Ion-X update

[Russ McC]

Just thought I would give an update on the Ion-X. The first Ion has 127 flights, it had a motor fail at 55 flights, the replacement motor has 72 flights and is going strong. The new Ion has 54 flights and is going strong. I am still using the same two sets of 7600 TP batteries, one set has 83 cycles and the other has 73 cycles. In the beginning I had a set of 5S-3P “Irate” packs that where like 7800s, they did not perform near as well as the TPs so they went back. The TPs are still working great, they have not degraded any. I am still flying 8 to 10 minuets and the packs still take 5400 to 6400 Mha respectively. It was 92F degrees at the Brooks FF all four days I was there. I flew 6 to 8 flights each day, the motor never got above 160F and the batteries never exceeded 125F degrees, with 680 SABs and 55 tooth gear.

I got carried away Monday and flew 12 minuets 20 seconds and suddenly saw the head RPM slowing I landed and realized I had been at it for over 12 minuets, I checked the voltage quickly after shut down and found I was still safe at 3.55v per cell, the packs took 7300 Mah. So it looks like the model probably wont be flying to well if at all before the cells reach 3v per cell but I don’t want to find out.

I’m tired of lugging around the 35a pyramid power supply so I am going to two 28a PC power supplies. The Honda EU1000i is working great if I am on my own but if Rob and I are both charging we can barley run 6a off of each of the four Astro 109 chargers and some times the generator circuit kicks off so I picked up a Honda EU2000i to use when we are at FFs and charging together. If your on your own the 1000 will be fine or just use your car depending on how much flying your doing but if your friends need to bum power just get the 2000. Remember Rob and I are flying only the Ions, no glow and we like to fly a lot.

[fitenfyr]

we like to fly a lot.
No Kidding :D :D :D

[skippy]

Russ,

Did you get any feedback on what caused the motor to fail. Was just wondering.

[Hotshot Charlie]

Hey Russ, you are making this guy here.... crazy to go electric !!! hehehee

Where did you get the 7600 TP packs? Cost?

Thanks, Rob

[JonMann]

Russ,

Thanks for the update. I am at 70+ flights on my #1 ION, and about 40+ #2. The more I fly 'em the more I like 'em. I have four sets of packs, and sure charging is a hassle, but nothing compared to the clean-up of nitro's. The no starter, no glow igniter, no fuel pump, no mess, etc. world is wonderful. If you have packs ready, it is great to run out to the field, hook up the packs and fly, charge the packs at nite and do over :D

-jon

[vitek]

Russ, wanna sell that smaller generator?

Travis

[Russ McC]

Rob,

I got the TPs direct from Min Air, I can’t disclose my cost, I’m not saving much. I think I saw these some where recently for $325 so $650 per set, I don’t remember where? If you fly a lot and don’t crash from dumb thumbs much then this is a very good deal. If you don’t fly much and crash more often from pilot error then this might be expensive. I gave up dumb thumb crashing about three years ago (knock on wood) and I fly a lot. I “plan” to get my moneys worth out of these packs in a year or less before they become out dated and with out damaging them. For anybody that can do this it would be a much better value then glow fuel models. If you’re still crashing a lot from pilot error then you can maybe add $200 per crash for battery repair so your cost could be a problem depending on the rate at witch you are crashing. If you never go flying then your batteries (fuel) could be out dated before you use it all. But just think, if you fly a lot and don’t crash much this model and its electronic gear will last forever (a long but un-determined amount of time) because the vibration is reduced to a point where it is no longer a factor in the longevity of the model and its electronics (radio gear) so if you assemble it correctly baring any defective equipment then your model is unlikely to crash from component failure, electronic or otherwise caused from high vibration loads. Vibration is the single biggest cause of component failure on RC choppers, assuming correct assembly. That banging 90 is going to seek out the weakest link and cause it to fail followed by the model burning in (crashing)

Skippy,

I got no feedback as to the cause of the motor failure. I do know that it was a magnet that broke, but I don’t know the cause. This information might be available but I have not pursued it. :)

[Russ McC]

