Copper Foil on the boom block and remove part of boom stop

[rdlohr]

I finally got around to modding my boom block. I tried to use all that I have learned from the great work the rest of you freaks have done. I combined the grounding schemes and the boom stop clearance ideas.

I made it so that the pulley is grounded to the boom through the bearing and the whole thing is grounded to the frame.


In this shot, it shows how I used copper foil normally used for stained glass to create continuity from the bearing to the boom. I inlayed the foil where the boom pushes in (just at the beginning) so that the boom wouldn't catch on the foil. I used a little CA under the ends of the copper to assure they stay in place. When you tighten the boom it presses the boom against the copper strip. I filed the bottom of the boom to remove the paint to assure a good connection.
http://img2.putfile.com/thumb/3/8022145295.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic/7861569)


This shot shows how the copper strips are connected together and where I left a strip of copper to push against the frame. A touch of solder on the connections will assure they last. I will drill the frame and make a conductive ink pad opposite the copper strip to assure a good connection between the copper foil and the frame.
http://img2.putfile.com/thumb/3/8022145294.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic/7861567)
See this link for how to make the conductive ink pads:
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=66604



I used a black marker to hide the copper color where it can be seen externally. Black paint would be better.
http://img2.putfile.com/thumb/3/8022145240.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic/7861570)



This shot shows how I removed parts of the boom stop on both sides to avoid the belt hitting the edges and charging everything. I cleaned off the burs after seeing this picture.
http://img2.putfile.com/thumb/3/8022145254.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic/7861571)



Here is how it looks from the outside.
http://img2.putfile.com/thumb/3/8022145282.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic/7861568)



Hope this helps someone.
Rick

[cb3d]

Great work. Where do you get the copper foil?

[rdlohr]

Thanks! Its called MasterFoil. I got on Ebay for like $7.50 shipped.

MasterFoil Copper Foil Tape for Stained Glass 3/16 36yd

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290211053892&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOIBSA:US:1123

[HumboldtHeli]

Hello,
If any freaks are interested I can send them a 2" x 12" strip of copper foil.
More than enough for several helis. The foil I sell is 1.25 mil thick and has an adhesive backing with release liner.Cuts with x-acto knife or scissors.

Cost would be $1.00 plus a self addressed stamped envelope.

PM me if you are interested or have any questions. I will try to respond every evening.
Steve

FYI - I have been selling stained glass tools online since 1995 but recently got into helis.
I am addicted!!!! Been racing offroad R/C for the last two years and decided I would give Helis a try around Christmas. I love the building as much as the flying.

Hope I haven't broke any rules by this post.

Rick - I received my Gyro mount from you last week and it is the bomb!!! Much better than the stock tray. Worth every penny.

[rdlohr]

Hello,
If any freaks are interested I can send them a 2" x 12" strip of copper foil.
More than enough for several helis. The foil I sell is 1.25 mil thick and has an adhesive backing with release liner.Cuts with x-acto knife or scissors.

Cost would be $1.00 plus a self addressed stamped envelope.

PM me if you are interested or have any questions. I will try to respond every evening.
Steve

FYI - I have been selling stained glass tools online since 1995 but recently got into helis.
I am addicted!!!! Been racing offroad R/C for the last two years and decided I would give Helis a try around Christmas. I love the building as much as the flying.

Hope I haven't broke any rules by this post.

Rick - I received my Gyro mount from you last week and it is the bomb!!! Much better than the stock tray. Worth every penny.

Great! Sounds like a cheap way out for people who want to do this.

Glad you like your mount!

Rick

[rdlohr]

With a 2 inch wide piece, you could cut a section that would connect the other bearing too. The straight one is easy but the dog leg on the other one would be a bit more of a challenge. I considered soldering sections together to do that but didn't think it was worth the bother.
Rick

[HumboldtHeli]

Rick - Having done this yourself - Would a large square piece be better?
The sheets I have are 12" x 12" and I can cut into 1/4's so it would be 6" x6".
Would this size work out better?

Steve

[rdlohr]

The thin strips are what they will use most. The exception is that dog leg on the second bearing that people may or may not use. 6X6 would be fine.

Rick

[oldschool269]

Thanks guys , great work ,
i have only come to this late but HAVE to ask.


ahhh ?
why are we doing this ? the 450 and 600's dont have this huge static problem ..??
what special about the 500 that it needs all this static mods dont to it ?

like if the bigger design dosent do it , and the smaller design heli dosent do it,,,

what gives ?

