Hi guys, I've aquired a new 36% Aeroworks Edge 540 and am looking for the best engine for it. I sold my 3W 100 T.O.C and need to get a new engine. I'm looking at another 3W 100, a DA 100, or BME 102 for my new plane and want to lean toward the BME simply because of weight. They are the lightest in their class but I don't know how well they run. I've heard that DA's run awesome but want to know if the BME compares in any way. Thanks for your comments.

p.s--what about a ZDZ 120??

KEvIN

At this point in time the only way the BME102 beats the others is simply by weight. B U T.......if you can wait for a short while, the NEW BME 102 EXTREME will be out and hopefully the numbers will be in. The hype is that the new BME102 EXTREME is going to be powerful and LIGHTER yet.

Jeff

If you can't wait. The current BME 102 runs great.

I would wait for the new BME extreme to come out. They have gone to the trouble of designing their own cylinders for the new engine. We'll have to wait and see if it's as strong as the DA and 3W. Also, the new ZDZ-100 is coming out in September. There should be a lot of good motors to choose from. The BME and ZDZ are targeted to be the lightest of the 100cc twins. The ZDZ will be the least expensive. The BME will have the most displacement at 106cc, the ZDZ the smallest at 97cc.

On the Edge, you'll have to use pull-pull for the elevators and rudder if you want to take advantage of the weight savings of either the BME or ZDZ. Otherwise you'll need a couple of pounds of lead in the nose. My AW Edge balances without lead with the old 7lb bare 3W-100 and the servos in the tail. The DA and new lighter 3W will also require nose weight.

I would add that being tail heavy is the norm for all of the current ARFs.
The new Sukhoi by H9 is a beauty -but balance is based on using an engine weighing about 5-6 lbs.
To get it to balance with a 4 lb engine - everything goes forward - ditto for the Aerowerks ARF 540.
As far as power and smoothness and going for quiet-by using a quiet can setup -some of these offerings will cost you $1500 before you get it.
all together.
The cowling on the 540 ARF does not allow for engine fins on top - using a DA100- so you should consider that--I presume you have the ARF ?
You will probably need some surgery -no matter what engine you pick.
For Colorado Springs - I would opt for all the power you can squeeze into the cowl-
Good luck -and don't buy any pigs- in- a -poke .

I have the builders kit and will start building it soon. Is there anyway I can just take weight out of the tail to accomodate for the lighter engines??

Thanks for all of you guys help!

KEvIN

The BME is a good engine, as a matter of fact, they are all good engines.
The ZDZ 80 single is as powerfull as any of these at a much lower price.
As for making the tail lighter, make sure you install a single large servo in a pull/pull fashion on Rudder and as far forward as you can. Also if its a removable stabs, you can make them permanent and eleminate the tube. You can install the elevator servos in the fuselage ahead of the tail. It all adds up. Then you would have a very light aircraft. By aving a light aircraft, then the ZDZ 80 single becomes a very interesting allternative. And the price is right.
But if you do go with BME, you can't go wrong. Another way to keep the weight up front, is to install the batteries right up there with the engine. Even install the throttle servo and choke servo (if you use one) right up front in the engine compartment using Fiber Optic servo extensions to eleminate any chance of noise feed back to the receiver.

Very good points. I'll make note of all of them when building my plane. I haven't had very many giant scale planes and I appreciate any points you guys can give. I've been flying 3D aerobatics for the past year now but most of the planes I've been flying were 1.80 size and under. I want something a little more stable and something better for IMAC competition. I think this Edge will do it for now until I find enough money stashed away for a 40% plane.

As for the comment on the ZDZ 80, I know that is a good engine and I've seen that engine on many 33% planes. It is an awesome performer to say the least but I am a fan of the twins and the fact they they have less overall vibration gives me a better excuse to buy one.

O.K. we've settled the issue of whether or not the BME is a good engine or not but which out of the ones I've listed has the best throttle response? Are they all pretty similar?

Thanks for your help guys!

KEvIN

Another question not engine related. How do you guys feel about redundancy on batteries and receiver. Is it important? Is it necessary? Can anybody tell me how to run redundant batteries and receivers or could you point me to a website so that I can read about it? Thanks

KEvIN

Kevin, this has been a hotly debated question for a long time. One of the better way, for my opinion, is to install a battery strickly for the servos and one battery for the receiver. This way, the receiver will get clean voltage with no spike from heavy current.
As for redundency, why would you need two receivers when only one was ever needed for the smaller airplane. It doesn't know the plane is bigger right???

Use 5 cells and if one cell goes bad, then normally it will short out and you will still have 4 cells to fly the airplane.

All the above, are my opnions only....

How do you do this? How do you run 1 battery for the servos and 1 for the receiver? As far as the redundant receivers go, I've seen and heard of this done as a back-up measure. Yes, of course the receiver doesn't know whether the plane is big or small BUT I know whether the plane is $400 or $4,000 and if there is a way to be safer by running two receivers, then I'd like to know about it. I may not do it but I'd like to know how it is done. I've heard that each receiver controls a mix of the 2 sides of the plane...

Since I don't run two receivers I'll explain only the seperate battery thing.

Go here: http://www.geocities.com/traviscouch/hightech.html?
and on the right of Fiber Optic, you'll see "Connection" click on that and then just go down the page, because you have two ways of doing it, one is with the safest way "Fiber Optic servo extensions" and the other way at the bottom of the page.

Good info! Thanks!