Gov or Throttle curves

[dpelletier]

Just wondering how you guys are setting up for your headspeed.
Do you use the ESC Govenor on your electrics?
or do you control it with your throttle curves in the Tx?

[dpelletier]

ony two?

[phoenixheli]

Well, the idea is to have the motor operate at its most efficient rpm or most powerful rpm. Either way, it's a continuous hs. So, when using an electric heli, the best way to do this is via esc gov. This is not to say that you can't use curves to provide good efficiency or power, it's just easier and very precise with a gov. It is also why most pilots have multi idleups, one for efficiency and one for power.

[dpelletier]

Thanks phoenixheli... it certainly is a lot to take in a learn when beginning.
I had no idea but when I started using the Phoenix Sim and noticed that all heli's were pretty much setup with the gov.

But my Blade 400 RTF was not set-up that way and in all "flight school" type stuff I find on-line its ,"spool up slowly with just enough power to get light on the skids"... etc, etc...

So all this leaves a guy a little confused and left e wondering what experienced pilots are doing.

[phoenixheli]

Neither the blade 400 or the axe 400 have gov functions. So, you have to judge what throttle/pitch curves to use in order to get efficient use out of the esc. You may have the stick at 85%, but with +10 degrees pitch, the esc may need 100% to keep the hs.

Basically, an esc is efficient at 80% and greater. So using a linear pitch curve and a throttle curve of 90-85-80-85-90 could be efficient, or even 100-95-90-95-100. You could even use a throttle curve of 80 flat, 90 flat or even 100 flat and then modify the pitch curves slightly(using expo or directly changing the curves). I used a flat curve on my earlier heli's, before I got an esc with a good gov function. I have even used a small v curve of 100-100-90-100-100.

You can always upgrade the esc to one with an electronic gov. I personally like the cc ice esc's. Castle allows you to set gov three ways, with set gov numerically being my favorite and you can use the programmer to do this via your pc.

There is a mathematical way to calculate the loading vs pitch vs power needed to get excellent and efficient curves, but I like to go by feel.

[dpelletier]

On the Simulator I find that the Helis are a little easier to handle with the gov set. Its like all the power is there all the time and you just manage the cyclic with no worries about power.

I am asking all this, not for my Blade 400, but rather because I am building a BeamE4 and purchased a Castle Lite 50 for it.
I'm thinking of using the Gov and then just manage the pitch curve with the Tx.

I guess the thing is to just try it.

[dpelletier]

66% for the gov
33% for the curves so far

[dpelletier]

A couple more votes, but still 66% esc gov and 33% throttle curves.

[joel0407]

How do you use both?

My heli comes next Thursday. I have had it paid for twice now but each time I go to pick it up, I upgrade.

[rcuser]

Both could mean - running gov on heli #1 and curves on heli #2
OR it could possibly mean - running gov in idle1 and idle2 and using curve in Normal mode all using the same heli #1

[joel0407]

Does CC ESC allow swiching the gov on and off from the Tx?

How else do you run Curve for Normal and Gov for Idle up?

[rcuser]

Does CC ESC allow swiching the gov on and off from the Tx?

How else do you run Curve for Normal and Gov for Idle up?

I don't think the CC allows to switch on and off, so gov all the time. I just got a CC esc and my Outrage550, and I run gov in all modes.

My align gov in my trex600n, or nitos in general, allow switching on and off, so i use a curve in N, and gov in idle 1/2

[dpelletier]

I suppose that if your heli is well setup and you know your head-speeds for the various throttle inputs, you can just simulate gov with your curves, to a point.

But I suppose that the real esc gov, attempts to maintain a consistent head speed no matter what the demand on the motor cause by high pitch of the blades. You couldn't do that with curves.

The one thing that i don't quite understand is on the CC Lite 50, you can setup three different head speeds for the throttle positions... why would this be used?

[phoenixheli]

You would have to disable your gov and then revert to typical throttle curves, which could be done via different idle up curves. I don't know of any esc's that let you enable or disable gov on the fly. But, there probably is.

