Tech-Aero Regulators
 

Does anyone know the difference in weight between the Tech-Aero PLR5 and the PLR5-DR2? I'm debating on switching to redundant power if Ihave enough room for weight.

Thanks,
Scott

RE: Tech-Aero Regulators
 

Scott,

It is less than 1 oz. The only thing doubled is the regulator. It uses the same switch harness and such.

Arch

RE: Tech-Aero Regulators
 

Thanks Arch.  I have enough room for the 1 oz and an extra battery.  I think this is the way to go.

Thanks man

RE: Tech-Aero Regulators
 

I use 2 PLR5-e's. Can appreciate having a switch on the battery power if you want, but since current draw is next to nothing when plane is idle, not much loss while you (un) secure canopy.

Lightest way to get redundant power and reduces failure points.

RE: Tech-Aero Regulators
 

Thanks Joe.  That's an EXCELLENT idea.  I'll use two PLR-5e in my backup (since the switch is mounted on the inside) and the DR2 for the primary (switch already on the outside).  Don't want a hole in the side of my bird ;)

Scott

RE: Tech-Aero Regulators
 

So, with the PLR-5e, do you disconnect the battery from the receiver after every flight, since there is no switch?

RE: Tech-Aero Regulators
 

What individual battery capacity are you guys using with the redundant setup?

RE: Tech-Aero Regulators
 

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I'm using a 2S-350 LiPo for my backup battery, and drawing 2 cells off my 10S-5000 LiPo motor battery thru the balance plug for the main radio power.
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No switches, just plug everything in each flight since I'm taking the canopy off to plug in the batts anyway . . . two less components to fail or carry around.
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My planes lost 44 grams going to this setup vs. carrying a separate receiver battery and one power source.
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RE: Tech-Aero Regulators
 

I am running the same setup at Keith and are seeing virtually identical numbers. Definitely worth another 1 1/2 oz for the redundancy,

Arch

RE: Tech-Aero Regulators
 

I use two 450mah packs with two independent PLR5e regulators. I plug/unplug my Rx batteries before/after each flight when I plug in my power packs.

This setup came as a recommendation from Ed at Tech-Aero for the lightest possible setup (using 2 rx batteries).

I don't think I use half the capacity of my Rx batteries in a weekend of flying.

RE: Tech-Aero Regulators
 

I too use the Tech-Aero set up with two 360 Rhinos. It occured to me that I might just draw from the two flight batts via the balance taps tapping into 2 cells thus eliminating the Rhinos, their weight and charging. Why not?

Pros and cons please....

Thanks,

RC

RE: Tech-Aero Regulators
 

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http://nsrca.us/forum/index.php?topic=167.0
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I have well over 100 flights between two airplanes. Works great. Imagine never charging a receiver battery again (only your backup once a month) . . .
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Just don't try to run two regulators off the same motor pack, they will have a common ground and the magic smoke will escape. You want a completely separate backup system, both electrically and physically. . .
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RE: Tech-Aero Regulators
 

Thanks Keith for the pointer. I suspected using only the motor batteries amounted to having a single-point-of-failure condition - but I had not thought about the "battery ejection" scenario! And the "common ground" issue did not resonate either. I really like the idea of having a small mah 2s to backup a 2-cell tap off the motor batteries. And thanks Arch for providing a 2nd opinion vote of confidence for this method!

RE: Tech-Aero Regulators
 

What is wrong with a common ground? Seems like you have a common ground as soon as you connect each regulator to the receiver.

Jim

RE: Tech-Aero Regulators
 

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My original thought was to plug one regulator into one 5S pack (tapping off two cells), and the other regulator into the other 5S pack (tapping two cells off that pack as well) for redundancy.
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The problem is that with the two 5S packs connected in series to run the motor, the regulator's ground wires are now at different voltages from the motor battery packs. Say that you tap off cells 1&2 for the first regulator then 6&7 (first two cells of the second 5S pack) for the other regulator. You now have a 5S voltage differential (21 volts) between the two regulators ground wires that are now connected at your receiver's power bus. The negative side of the regulators aren't isolated, they're straight thru, so something has to give.
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Hope my explanation makes sense. . . If you read down the NSRCA thread, John Gayer already did the te$ting for us . . . .
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RE: Tech-Aero Regulators
 

Very clear. I could have told you that wouldn't work.

