Anyone using the new spark elimantor for the 4mm bullet connector? If so what's been your experience?



Thanks,





http://www.espritmodel.com/jeti-afc-...s-4mm-75a.aspx

The spark is the way to know the capacitors are ok, I do not know if that will be usefull.

Regards

According to Castle Creations, 'the spark is your friend'. Check info in link below. I have heard similar information from Jeti about not eliminating the spark by using a resistor to gradually charge the capacitors rather than suddenly (ie spark).

http://www.castlecreations.com/suppo...hoenix_hv.html

Woodie

The spark is your friend is a very interesting statement. I know that the new Futaba speed controller has the anti spark built into the unit. I am wondering if the spark is really your friend or is that just marketing?

As far as I'm aware and I've read in the Web, the spark occurs because the capacitors the ESC filters the input voltage with, have a very low (close to 0 Ohms) resistance. Thus, according to Ohm's law, the current through the input circuit is very high in the first fractions of the second after connecting the battery. This high current causes the spark and melting of the connectors (welding works on the same principle). When we limit the current with a resistor, there is a voltage drop accross it and no the full battery voltage is passed to the ESC. That's why I think Castle recommend placing an 1ohm 5W resistor in the input circuit. If the resistance is any higher, there may be problems with auto-lipo cell detection (please refer to this post). I, however, think that as we mostly use the manual lipo setting for 10S (in case of a 10 S pack), there shouldn't be a problem if using a resistor with higher than 1 ohm resistance.

Some useful links:
http://scriptasylum.com/rc_speed/nospark.html IIRC, there are two 50V capacitors, each 330 uF, in a CC ICE2 HV80, so they form a total of 660uF, 50V capacitor.
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_39..._2/key_/tm.htm
http://www.rc-network.de/forum/showt...litz-vermeiden
http://mgm-compro.com/index.php?cat=...al-information
http://rc.runryder.com/helicopter/t547501p1/


Nickolay

I have 100+ flights on the new Futaba 100A Esc. Connecting a 10S Lipo to the Esc without a spark is the way to go. The Futaba Esc works perfect with the Plettenberg Advance.

Regards,
Henning

Same with YGE-90. Spark eliminated, no problem!

Volkert

One of our club helicopter flyers uses EC5 connectors. They don't seem to get much of a spark when compared with Deans. What is peoples experience with EC5 connectors for 10S batteries?

They are a bit heavy. I prefer using 4mm bullet connectors.

Hehe.. when I first read the title, I was expecting a new development in the Spark airplane design.. LOL

I was too

I only get a small spark with the Anderson Powerpole connectors. The tips of the connectors take the brunt of the spark and load, but the useful contact area is deeper on the connector. I've got 2-3 years on my batteries and connectors, and while you can see deterioration at the tips of the connectors, there is not enough to warrant a new crimp fitting, and the final contact area looks great.

I did used EC5 in my first 2M F3A model, they worked really well, low spark for sure, but I'm sure it was because the plastic covers the conector when it sparks an it feels like the spark is reduced when not.

I use bullets on my Jeti controller and I have not seen any kind of damage on the conectors yet, so I really not concerned at all about the spark.

Castle says the spark is your friend but I'm not so sure.

Not only does it degrade the arming connectors over time (which eventually will fail), it also stresses out the electronic components. Not a good process with microprocessor controlled devices in my opinion. Limiting the capacitor inrush current is a good practice IMHO.

Personally, I use the Emcotec Safety Power Switch. Sparkless and neat.

Cheers,
Jason.

I've not been concerned greatly with arming spark, which in my system would manifest in the arming plug, but I do regularly check the connectors (EC5) and to date (around 250 flights) they've shown no arc degradation. I may be lucky though.

I would think that using something like an anderson or an EC5 with lots of contact area would mean that you'd throw away the connectors for being sloppy from thousands of cycles over a degratation in connector.

Tell us more about the Futaba speed controller. Will the motor start smoothly at idle? Does the brake work? How does it compare to the Spin 99?

Thanks, Jim O

[/quote]

Tell us more about the Futaba speed controller. Will the motor start smoothly at idle? Does the brake work? How does it compare to the Spin 99?

Thanks, Jim O
[/quote]


The Futaba ESC starts up the Advance super smooth. You can adjust the startup power in five different steps. I use the lowest power start up. The break works very well and the transition from break to power during flight is smooth. The ESC just works perfect.
I can’t comment on the Spin99. I have only done some test flight with other people’s planes.

If I were to purchase another ESC I will go for another Futaba ESC. The Futaba ESC is almost half the price of the Spin99.

Regards,
Henning

I decided to try the Spark eliminator from Jeti. I just put it on my plane, and it worked just fine. The ultimate test will be while I am flying it, but I am sure it will be fine. It was weird not to hear the snap when putting the 4mm bullets together. I have heard the snap for five years now, and not hearing it will take some getting use to

Please ,may I ask, which Futaba ESC is this precisely, and where did you get it?
I'm in Europe too, and haven't heard about it in the UK yet.

Futaba MC 9100A ESC
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_10891227/tm.htm
There is no spark when the battery is connected.
I bought it from http://www.ishiimokei.com/ in Japan.

I also have a Schulze 32.80KA which has a really big spark when the battery is connected. If only Jeti had made anti spark connectors in 6mm I would have tried them.

Henning

Thanks for the info. I tried to get more info and saw a discussion that suggests the end points are not programmable. Is that correct? How do you set them and how often? Every flight?

Jim O

Jim, you only set them once. ATV +-100% for Futaba.
I have posted the instruction manual for the Futaba ESC: http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_10...m.htm#11077282

Henning

Jim, you only set them once. ATV +-100% for Futaba.
I have posted the instruction manual for the Futaba ESC: http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_10...m.htm#11077282

Henning

[/quote]

Thanks again. It is not clear if you can turn the brake on and off in the air by changing the low end pulse width. My current Spin 99 setup gives me idle at low stick position (no brake) and "brake" when I switch to a shorter pulse width. In the no brake condition, I do have to jog the stick to get it started initially but once it is started it transitions off of idle very smoothly and the motor never stops. If I have the brake on, lower pulse width at low stick, it is not a smooth transition from off to idle. My YGE does transition from brake to idle very well and it is what I was hoping the Futaba might do too.

I assume with the Futaba programming technique you would get "brake" at low stick position and would need to switch to a higher pulse width to get an idle at low stick. Is that doable? How do you set it up?

Jim O

Flew yesterday with the Spark eliminator and all was well, so if you don't like hearing the snap, I would highly recommend it

Anyone tried this on Castle Controlers ?

Yes, I have a total of 65 flights on two different models with the Jeti Anti-spark connectors on CC Ice2 HV80 controllers without any issues, works great, and the 4mm plugs on my batteries still look like new...