[dpelletier]

It's a tie!
50% use the esc gov
50% use the Tx throttle curves

Mind you only 12 people answered the poll.

[dpelletier]

no more poll takers?

[johnpotter82]

I think a lot of guys struggle with this decision. Supposedly the best way actually is not listed and that is a rev limiter. The problem with throttle curves is as the voltage drops you have changes in head speed. This causes all sorts of problems w/ the tail and improper gearing for max power toward the end of the flight. And the feel of the heli is a little soft at the end of the fight. The problem with the gov is you sacrifice the tippy top of performance so the esc can gov properly and there is a slight loss of efficiency being that your running WOT the whole time. The gov is the best if you want to stick bang the whole time though. I currently gov my Outrage 550 but i have a gy701 which will let me rev limit, but its a pain to set up and my gov already works fine. If your still learning i would run throttle curves or straight line. Because there is no way to tame the gov its hardcore the whole time.

[dpelletier]

Thats interesting but I do not know what a rev limiter is.

[dpelletier]

Back to a tie

[joel0407]

I'm yet to play with the Governer yet. Can you set gov on, on the ESC and then still run normal throttle curves or is gov mode for idle up only?

[dpelletier]

So far as I can tell, you use the ESC gov or you don't.

The following applies to electrics, I don't know the first thing about nitro or gas or turbine or solar or nuclear powered...

If using ESC gov, some Govs have only one setting, one head-speed, others are more advanced and can have mutliple head-speed settings depending on throttle input.

On ESCs such as the Castle Ice, You can use throttle curves on the TX only to the extent that you can set varying flat lines, say 50%, 75% & 85%(or whatever) on different flight conditions, Normal, Idle1 & idle2.
The ESC can use different head-speeds depending on your chosen flight condition.
On the ESC you program the head-speed you want depending on what you are receiving from the TX.
ex: 2500rpm if throttle is at 50%
2750rpm at 75%
3000rpm at 85%

Using throttle curves is more of a guess as to what head-speed you are getting.
You can use a tack to find the head-speed, but the Throttle curve is only the signal being sent by the TX to the ESC (via the RX of course) and the ESC will send power to the motor in a linear fashion from 0% to 100% depending on throttle input.
As the batteries weaken, the head-speed may go down even with your throttle at the same position, or you require more throttle for the same head-speed. And more Throttle stick means more pitch which uses more power and so on, which with weakening battery means less head-speed and so on...

From everything I have read, the ESCs are more apt to keep the desired head-speed, because you have identified in the ESC all the physical stuff, motor, main gear teeth, pinion teeth, so the ESC knows what needs to be delivered in power to maintain the head-speed the requested.

My opinion:
It would be easier for new-comers to learn with set head speeds, rather than linear throttle curves, (0, 25, 50, 75, 100).

Then you only need to learn to manage the collective pitch and don't run the risk of bogging down the rotor with to low of a head-speed.

Run a decent head-speed, manage the pitch curve and I think this makes life a whole lot easier.

Just my understanding...

and having said all that, there are so many ways to set things up, that all that really matters is how you learn best and what works best for you.
And what ever does work for you is the right way!

Good night Gracie ;)

[dpelletier]

ESC gov still leading by one.

[texasclouds]

My emax 35A ESC says it does Governer. Any idea how to adjust it or know what it does?

Here is what the manual says:

E.5 Throttle Curve Mode: Three options: Curve1, Curve2, Curve3 (corresponds to OFF, Gov-low, Gov-high of GOVERNOR mode in the program card). The default is Curve1.

B.9 Features: Three linear throttle curve options make helicopter control more flexible.

You can change this setting with the tranmitter stick or if you have a program card you can select one of the three settings. It appears that these are preset, non-adjustible.

:thinking

[dpelletier]

Back to a tie....

Same poll on rc universe has the Throttle Curve in the lead by 25%

[dpelletier]

Do I hear 9?