Windows or No Windows

[fred kaz]

Hi All,

Just a bit of advice needed.

I am just about to finish my fist ever scale, a T-Rex 450 SE V2 with a Heliartist 500D fuselage in the breitling colours.

The Heliartist fuselage come without any side windows, but the Align one comes with a full set of windows, and I am made to belive that heliartist make the ones for Align as well.

Would it be ok to make windows for the Heliartist fuselage or not. I was thinking that the helicopter might overheat but if Align are selling these with a complete set they must be happy to have this setup.

Is the Algin one made with different vents in it?

I am also thinking of changing the 2 top small windows for metal mesh painted black to help keep it cool. Any thoughts on this idea?

Any help/tips would be appriciated.

Cheers,

Fred:)

[evo5]

I will leave mine(align 500E) without windows, for better cooling...:YeaBaby:
JC

[Wenlock]

I have the white/blue/green 500D (N23CP) which I'm building up with a T-Rex 450S. Overall I'm very pleased with it, but I was very disappointed that there are no side windows. I don't think I'm going to like being able to see the mechanics all the time.

Could someone with an Align Hughes 500 fuselage tell me whether there are separate part numbers for the windows? If possible I'd like to get some and see whether they fit the HeliArtist fuselage. Some people have suggested that the Align and HeliArtist items are made by the same company, so it might be worth a try.

Failing that, I guess I'd need a vac-form kit to make some decent windows, and I don't think I'm up for that.

[guru101]

I have the white/blue/green 500D (N23CP) which I'm building up with a T-Rex 450S. Overall I'm very pleased with it, but I was very disappointed that there are no side windows. I don't think I'm going to like being able to see the mechanics all the time.

Could someone with an Align Hughes 500 fuselage tell me whether there are separate part numbers for the windows? If possible I'd like to get some and see whether they fit the HeliArtist fuselage. Some people have suggested that the Align and HeliArtist items are made by the same company, so it might be worth a try.

Failing that, I guess I'd need a vac-form kit to make some decent windows, and I don't think I'm up for that.

I just received my Align 500E fuse and there is no seperate part number for the side windows, the Align instructions do suggest to leave the rear side windows out for better cooling. And i think i will use flyscreen type material for the top windows just to get some more air in there.

[BlackTitanium]

I spoke to HeliArtist about the side windows, that come in the Align 500E kits, and they said that the lipos puffed during testing with the side windows installed.

So, it is not recommended that you fly with the windows installed.
Basically, the side windows add some nice bling to the overall look.

[Wenlock]

I spoke to HeliArtist about the side windows, that come in the Align 500E kits, and they said that the lipos puffed during testing with the side windows installed.

So, it is not recommended that you fly with the windows installed.
Basically, the side windows add some nice bling to the overall look.

Hey, thanks for the info. I was just about to ask HeliArtist about the windows, but you got there before me.

I think I'll just forget about fitting windows. It seemed like a good idea to start with, but if HeliArtist were puffing LiPos there must have been some serious heat trapped inside the fuselage.

[Wenlock]

But OTOH there's a whacking great dummy exhaust at the back, it's just crying out to have a fan fitted...

[majuro15]

I'm not sure about the 500E fuses, but my 222 has all the windows in it. The real 222 has vents on the top that I put a fine mesh across, but it seems to do fine with it. The motor is warm to the touch, as is the lipo.

Radio Shack has some awesome little cooling fans for computers that you could throw in there to get the heat out though.

[sb930]

I put about 20 flights on my Align 500E fuse with all the windows installed. Temps on the battery, ESC and motor where higher than when flying with pod & boom, but not tremendously.

Here are some ave temps with pod a boom:
Battery: 106° F
ESC: 102° F
Motor: 113° F

With Fuselage and all windows:
Battery: 120° F
ESC: 117° F
Motor: 131° F

This is an SE V2 with stock 430XL 3700K motor, 11T Pinion, BL35X ESC and FlightPower Evolite 2500 pack. Temps were taken with a Fluke infrared thermometer. I'm getting solid 8mins of forward flight and putting back less than 80% into the batts.

Today I popped the side windows out this morning and went for a couple flights. I didn't take the thermometer, but the good old stick your finger on the ESC, battery and motor showed that temps are lower than with the windows installed... probably much closer to the temps I see flying the same mechanics with pod & boom.

