setup help
 

Hi guys,
I was wondering if there is any website where I can get details on the Throttle curve and pitch curve setup for X-cell gasser??. The thing is that I am used to 30 size engine, which has one needle to mess with. But I am not used to 3 needles setups, so I would like some details on what to watch for. I have the engine temp. setup on my machine, and also have optical tach. So I would be glad to work with numbers, like the temp the machine should run and optimum RPM for gas.

I would definetly be asking for help around locally but I would like to do my own homework, so any information be helpful. By the way I am planning to add 6.5 lbs of camera load to the heli.

My setup:
X cell gasser w./ Zenoah 23 engine
JR 550T gyro w/ JR 8700 on tail
present 680mm 3D carbon blades (not sure if its better to use bigger)

Thank you.

setup help
 

I have an X-Cell gas with the original G230PUH engine. I'm still running wood 690mm blades. I'm hoping to buy some carbon blades soon.

I use about -9, 5 and +12 degrees of pitch in Idle up 1 and 2.

My throttle hold and "normal" (or what I would call hover) is set for -5, 5 and +12 degrees of pitch. I keep meaning to put in as much as I can get for pitch in throttle hold, but since I haven't been practicing those yet I haven't, but hope to practice soon.

I strive to make all flight modes (hold, hover, idle up 1 and 2) to have the same pitch at hover so the heli will not jump around as I switch flight modes. So right now all flight modes look about the same from hover to max collective. The only difference is that 'hover' and hold modes have a slightly softer negative pitch so transitions into or out of those modes to the others will vary if I am below hover pitch.

I setup the hover at 5 degrees. My stick is set for half stick being 0 degrees. I tend to think I need 6 degrees for hover, I'll have to review this. I'm using wood blades right now.

I'm using the GV-1 govenor and have about 1500 rpm for slow hovering, 1600 for idle up 1, and 1700 for idle up 2. 1500 rpm is about as slow as I would go as the heli seems so slow at that head speed.

As to the needles, there are only two on the gas X-Cell. Your idle needle is set for a barely rich hover. This is evident by the tail bobbling a very little bit. If you see your tail bobbling around a LOT then you either don't have your engine broken in yet, or you are running a bit too rich. If you try to accellerate from idle (or a bit higher than idle) and the engine seems to lag a lot, your idle mixture is probably too lean.

Set the high needle for full pitch climb outs. I'm guessing my two needles are about 1 1/8 turns open or so. Start with 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 turns and you should be ok.

I'm using coleman fuel (it doesn't smell like gasoline) and am using Amsoil 100:1 cabable oil, but I am currently mixing at 80:1 mixture. That's 1.6 Oz per gallon of fuel.

I have on board temp also. I think my head temp can vary from 270 to 340 degrees depending on the day. I'm not sure exactly yet as recently I found out I was running too much pitch (about +14 degrees!!). I was trying to see why my engine was loading so much. Now I know I had too much pitch! So I'll have to keep an eye on my new tempurature range with the proper pitch now.

I'm told the new G231PUH engine will run almost 100 degrees cooler than the G230PUH. But I haven't seen one yet to confirm that.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention, MinAir advises to use a metal head (not the plastic one) and aluminum upper frame sections if you are going to be carying heavy loads (camera equipment, etc). You should think about doing this later as you gain flight experience.

I hope this helps some! I've had my Gas X-Cell since 1996 and I was babying it since then. This year I've started looping, rolling, fliping, etc... it's a blast and uses only pennies of fuel.

temp sensor...
 

ImRich,


What temp sensor are you using and where did you get it? Does it keep track of max temps?

Thanks,

Chuck

setup help
 

Hi Chuck,

I forget the brand, I believe it is a "MIP"? It is similar to the one they now sell that keeps track of max temperature (mine doesn't do that). I've had it for some time now. It's a little yellow rubbery looking thing with a loop of tempurature sensor wire which you loop around the head.

I also picked up a non-contact temperature infra-red reading unit from Radio Shack for about $30. It doesn't have a laser pointer but seems to work well.

I'd sell the head-contact unit if anyone wanted it for the $30 (plus shipping) which I payed for the R/S unit. Either one does the same for me, I guess I don't need two and the radio shack is more versatile as it can be used with anything.

setup help
 

thank you for your information Imrich, your advice helped a lot. In fact me and my friend are trying to get this thing right. We tried various settings right now our lower end seems to be just right. And also I have Pro2K head and tail in my heli. I am using 690 mm carbon fibre blade, even thou I am thinking of getting longer blades before going to heavy load.

Right now I am using 40:1 oil mixture ratio which was suggested in the engine manual. But I am having trouble of engine losing power, which is because of over heating. But when I try to richen up the engine the tail seems to wobble. The head speed is about 1550 at hover with 5 degree hover pitch. I am thinking of going for different oil mixture. By the way where do you get amsoil??. can you find in regular stores like walmart or something like that??. Please advise on the oil mixture. Thank you lot again.
Kumar

setup help
 

Hi,

I ordered my amsoil online and it was shipped direclty to me. I couldn't find it locally.

Be sure to get the version that is good for air cooled 100:1 mixture. Start with 64:1 until your engine is broken in (several gallons of fuel).

Don't try to run too lean. Let the tail wobble a bit! Not constantly, but regularly if that makes sense.

Your needles should be about 1 1/4 to 1 1/3 open.

You have better blades than I do! I wish I had those! I'm jealous of your head and tail too! Wow, I sound like a woman! :D

MinAir makes some heavy lift blades which you can also use, I have seen them in person and they are very nice!

setup help
 

Well she sure is a pretty bird. I was going to order heavy lift 805 mm blades, about $169.00, man these things are costly in initial stage. By I got a used one so I guess its been broken in, by the way where did you order amsoil online??. For now I am going to get some regular oil which I can find around. Any suggestion on that??.
Thank you

setup help
 

Be careful with the 805 mm blades! You need to extend your tail boom to accomodate those blades!!

The stock tail boom (31.5 inches) will accomodate up to 700 mm blades if you use 102 or shorter tail rotor blades, this is what MinAir has told me. I have heard others say you can use 105 mm tail blades with 700mm main blades, but I have not confirmed this myself. Check to be sure that the blades cannot come close or touch one another when deflecting the main blades down and closest to the tail blades.

Go here for amsoil: http://www.amsoil.com/

This is the oil I use: http://www.amsoil.com/products/aio.html

It's the premix, not the injector version:

http://www.amsoil.com/products/prodp...art_600pxh.jpg

I hope this helps. Good luck with your bird!