IE: hold the main gear and move the rotor, it will move more than with a shear pin, however, I've been doing this for months and has never caused a problem, it saves parts.

Dave / Choppersrule
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I flew 3 pacts today. I was having so much fun; I finally got past the "holy crap I'm going to crash" phase. Man!!! I never knew flying a heli could be so much fun. Now that I'm not nervous I can so a lot more.

I've started to fly side in. It's not as hard as I thought but I bet nose in will be hard.

I LOVE my BCPP!!!

~Justin~

I have a big paper clip that is the same dia. as the shear pins, think this would defeat the purpose?

YES THE ZOOM HH HAS THE BLUE LED!!!!!!!! I am telling ya, it's the exact same unit as all the others.....

Robmoney,

Bigger paper clip, I don't think it would defeat the purpose at all. The paper clips are made of much softer metal than the Stock pins. I think this is why it works so well. Just like a chain, only as strong as it's weakest link. IMO, that's were I want it weak.

Dave / Choppersrule

Dave

I'll make a couple and start using them.. Never know what it will save..

Did you notice any flight difference with the cnc swash?

Commander_Bob,

Congrats on having so much fun and getting by the holy crap phase. This is what I like to call, everything is just clicking in/together. Now your brain and fingers are working together. Just a warning from an expert crasher, still take it a little slow. One step at a time, practice the side in, left and right, until you are REAL comfortable with each. Then try nose in, and yes, it's a mind blower. Total disorientation.. Stay close to the ground and get ready to cut the throttle.

Good luck and keep havin' fun, that's what it's all about,

Dave / Choppersrule
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Robmoney,

Everything seems the same, no difference in the cnc swash at all.

Love the helis, take care guy,

Dave / Choppersrule
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CHOPPERSRULE. SINCE YOU CAN NOT NOTICE THE DIFFERENCE IN THE CNC SWASH WILL YOU SELL IT TO ME? U TAKE PAY PAL?