Scampifries

First post guys, go easy on me lol

Firstly, hello! Got my first ever R/C Tank, arrived today, so I had a couple of questions us noobs have no idea about lol

The Tank is a Heng Long Bulldog, its the PRO version with upgraded Metal parts, Smoke n Sound, and hopefully an ideal entry level model for me to play with

I wanted to ask a couple of things about this specific tank, so hopefully someone will be able to help me?

The Battery its comes with is your bog standard 7.2v Battery, and I wanted to ask if it was possible to run these on LiPo Batteries, but the lipo as I understand it is 7.4v?? Also, I asked the shop I brought this from and he said "NO WAY IN HELL" the speed controller isnt designed for it, but on GOOGLING I found a post on another site that said the HL were able to run on LiPo??

If it is possible, I know that LiPos come in lots of flavours, so which type would I need please???

Second... the Colour of the tank... or rather Lack of lol

Anyone have any clues as to what the scheme of these should be?

Never painted before but to be honest, I really want to have a go.... im sure I will need to disassemble this and there are no instructions whatsoever for doing this in the box, but I think its a must do if its going to be painted? Again, if anyone has recommendations for materials needed (Im in the UK so paint might be different than over there?) please let me know

Thanks in advance guys!!!

Chris

mfpage

Welcome aboard Chris. I run all my 1/16 HL and Tamiya tanks on 2 Cell Li-po batteries with zero problems in 6 months of use. You will however need to make an adapter or solder a new battery lead to the tank for the battery connection.

Mfpage

DirtyBird69

Hey Chris
The M41 is a great choice for a first tank..it's got wide tracks and great ground clearance so it can go a lot of places some of the other models can't. As far as paint they didn't make a lot of M41's and basically there are only a handful of "Official" paint schemes that were used in several different countries.As many die-hards will tell you around here the M41 is a little out of scale(little too big for 1/16) and the tracks are a bit too wide, but that makes it perfect for "what-if" paint-schemes..I love my M41's and did my last one in Israeli IDF colors/w rubber padded tracks....Since the M41 is the least scale model and a bit of an oddball...go aheadhave some fun with it...

Jeff489

My Feedback: (12)

They run fine on LiPo.  You've just been a victim of FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt).  Seems your retailer also gives FUD away for free...

Airbrushler

i have never taken my tanks apart to paint them i use DecoArt
Crafter's Acrylic paints from the Dollar store i use them through the airbrush as well as hand paint
they work pretty good i don't know what the stores where you are carry
i just mix the colour i want and either hand paint or aibrush it

whiteknight1066

I thought LiPo batteries had to be run with a special speed controller. Don't the batteries get damaged if they're drained too far? And don't you have to be careful with how you charge them as well? Ihave no idea, that's just what Iheard...

strmnd54

Yes the batteries will get damaged when drained too far ...
I suggest to get one off these ; It'll pay for itself after a while ...
www.helipal.com/battery-warning-buzzer-lipo-battery.html

WhiteWolf McBride

My Feedback: (3)

Guys:

When in doubt, educate yourself about battery types. The " big scare " about LiPo's was that when improperly chgarged, or when 'cheap' packas are charged, they can outgas and/or go 'bang', and if you charge your packs without removing them from your model, this can lead to a phenomenon known as 'rekitting'... This is most common with R/C fliers, but it can happen to almost any type of R/C model.

Do you need a proper charger? YES, always be sure your charger is designed to charge the relevant type. Many people ruined their NiCD chargers in the first days of rechargables when they mistakenly tried to charge alcaline batteries, and made a mess if they were lucky, or blew a fuse if they weren't.

Do batteries like being drained completely, NO, no type of battery that I know of likes this, and this is ~especially~ true with multi-cell packs, as not all cells drain (or charge) evenly. Many smart chargers now have a drain-then-charge setting, if you want ease of use, I'd reonmmend it (medical supply places make sure most devices for home use have this option - my TPN IV pump does, built into the booster pack even!) if one of the cells goes lower before another, it can 'reverse' and work against the rest of the pack.

Me personally, I'm going to wait until LiPo's are more common... though I love the ease of the Lithium-Ion battery pack in my phone. Ya can't overcharge it, and leaving it on the charger doesn't hurt. But for my RC's, I'll stick to NiMH batteries over NiCd as they tend to have a more even output until their output finally drops off, and they are not as succeptable to the bane of rechargables: ~memory~ (after a time, they wouldn't charge as fully, or drain as well - similar to the first 'photo-grey' tinting lenses... after about 6 months, they never went completely clear, or completely dark!)

Use whatever you feel most comfortable using... and what you can afford. Just be sure you know how to charge, discharge, and otherwise maintain the type ~properly~.

WhiteWolf

TeTris MoNk

I painted my Bulldog with a simple camo with Krylon Army paint. Didnt take it apart just taped off what I didnt want painted.

Scampifries

Hiya guys, and THANK YOU for all the replies!

DirtyBird69

[quote]ORIGINAL: WhiteWolf McBride

Guys:

When in doubt, educate yourself about battery types. The " big scare " about LiPo's was that when improperly chgarged, or when 'cheap' packas are charged, they can outgas and/or go 'bang', and if you charge your packs without removing them from your model, this can lead to a phenomenon known as 'rekitting'... This is most common with R/C fliers, but it can happen to almost any type of R/C model.

Do you need a proper charger? YES, always be sure your charger is designed to charge the relevant type. Many people ruined their NiCD chargers in the first days of rechargables when they mistakenly tried to charge alcaline batteries, and made a mess if they were lucky, or blew a fuse if they weren't.