Thanks
Jason

[rdlohr]

Thanks guys , great work ,
i have only come to this late but HAVE to ask.


ahhh ?
why are we doing this ? the 450 and 600's dont have this huge static problem ..??
what special about the 500 that it needs all this static mods dont to it ?

like if the bigger design dosent do it , and the smaller design heli dosent do it,,,

what gives ?

Thanks
Jason

It may be the boom block design or the belt rubber. I'm not exactly sure but it is unfortunately real. There have been some great videos and work done by ChasHeliCop, fireup and others on this.

Rick

[Finless]

Actually the 600 does do this but electronics are a lot farther away....
The 450 because of the ali boom block and what not doesn't seem to have this problem but before the SE came out the XL and carbon frame upgrade with plastic block absolutely did this. Go search for static about 2 years ago!

Also go check the Mikado forum... same thing.

Bob

[mk1spitfire]

Actually the 600 does do this but electronics are a lot farther away....
The 450 because of the ali boom block and what not doesn't seem to have this problem but before the SE came out the XL and carbon frame upgrade with plastic block absolutely did this. Go search for static about 2 years ago!

Also go check the Mikado forum... same thing.

Bob

Hasn't the 450s (GF/CF) got a plastic boom block?

[merlin703]

Hello rdlohr,
Please correct me if I'm wrong. Fist of all, I'm considering grounding my heli to protect my investment. I haven't had this problems yet but better safe than sorry.

For what I read on the posts there are various way to deal with the static.
1) use graphite or silicon spray. I understand this as being a temporary bandaid and that this would have to be done every... let's say 20 flights or so and the only area to be sprayed is the belt. Is this correct?

2) physically grounding the boom to the frame using wires/copper strips you, chashelicop and many other have shown. I undersand it as this being a permanent fix. This process involves grounding the fram to the tail boom mount, the tail boom mount is grounded to the tail boom and the boom is grounded to the tail case with wires/cooper sheet. I don't quite get the pen from radio shack though.... anyway, is the order of grounding correct or am I missing something important here?

3) Some people mentioned getting the metal tail case but what I'm not sure if if this would solve the problem or further grounding would have to be done (i.e. tail boom to the frame).

Please let me know what I'm missing here, thanks man!

[oldschool269]

Actually the 600 does do this but electronics are a lot farther away....
The 450 because of the ali boom block and what not doesn't seem to have this problem but before the SE came out the XL and carbon frame upgrade with plastic block absolutely did this. Go search for static about 2 years ago!

Also go check the Mikado forum... same thing.

Bob

ok so we REALLY need an alloy tail mount block for the 500 then and this would cure the design fault in the Helicopter.???

funny , i havent seen this problem before ... its just weird.. that they changed belt/plastic , and got all these problems ... i may dip my belt in silicon oil befor i use it ..

still building my 500 , but im all nervous now .. id hate to have a lockout with any heli . never had a real lockout , dont want to start now.

thanks for the work guys , awesome
Jason

[rdlohr]

Hello rdlohr,
Please correct me if I'm wrong. Fist of all, I'm considering grounding my heli to protect my investment. I haven't had this problems yet but better safe than sorry.

For what I read on the posts there are various way to deal with the static.
1) use graphite or silicon spray. I understand this as being a temporary bandaid and that this would have to be done every... let's say 20 flights or so and the only area to be sprayed is the belt. Is this correct?

2) physically grounding the boom to the frame using wires/copper strips you, chashelicop and many other have shown. I undersand it as this being a permanent fix. This process involves grounding the fram to the tail boom mount, the tail boom mount is grounded to the tail boom and the boom is grounded to the tail case with wires/cooper sheet. I don't quite get the pen from radio shack though.... anyway, is the order of grounding correct or am I missing something important here?

3) Some people mentioned getting the metal tail case but what I'm not sure if if this would solve the problem or further grounding would have to be done (i.e. tail boom to the frame).

Please let me know what I'm missing here, thanks man!

Here is my plan from another thread:
I plan to use a Conductive ink pen to make sure that all parts of the heli that connect to the frame make good electrical connection to the frame. These are available from Radio Shack and they are inexpensive too.
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread....375#post599375 (http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?p=599375#post599375)

There seems to be multiple sources of ESD on this and many helis.
1) The belt hitting the boom block (design issue IHMO)
2) The main gears
3) The Main and Tail Blades
My humble opinion is that Align should make a new boom block from metal with more belt clearance and possibly a smaller pulley.

This combined with the Spectrum receivers that boot slow has caused many Brownouts and crashes for people.
My humble opinion is that Spectrum should make their receivers more tolerant to ESD.