I'm not wild about using the bottom two cells of the motor battery. The ESC designers went to a lot of trouble to optically isolate the high voltage section from the receiver. There is high current flowing in those two cells and it has what electronics guys call an AC component when it is at throttle positions less than 100%. Since current to the regulator is flowing in this same circuit the AC gets coupled into the input of the regulator. If the regulator filters this before it gets to the output and into the receiver you are okay but I'd be careful. I'll try to build one up and see what I can see.

Jim

RE: Tech-Aero Regulators
 

Idon't really recommend this 5S / 2S configuration, but I have explained to some how it can be done. The output from the regulators is clean enough, no big concerns about AC components and what not, but if you don't wire this exactly right, you can smoke your receiver, regulators, wiring etc. If you know exactly what you're doing, fine. Otherwise, use a 2nd little LiPo please as gaRCfield is doing.

RE: Tech-Aero Regulators
 

Just bought the PLR5-1. I like be able to shut the airplane off via a switch. I will be running 2 of these for redundancy in my new plane. Did not need the charge lead since I charge my batteries through the balance tabs. Was thinking about the power box digi switch, but after talking to Ed, I was sold on Aero-tech. Keep up the good work Ed

RE: Tech-Aero Regulators
 

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I just told the regulator that's connected to the motor battery to "not let any nasty AC components pass ". . .
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RE: Tech-Aero Regulators
 

The common ground I was refering to is a common ground between the receiver side and the battery side in the ESC. In the fully isolated CC ICEHV 80, there is no connection between the receiver and battery sides of the ESC for either power or ground. This allows you to take any two cells from your 10s pack and feed them to a regulator and use a second regulator driven by a small lipo for backup set to a lower voltage.
If you have a ESC without that ground isolation , such as a CC ICE 100 with a BEC, then using the motor battery is possible but you must use the lowest two cells in the overall pack(8-10S) This is not a very good idea when you have two balance connectors and other ways to screw up.
Also,there is no good way to use two regulators on the same motor battery without making smoke nor should you want to do that. How many motor batteries have you seen ejected? Happened at the Nats this year.
Another thing- you cannot parallel switching regulators such as the SmartFly this way unless you run a BattShare. Of course that puts you back to a single point of failure. Stick to Jim or Ed's regulators.

Has anyone checked the ripple voltage at the balance plug and at the regulator output? I haven't noticed any issues and my servos have no buzz. I have over 200 flights on a system using a CC HVICE 80, a 350 2S lipo, 2 tech-Aero regulators with separate switches and a connection to the motor battery for the second regulator on the lowest two cells of a balance connector. I feel the two separate switches are very important. I check both lanes for independant operation before each flight. That is difficult to do with a single switch or plugging in connectors. The 350 Lipo will last for weeks without dropping off enough to recharge.

John

RE: Tech-Aero Regulators
 

So what voltage is your 2S lipo maintaining all this time?

RE: Tech-Aero Regulators
 

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If you set your "backup" regulator to a lower output voltage than your main regulator, the 2S LiPo is just along for the ride . . . sittin' there at idle waiting to be a hero.
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I set my main regulator output to 5.9V, and the backup to 5.7V. The 2S-350 is still at 100% after a full day's flying.
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RE: Tech-Aero Regulators
 

About the same as Keith. I'm using 6.0 on main regulator and 5.8 on the backup lipo regulator

RE: Tech-Aero Regulators
 

I personally run both of mine at the same voltage. I don't see the point in just carrying one for the ride. Mine draw equally from both, and the regs are so accurate, I've yet to put more than 10mah more back in one of the packs versus the other.

Arch

RE: Tech-Aero Regulators
 

Arch,
I agree with your philosophy when using two small lipos as you do. You want equal discharge from both to maximize your remaining battery capacity if one were to fail.
Keith and I operate under the same idea but one of our batteries is effectively infinite so we draw power from the motor battery to keep the small backup lipo as charged as possible.
John