taking an idea from 'the other micro heli forum'...i installed a radio shack 275-624 micromini toggle switch on my hbk2...i soldered the switch into the hot (red) lead between the esc and battery...now i can walk out to the flight line, turn on the transmitter, flip the switch up, and fly...after i land, i flip the switch down, turn off the transmitter, and walk back to the pits...i think it is a worthwhile mod...btw, the switch is rated at 3 amps @ 125vac, which equals 30 amps @ 12vdc...i use a cc phoenix 25 esc...i've already experienced total electrical failure on my logo10, so i'm not overly paranoid about a switch failure...ken

CAUTION....CHECK POST #11 FOR LATEST SWITCH (Radio Shack 275-712)...The first switch I tried might not have sufficient current-carrying capacity.

I've been considering the same thing on my Belt, but hadn't done the research to find a switch...

I'm going to plagerize your idea and get one mounted on my bird.....

Can you consider VAC and VDC similarly? I thought there was something about considering amperage for AC and DC which was different.... Maybe I'm just going goofy...

No, actually 3 amps @ 125VAC does NOT equal 30 amps @ 12 vdc. You're thinking of power dissipation, but switches don't dissipate power, they either transmit (switch closed) or block (switch open) it.

3 amps means the switch can handle 3 amps when the switch is closed. Period.

The 125VAC means it can BLOCK 125V without arcing when the switch is open.

The two values stand on their own, you can't trade off one for the other like you can with something like a resistor which dissipates power.

wow! thanks for the explanation...i guess with a 3 amp weak link in my power setup, i'm living on borrowed time...so far, however, it seems to work just fine...maybe i should look for a 30 amp switch?...lol...btw, the package for the radioshack 275-624 toggle switch says, 'rated 3a at 125vac or 1a at 250vac'... ken

I've thought of doing the same thing myself, especially for when i put my airwolf fuselage on.

I would definitely suggest at least a 25 amp switch.

You have a little leeway due to things like temperature (most consumer products are rated up to 70 deg C) and the fact that you're not actually pulling the max load all the time, but being off by nearly a factor of 10 I'd say you're pushing your luck pretty hard

I have to admit I don't know why they would say that. I hope it doesn't mean I'm completely off base but I think I'm right.

hi druss...not having to remove the canopy really increases the fun factor...but if grd2 is correct, i'm flying with a max 3amps going to my esc!...if my switch (fuse) blows, it'll get awfully quiet up there...when my bigger birds fall from the sky, they go 'whump'...the hbk2 makes a little crackling sound...lol...ken

You might check out automotive switches, since many will be made to work with DC, specifically 12V. Head over to Napa Auto Parts, AutoZone, or other local shop.

Even Radio Shack does have some high-amperage rated switches. Not sure about the size, as it says uses a 7/16" hole, but this Lighted SPST Rocker Switch is only $3.99 and rated to 30A.

thanks for the info...i'll stop by radio shack and check it out...7/16" might work - otherwise i can use my trusty 'goop'...ken

thanks for your suggestion to check out automotive switches at radio shack...i bought the #275-712 automotive illuminated rocker switch, spst contacts, rated at 30a @ 12vdc...here's the switch installed on my hbk2...

nice, just as an FYI, many computer stores will also carry those types of switches as psu power supplies also work on 12V and put out lots of amps.

That sounds like a great idea but I still won't be trusting it carrying the bird with the deans connected. Your brave If you bump that switch with the TX off you could get a surprise. So where on the new rocker switch did you connect the hot (red) leads? I'm going to pick some switches up tomorrow. Thanks for sharing man.

hi xo...you're right about the hazard of a connected pack...the rocker switch is spst, and has 3 copper blade terminals (ground, load, and power)...i just cut the red lead from the esc to the male deans and soldered the ends to the load and power terminals...the illumination doesn't work that way, but the switch completes the circuit between the 3s lipo and the esc...i used my multimeter continuity tester to verify that up was 'go fly', and down was 'safe'...ken

OK, great!

It will be nice being able to hit that switch after connecting the battery with canopy already on when hands are clear from the rotor area. And again as a kill switch before sticking both hands into the rotor area messing with the canopy and deans after landing the heli. Thanks so much Ken. Steve

I have been toying with the idea of using the 5th channel to trip a relay, making the on off of the heli remote. that way you can turn on the transmitter, and then from a distance you can hit the gyro switch, and power on the heli. just so long as you don't accidentally hit that switch in flight, that would suck. still I might have to do that. just as something to try.

this is what i'd love to use but it's only good for 20amps... damn

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/58...html?tl=g4c153

look here. I think you'll find what you want.

http://www.autozone.com/N,100374/sho...iesResults.htm

If you do that, you'll need separate power to the receiver.

But the point is to have the power completely off until you're ready so you don't have an accidental throttle up from bumping the radio, glitches etc. If you control the "power switch" from the radio then you haven't eliminated this possibility and IMO defeated the purpose of having the power off. What you're proposing isn't really any better than using the throttle hold switch.

If you have an extra channel you want to use for something, try using it to switch lights on and off or retractable gear or something

Quote:this is what i'd love to use but it's only good for 20amps... damn

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/58...html?tl=g4c153



that link looked familiar...i got my copper heatsinks and thermal paste from them...ken

I don't have a throttle hold swithc as I am still using the stock radio. and my reasoning for it is just for the ooh wow factor of remote power up, and yeah you would have to have another source of power to the reciever but the stock reciever has a battery hook up, and then only the servos would have power, not the motor as it runs of the ESC that wouldn't have power until you hit the switch. so it wouldn't be possible to spin up without hitting the switch. and even then you can't hit the switch until the power is on to the transmitter, which you could do from a distance. if there is something I am missing that makes me wrong here tell me, but the throttle hold switch still has power going through thte esc straight to the motor. so it would still be safer thatn throttle hold.

RX should never be on when TX is off. Always turn TX on first and off last.

You're just moving the point at which the power is interrupted to a different point in the circuit. You're either stopping power at the ESC by the throttle hold, or before the ESC by another switch. What makes one "safer" than the other? The bottom line is that it's still controlled by the RX which is susceptible to interference and enabled by a switch which can be bumped


As for "wow" factor, you won't even be able to see anything happen, I think my other suggestions have more wow factor than a "remote main power" switch

But what the heck, throttle hold isn't a bad thing to have, and if you don't have it maybe adding this switch isn't such a bad idea. I'm surprised the radio doesn't have it.

I see what your saying now. and I guess your right. I wasn't exactly picturing the whole circuit in my head. and I was leaving that step out, also I wasn't exactly clear on how a TH switch worked, cool. Thanks. I appreciate you edumacating me.

I got a few of the switches at Radio Shack today. I figured it would take me 20 or 30 minutes or so to install them on each heli. It ended up taking me two hours to tidy it all up. Took it outside to test it out and it works sweet. The only thing is my Li-Po alarm wires are still connected whenever the battery is, but that's no biggie since there is no power to the RX until I toggle the switch. The switch weighs next to nothing and for $3 a pop, a nice safety feature. After landing I just hit the switch before messing with the canopy and deans. Here's some pics of it mounted. Thanks again Ken.

very clean installation...i flew my hbk2 in 20mph winds today, and the guys were impressed with the stability (nothing to do with the switch -- just a good pilot, and nice headspeed on idle1...lol)...btw, i'm looking at the gaui hurricane 200 from readyheli...the guys know me -- if i start looking at something, the 'add to cart' button is not too far away...ken