Power switch?

[craigf]

Hello all,
Long time reader, first time poster. :)

I've been into heli's for a short time. I just find them easier than lugging my airplanes to the flying field.

I have been flying a Blade CX2 for almost a year and finally went out and picked up a 400. I've flown a few packs on it so far and am loving it. It has also had the bonus side effect of making me near fearless with my cx2.

One question I have is with both my heli's I have to manually plug the battery in every time I fly. With the CX2 I have the connectors hanging out the side, but with the 400 I have to remove the cover and plug it in, put the cover back on, head outside and fly. Then charging the battery, the same thing in reverse.

Does anyone actually install a switch of some sort? Maybe make a little hole in the cover for the balancing lead? Also, while I'm carrying the heli outside to fly, the gyro is going nuts because it thinks it should be correcting (I'm guessing). That can't be a good thing.

What are all you guys doing?

Loving my 400 otherwise though! Great group of people here, awesome detail and wealth of knowledge, keep it up :)

[LockMD]

yes you could rig up a switch (I havent) I hate removing the canopy too. But with the Loong-Max batteries I can plug in after canopy is on so I dont have to plug in until right before fly time.

I dont think the gyro trying to correct the tail while not in the air will hurt anything.

[Carpman68]

I have thought about it but not done anything yet , I may even extend the battery cables so i can plug in from outside canopy then push them inside like on the cx2

Why do u want to get to the balance plug ( i have heard on the grapevine not to charge battery while still on heli as lipo's can be a little volatile and risking your bird for the few sec's it takes to remove it )

[Heli Jim]

I'm with Carpman....don't charge the battery while it's on the heli.....if it EVER decided to puff up and flame, you would be royally screwed!!!!

As to the switch, you could do it but it's one more set of connections and a potential for problems but probably a small potential.

Most of the time right now, I'm just hovering around out in front of my house so I don't even put the canopy on it.

[skigolfmike]

Another reason not to have a switch between the battery and the speed control is the amount of current going through it. It's pretty to smoke a switch with that much current.

[Heli Jim]

Good thought.........I never even considered that!

[craigf]

Ok, then what about a quick connect/disconnect for the canopy? Anything easier than those annoying little grommets?

[Heli Jim]

If you lube the grommets a bit, it is easier to put it on and off

[Hawk18052]

I'm sure there's a switch on the planet some where that can handle the voltage. I'll look into it, I have a CX2 as well and all you gotta do is put the battery in the oppisite way that they tell you to and run the power line under the belly. I charge my CX2 battery in the heli all the time but I'll never do that with my hurricain. I'd like a switch too. I read or heard somewhere, could've bin here that U should place the heli where you want to take off from then give it power, otherwize the gyro gets confused. I know I read that somewhere but I didn't even get my big bird yet so I don't know.


L8r,
Hawk

[skigolfmike]

It not just the voltage, it's the amperage. 11.1V*25A = 277.5W. You need a switch that throws a relay. In any case, seems like a lot of weight to add for convenience sake.

Best place for a switch would be to have it in the speed control.

[WizardKing]

Had mine for minutes before modding the battery. They now go upside-down with connectors accessible with canopy fitted.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a218/wizking/IMAG0015-2.jpg
Recently I fitted some T-Rex aluminium canopy-mounts. They're excellent.
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a218/wizking/IMAG0017-5.jpg

[newhelliguy]

Great Idea I made an extender but now I may not have to use it. Also for me I found it easier to pull the rod out and slide it through the canapy from one side to the other.

[Carpman68]

I have just fitted the T-rex 500 canopy mounts also and its so much better than the rod

All you need to do is screw them into the rod hole no need for anything else
Then open canopy hole a little and fit matching grommets which u need to get separately

[WizardKing]

here's a power switch ;

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a218/wizking/PowerSwitch60Amp.jpg

[Robb]

I cut a hole in the bottom of my canopy to let the battery wires out to where they can be plugged in, can now put the canopy on and then plug in the battery.

Robb

[LockMD]

The batts from hobby city have longer leads too so no mods needed. Just put your canopy on and plug in batt right before flying.

[carlo_the_wonder_frog]

Keep it as simple as possible, a switch is not a good idea, hardly any switches out there that will work under that kind of a power load. Wizardkings idea is the way to go if you must have a switch. another bad thing about the switch idea is the fact you may forget to turn it off and kill your expensive LiPo.


Keep your original plastic canopy mounts. the metal ones ruin canopies when you crash, the plastic ones break and help keep your canopy in 1 piece. I don't use any of the aluminum canopy mounts on any of my helis, I had to downgrade the SE.

[randyb]

I solved the battery lead problem by getting an extension cable, works great, I wish they had them in 3" but 6" works fine, look for this:

E-flite EFLAEC311

Extend the length of your EC3 connections by 6 inches with this 16GA wire extension. Capable of 60 continuous amps.

[LockMD]

Well you could make your own.

CARLO - nice to see you here, you've helped me sooo much with my other blades. Appreciate your knowledge and advice!

[HeliMix]

I know my comments are late, but...

Keep it as simple as possible.
In the Army, it is called KISS. LOL

Keep your original plastic canopy mounts. the metal ones ruin canopies when you crash, the plastic ones break and help keep your canopy in 1 piece.
Great point. I was just thinking about fuselages today. That idea will wait for now. ;)

[LockMD]

In the Army, it is called KISS. LOL



Keep
It
Simple
Stupid

LOL

Same thing in the Navy.....

So a sailor is just finishing at the urinal as a marine comes in to relieve himself. The sailor shakes and proceeds to leave. The marine says, "Hey in the marines, they teach us to wash our hands after"

Sailor replies, " In the Navy, they teach us not to piss on our hands "

Sorry, couldnt resist. But funny, no?

[HeliMix]

" In the Navy, they teach us not to piss on our hands "

:lol: Heard that one before, but the shaker was a Duke fan, the accurate one was a UNC fan.