To Govern or not to Govern

[joco]

Ok so this is an interesting question.

Based on all my reading here on HeliFreak, I see that most (and I thought all) used some sort of governor or throttle jockey. However, as I now understand it a governor is not a need to have but a nice to have.

Can anyone explain the pros and cons of using a governor? And if they are a nescessary or a nicety?

Thanks,
Joe

[BarracudaHockey]

If you are flying figure 8's it wont do much for you.

If you are doing 3d and loading and unloading the head then throttle curves and mixing will take you to a point but just can't match the constant head speed of a decent governor.

The only cons is the added cost (around 100 dollars) and setup which isnt all that hard.

[WJackson]

Mount the sensor while you build the kit (frame halfves open ) near impossible afterwards.

[Mercuriell]

I went into governors open minded - I didn't have one on my EVO 50 but seeing as the holes were drilled in the 600N thought I'd get one. It just smoothes flight out and makes it much more controlled - as Andy says if your flying S & L then it's not going to do much for you but when you start doing vertical manoevres that load/unload up the rotor head then it really proves its worth. A powered rapid descent or at zero pitch during a roll or a loop can see the engine over-rev and likewise pulling up and loading the collective in a climb or loop can see it bog - the governor just smooths that out - makes it sound nicer and maybe also saves revving the guts out of the engine.

[Ticidytoc]

Once you start to get into 3D (if thats the direction your going) you will be glad you put one in. I personally prefer a rev limiter like the REVMAX from model avionics. Unlike a govenor, it just limits the high end, your curves will handle the rest. Its a small and light unit and will handle 8.4V and with no RPM limit. You have to trick a GV-1 with gear ratios to get 2100 on the head.

[lancedoze]

Personaly I like a constant headspeed. I figure if I am going to learn I just as soon do it right. TJ pro is cheap and works well.

[cudaboy_71]

Mount the sensor while you build the kit (frame halfves open ) near impossible afterwards.


nah...just mount it externally.

http://www.aerospire.com/trex600n_mount.html

[tholzing]

pro of a govenor is, that you simple set the rotor speed as you like it and the governor makes sure you always have this rotor speed - you can change it easily from your
remote control. you don't need any curves ....

[lancedoze]

If you plan to fly hard govern.

[BigVanVader]

pro of a govenor is, that you simple set the rotor speed as you like it and the governor makes sure you always have this rotor speed - you can change it easily from your
remote control. you don't need any curves ....
Its still a good idea to have a basic throttle curve as backup in case the governor or sensor fail.

[electricdurango]

I just got my ATG setup with three speeds on my DX7.
NORM 1750
Idle 1 1850
Idle 2 1950

Works very well. I never used a gov before this ATG. All I can say is that I feel more confident that Im gonna have that pull out power when I make a mistake or something. Much smoother in movements and my collective managment is improving on a per flight basis.

I cant imagine flying without one now. The ATG was very easy to setup once I got the magnet installed right and alinging with the hall sensor.

I also belive my GY611 is performing better with the gov.

[jazzman]

Joco,
Governors are not really necessary, but are really nice to have. There are some models that that benefit more than others, but a well setup governor is an easy way to maintain constant headspeed for any model. For example: the Raptor 50 has a characteristic that it leans out when inverted due to differential of head pressure of the fuel tank which will cause a significant headspeed difference between upright and inverted flight. A governor or rev limiter is a big benefit for this. The TRex 600, because of the tank design with a larger volume in the top half of the tank than the bottom half of the tank doesn't suffer from the same pressure differential and doesn't need the governor or rev limiter quite as much for this problem. But all helicopters need elevator/aileron to throtte mixing and rudder to throttle mixing to help keep a constant headspeed through aerobatic manuevers as cyclic and rudder load and unload the engine if you don't use a governor or rev limiter.

So the end result is that while you can control headspeed quite well by spending hours programming and fine tuning mixes (assuming your radio has enough mixes to do this), why would you want to when a governor will perform this function much better than the hours of trial and error programming yor mixes? And everytime headspeed changes, you would need to tweak your mixes to perform well. In my opinion it's not worth the effort... get a governor. But I will say that 10 years ago if you had the opportunity to see Curtis fly before there were governors, you would have seen very consistent headspeeds just using mixing and good mechanical setup. It can be done, but why would you want to when governors are so cheap and good these day?

The cons are 2. 1) It costs about $80 to $120 depending on which governor/rev limiter you choose 2) you can easily fry a motor if you don't take care to tune it correctly because it can become difficult to sense a lean engine if you aren't careful. Always setup reasonable flying curves so you can check how your engine is running and to have a safe flying setup in the case of a failed govenor, but just get it in the ballpark and don't waste hours tuning your curves for flying... use a governor and be happy.

[G MAN]

Quote:
Originally Posted by tholzing
pro of a govenor is, that you simple set the rotor speed as you like it and the governor makes sure you always have this rotor speed - you can change it easily from your
remote control. you don't need any curves ....


YOU DO NEED A V CURVE FOR IDLE UP OR THE GOVERNOR WILL DISENAGE WHEN YOU GO BELOW 20% STICK.

[sbmon]

Had my first flight with a governor (aerospire) tonight on my Trex600N and it was awesome. Much more predictable performance with the governor. I hope to never have to fly without it again. Down side to governor is the install is quite fiddily on the trex.
shawn

[erniefritz]

Govern - only way to go....

[kraaijer]

Had my first flight with a governor (aerospire) tonight on my Trex600N and it was awesome. Much more predictable performance with the governor. I hope to never have to fly without it again. Down side to governor is the install is quite fiddily on the trex.
shawn


I didn't have a problem installing the Multigov on the 600N. I've even installed it on the inside and not the outside that a lot of people suggest you do.
If you install it on the inside, it's easiest when the frame halves are separated. Without the servo's of course.
Then after puting the halves together en putting in the gust of the bird, you just need to align with the magnet and you're set. Simpel as that.

The Mutligov is really easy to use too.

[sbmon]

Ernie
After watching yours and others fly last weekend it got me motivated to get my governor on. Yours looks to be flying awesome. Watching you and the guys fly this past weekend was amazing, very inspiring. Now I just need to get my tail sorted out this weekend.
shawn