Jon,

Also no bad plugs, no hidrolock, on weak starter batteries, no variation in engines from a good one to just an average one, never dies when walking to the flight line. When we say the models stay clean it is a huge understatement! These models still look like a glow model before its first flight! Occasionally clean off the bugs and grass, Fly them hard and put them away clean and dry! My wife about had a heart attack the first time I came home from a full days flying and parked these models on the dining room carpet, then she remembered these aren’t the dripping gunk balls she was used to seeing me bring home. I like not spending an hour cleaning after I get home also; my glow models are kept spotless and there has been many hours spent keeping them that way. :)

[Hotshot Charlie]

Hey Russ, thanks for the "straight" info on the electrics. I am not crashing, but I am not doing any heavy 3D either. Just flying around, stall turns, etc. I enjoy just flying the darn things... haven't gotten the 3D bug, but it sounds like when I do, I should practice the 3D moves with a nitro heli and not an electric !!! $$$$$

Thanks !!!

[JonMann]

Russ,

Yeah, the list goes on. Working on the dining room table, haven't tried that yet. :D

There is one potential gotcha, and maybe you have tried it, I haven't yet, and no one has talked about them yet that I've seen -- aborted auto's :shock: Have you started one down and hit the switch to abort yet? Anything special to think about, set-up to do this? Will the soft start be too soft to get the HS back up if you are too low, or will torque take over and cause the heli to piro? Been meaning to ask Chris about this for awhile.

-jon

[KillerBob]

Jon - tried that last weekend

Well - the time that goes by from you decide to abort and hits the hold-switch until the rotor spins up seems nerve-wrecking long. Or - at least you would want to abort rather early and NOT when all the headspeed is gone.

The heli don't piro - and you don't feel any torque issues either - but the softstart takes its time.

When you do it - you just hold your breath and wait for the sound of the motor to spool up. I should think that if you have 1200rpm "left" when you abort - you'll be safe even if you have to pitch to avoid hitting the ground :wink: :wink:

[JonMann]

Bob,

Did you stay in idle up when you hit the switch, or did you go to normal?

Do you think if you hit the switch and slowly added collectively to reduce the fall, the HS would catch-up?

Thanks -jon

[Russ McC]

Jon,

If you abort late as happens often it aint going to make it. If you abort early it takes an eternity to catch up. I just don’t abort and am very careful not to get in that position. Now if the motor was still on during the auto like maybe 10 or 20% the soft start would not be a factor but the motor would come back on at once witch could maybe cause damage to the lay shaft gear if the head speed had diminished drastically before aborting. I have considered trying this in conjunction with the function in the 9Z that will allow a soft or delayed transition between hold and non hold assuming that such a function can be used for this purpose. If I did this I would set up yet another switch to completely hold the motor as a safety shut down switch for turning on and transporting to the flight line and emergencies. For now I have not tried any thing, if you try this just leave the model on the ground and spool it up then hit hold and weight for the head speed to diminish and release hold, you could possibly tinker with it in this way tell you get it right. Have an extra lay shaft gear incase you have trouble during the trials. If you try this let us know how it goes. :)

[cdrking]

Great info Russ. You must be retired to fly that much :) I may have to quit my job to fly more :D

Jeff

[JonMann]

Russ,

Your the Min-Air rep, I'll let you test it :D :D :D

It is a good idea though.

The two places that I fly at don't have very forgiving places to Auto, a little off target and it is boom-strike time. Don't like to abort auto's either (but do practice that once in a while) but it is good to be prepared for what to expect.

Thanks again -jon

[Russ McC]

I bought the company I worked for three years ago and am just now getting to the point where I have moor free time to fly. We build weldments (welded steel components) for experimental aircraft companies, primarily Vans Aircraft, you know RV-3,4,6,7,8 and 9 :)

[Russ McC]

Jon,

I do hope to try it some time this summer but am not very motivated so it might be a while, I suspect it will be fairly involved and I am being lazy. :)

[JonMann]

Russ,

At least your honest as well :D

Not a big deal, just mostly curious.

-jon

[KillerBob]

Jon - on my setup - when I hit Th-hold - the motor stops completely. When I abort it goe back in idle-up where I run 100% throtle on all points on the thr-curve..

What happens is that the motor engages again with soft-start just like when you are on the ground switching to idle-up. I can't really se that this should cause more stress to the drivetrain than a normal spool spool up where you switch from normail to idlr