Do batteries like being drained completely, NO, no type of battery that I know of likes this, and this is ~especially~ true with multi-cell packs, as not all cells drain (or charge) evenly. Many smart chargers now have a drain-then-charge setting, if you want ease of use, I'd reonmmend it (medical supply places make sure most devices for home use have this option - my TPN IV pump does, built into the booster pack even!) if one of the cells goes lower before another, it can 'reverse' and work against the rest of the pack.

Me personally, I'm going to wait until LiPo's are more common... though I love the ease of the Lithium-Ion battery pack in my phone. Ya can't overcharge it, and leaving it on the charger doesn't hurt. But for my RC's, I'll stick to NiMH batteries over NiCd as they tend to have a more even output until their output finally drops off, and they are not as succeptable to the bane of rechargables: ~memory~ (after a time, they wouldn't charge as fully, or drain as well - similar to the first 'photo-grey' tinting lenses... after about 6 months, they never went completely clear, or completely dark!)

Use whatever you feel most comfortable using... and what you can afford. Just be sure you know how to charge, discharge, and otherwise maintain the type ~properly~.


I agree with Whitewolf...thecost vs benefitsof Lipo'sin these tanks is negligible(they are nice though)...I still run standard 3300mah 7.2vNiMh stick packs/w deans connectorsand have absolutely no problems whatsoever, plus I can turn around and use the same batteries in my rc cars....Lipo's are definately the wave of the future, but don't try to "keep up with the Jones's" around here as there are guys who will dump tons of money into a 1/16 which I think can be a bit of over-kill, but to each his own. You'llbe better off to put your money where it counts with better gearboxes,motosr,etc....talk to Phil at RCtankwars he'll definately put you on the right track....

Scampifries

Should have been a little clearer, how do I get the TANK apart to access the motors and gears

WhiteWolf McBride

My Feedback: (3)

Hokay DB:

Its a Walker Bulldog, so if I read the holes in my chassis right (I bought a bare chassis, no top, so I'm guessing...) there are 2 screws at the underside of the nose, two more along either side between the suspension arms mounts (one between #2 & #3, other between #4 & #5) and finally two more aft, one dead center behind the battery door, the other centered as well, but hidden under the tow hitch. There may be a pair inside the battery compartment too - toward the end where the screw holds the hatch closed.

After removing those, BE CAREFUL. The wires are not known for being well soldered, or having a lot of slack. And if you want to re-assemble the wiring afterwards without blowing summat up, tag your plugs if you want any hope of putting 'em back safely!

And those 'windows'... driver's periscopes, and they are in wrong-way round, as many things often are. Think most of the HL assemblers suffer from dyslexia... the T1's mantlet is topsy-turvy, the Pz. 3 & 4 turret side hatches (upside-down or transposed left/right) and the periscopes on the W-B... I miss any guys? If ya wanna get 'em out, try MEK (Methylene Chloride) the generic version of Tenax-R and most clear solvent glues. Use a natural hair brush w/ wood handle, as it'll melt-then-solidify a plastic/nylon one. Best tool is a 'Touch-n-Flow' (made by Flex-i-File, a glass pipette with a hypodermic tube tip)

WhiteWolf

DirtyBird69

There should be 7 screws on the bottom(2 front/2 each side/1 in the middle of the rear) and the top should pop off..just be carefulas there is wiring that connects the radio gear to the upper hull,but you should have enough to lay the upper hullnext to the lower hull. Once your in there I highly reccomend removing the smoker(the mounting screws are the other two screws on the bottom),and throwing it at the ground as hard as you can......it's a POS! Allit's good for is draining your battery and making a mess of your interior with all that oil residue cr*p. Plus it makes a ton of noise when the tank is running.....

Scampifries

Cheers guys, I will make a start this weekend and report back

Scampifries

First disappointment ;(

Wanted to make sure it was all running as it should, so having powered it all up, I gently checked all the movments (as I want to run this in properly it was just stick checks) and to my utter dismay, the tank refuses to fire the BBs

It goes through all the motions, just nothing fires out... I thought it might have to have a certain amount of BBs in the hopper, but the hopper just keeps filling.... seems to be a bottemless pit!!

When I then powered it all off, a load dropped out of somewhere within the tank when I flipped it to get to the power switch, so god only knows whats occurring in there!

They actually spilled onto the floor, and not via the filler port either, so im assuming either i've done something wrong, or there is a fault with it

I will open her up lunchtime, see what I can see... not that I really know what the hell im suppose to be looking at!

Chris

Scampifries

Well... I found the BBs lol

Good job I wasnt running it about that would im sure have caused some damage!

So now I have to figure out what exactly is wrong... or what I did wrong??

Scampifries

Ok guys... I know im new lol.... but where exactly are these BBs suppose to go when the hopper is loaded?

On these photos I have taken, I cant see exactly how this is going to work.... the BBs are dropping through the hole into nothing, they are not as far as I can tell getting fed into the mechanism, somethings not right but as a new owner to these, I cant see what

Any help??

Scampifries

Ok... now i've TOTALLY humiliated myself in public, im going to retreat to the privacy of my garden shed and reflect on the course of my actions

TeTris MoNk

Well if you play paintball that could be an honest mistake. But the sight of you taking apart your Bulldog and a shower of bbs falling out is hilarious. But I laugh at the comedy not your mistake.

Eggman1965

My Feedback: (3)

O.K.,

That's kinda funny I have to admit...rattle, rattle, rattle....hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm????


Mike

Scampifries

Yup.... it was funny..... I will laugh at myself as well as others....

AFV432

sorry mate i had to chuckle at your BB saga

that's one reason i never read the instructions in the first place lol
h/long destructions aren't the best especially the chinglish interpretation

ref your question on painting the bulldog i would go for what ever takes your fancy

here's my take on a 1970's New zealand "Dog"

Ex_Pat_Tanker

TeTris MoNk

how did you paint that?