I personally have a Futaba 72 MHz receiver and don't expect I would have an issue. However, I'm from the better safe than sorry camp so I will be doing the following to my 500:

1) Ground the frame to the negative on the battery (Last resort)
2) Do the boom block mod. Remove part of the boom stop that hits the belt and provide electrical conductivity from the belt pulley to the boom and the heli frame.
3) Lube the belt with a conductive lube (Maybe, I'm not big on doing things periodically, like watering plants... I have a history of killing plants)
4) Buy a metal tail to provide conductivity from the aluminum boom to the rear tail belt pully. (Make sure you remove the paint from both ends of the aluminum boom to assure conductivity)
5) Buy metal main bearing blocks.
6) Use conductive ink pads under all metal parts to asssure good conductivity. (Optional)

This all may be overkill, but its my plan for now.

[merlin703]

rdlohr,
Thanks for the reply. I will try to follow your same steps. I also want to be safe than sorry. I have two following questions. I know one is very dumb and the other one probably not that dumb but still.

When you say "Ground the frame to the negative on the battery (Possibly on the motor mount)", would this be the black cord? What part of the motor would this be connected? I have seen a picture on another thread but id doesn't really show the connection and since I don't know anything about electricity... i don't want to guess wrong.

My second dumb questions is, what is the name of the tool you guys are using to check for static? I went to my local hardware store and they didn't know of a tool that could measure static. Do you have a link to this tool on the web so I can buy it, if it's cheap enough. That would help me check to make sure my ground work is OK. Thanks!

[rdlohr]

rdlohr,
Thanks for the reply. I will try to follow your same steps. I also want to be safe than sorry. I have two following questions. I know one is very dumb and the other one probably not that dumb but still.

When you say "Ground the frame to the negative on the battery (Possibly on the motor mount)", would this be the black cord? What part of the motor would this be connected? I have seen a picture on another thread but id doesn't really show the connection and since I don't know anything about electricity... i don't want to guess wrong.

My second dumb questions is, what is the name of the tool you guys are using to check for static? I went to my local hardware store and they didn't know of a tool that could measure static. Do you have a link to this tool on the web so I can buy it, if it's cheap enough. That would help me check to make sure my ground work is OK. Thanks!

1) Yes, run the negative wire to the motor mount or a good connection to the frame. (Only if needed)
2) I use a basic ohm meter from Sears to measure resistence (Multi-meter). Low resistence equals good conductivity. The static tool others have used is made to detect AC but picks up static pretty well to. I don't currently have one.

Rick

[rdlohr]

If nothing else, do the boom stop mod to keep the belt from rubbing and spray your belt with conductive graphite spray. That will keep most people out of trouble.

Rick

[oldschool269]

My humble opinion is that Align should make a new boom block from metal with more belt clearance and possibly a smaller pulley.

.


BINGO !!

lol's
Thanks rick for all your work , and reaserch into this, i suppose over in taiwan , they built it and flew it and it didnt give them problems ...
so they set a release date .and the rest is history .

thanks guys
Jason

[michael503]

I found this at a Michael's craft store.
They have copper, brass and silver, sheets and tape.
The brass was 4.59 but the copper was 6.99.
I reasoned the copper would be more malleable on compound curves

[rdlohr]

I found this at a Michael's craft store.
They have copper, brass and silver, sheets and tape.
The brass was 4.59 but the copper was 6.99.
I reasoned the copper would be more malleable on compound curves
Nice. We have a local Michaels too.

Rick

[HumboldtHeli]

Rick,
I did your mod on my Boom Block this afternoon. Took about 1 hour. I now have
continuity from tip to tail including every screw that goes through the frame. I also ran the copper a little long on the bearing end and ran it down into the space where the (upgraded to metal) hexagonal bolt goes into. Hardest part was removing the anodizing from the boom.

Great job on your part!! Thanks for the pictures, they were a big help :thumbup:.
Steve

[rdlohr]

Rick,
I did your mod on my Boom Block this afternoon. Took about 1 hour. I now have
continuity from tip to tail including every screw that goes through the frame. I also ran the copper a little long on the bearing end and ran it down into the space where the (upgraded to metal) hexagonal bolt goes into. Hardest part was removing the anodizing from the boom.

Great job on your part!! Thanks for the pictures, they were a big help :thumbup:.
Steve
Glad to have helped. I'm just paying back what I picked up from others. Can't wait to hear you have been burning packs with no problem.

[rdlohr]

Update: If you are using the aluminum cross ties in the boom block, which I recommend to help reduce ESD, here is a way to take advantage them when putting in the copper foil.

[Finless]

THAT right there Rick is totally SWEET!.

Nice freakin job.....

Bob