The fuselage looks nice sitting in the garage with all the windows in, but the truth is that once it was in the air, I didn't notice they weren't there...

Cheers

[fred kaz]

sb930,

Thanks for taking the time to check the temps. this is the kind of information that we need.

I am now thinking of using solid windows for the front 2 on the canopy, and on the rear and small top windows use black painted metal mesh. The very fine kind that you use on car body repairs.

Cheers,

Fred:thumbup:

[BlackTitanium]

sb930,

You're flying with 11T!
How do you even get it off the ground?

You've got to put the 13T pinion on that 430XL motor, to fully enjoy flying your heli with a fuselage. Otherwise it's just a tired dog.

:fly

[sb930]

I guess it depends on your flying style...

Yeah, with the 11T pinion it won't punch out like the space shuttle, but it's got plenty of guts to get up and fly around in a scale like manner. As a matter of fact, I spend most of the time in normal mode when flying with the Hughes fuselage on which equates to about 80% power (and a head speed that probably is slower than the rotation of a frisbee).;)

If the wind picks up beyond 6-7mph, I'll usually go to Idle1. I'm lucky that it's usually quite calm at my flying site, so if I flew in more windy conditions I may be more inclined to run a higher head speed.

For now, I really enjoy the long flight times and save the higher head speed for when the scale fuselage comes off.

I flew two flights this morning... the first was 8.5mins and the second was 8mins with the EvoLite 2500's. First pack just finished charging and put back 1899mA which is only 76%. How long do you guys get with your 13T pinions and the fuselage? 4-5mins???

[sb930]

sb930,

Thanks for taking the time to check the temps. this is the kind of information that we need.

I am now thinking of using solid windows for the front 2 on the canopy, and on the rear and small top windows use black painted metal mesh. The very fine kind that you use on car body repairs.

Cheers,

Fred:thumbup:

Here's a little more info from this morning... two flights with the side windows out (all windows in the nose still installed). Only about 3 minutes between flights so didn't really wait for anything to cool down. Outside temp 62° F

First Flight:
Battery: 115° F
ESC: 100° F
Motor: 111° F

Second Flight:
Battery: 115° F
ESC: 106° F
Motor: 112° F

Looks like the temps on the ESC and Motor are very close to the figures I posted previously when flying with pod & boom. Battery temps are higher than pod & boom, but 5° less than when flying with all the windows installed.

Cheers!

[Wenlock]

sb930,I am now thinking of using solid windows for the front 2 on the canopy, and on the rear and small top windows use black painted metal mesh. The very fine kind that you use on car body repairs.

The only thing that would worry me about that stuff is that it might block your Tx signal if you're using 2.4GHz antennas mounted inside the body.

I found this "Silon mesh" in one of the online modelling materials stores: http://www.netmerchants.co.uk/product.php/2768/0/modellermeshfinesilon. I've never used this stuff - is it any good for windows? I'm not sure how flexible it is, if it's too floppy it won't work too well. I assume you can paint it.

[fred kaz]

Wenlock,

Thanks for the link. I will give them a bell in the morning and ask for more info on this product.

Cheers,

Fred:thumbup:

[fred kaz]

Wenlock,

I have rang that model store and after talking to him, it would appear that this stuff is also metal based.

Back to the drawing board then.

Cheers,

Fred.

[sb930]

What about the plastic window screen used in sliding door screens?

EDIT: I think it's probably nylon...

[fred kaz]

Hi All,

I rang Horizon Hobbies UK yesterday as they are the main distributer for the Spektrum radio sets, which I have the DX7.

I asked about the metal mesh being used in a scale fuselage and the Technical Customer Service Department told me that the metal mesh would not affect the radio signal in any way.

So it looks like I am going to give the car body panel stuff a go and paint it black.

Will post some pictures when it is done.

Cheers,

Fred:thumbup:

[Wenlock]

Hi All,

I rang Horizon Hobbies UK yesterday as they are the main distributer for the Spektrum radio sets, which I have the DX7.

I asked about the metal mesh being used in a scale fuselage and the Technical Customer Service Department told me that the metal mesh would not affect the radio signal in any way.

So it looks like I am going to give the car body panel stuff a go and paint it black.

Will post some pictures when it is done.

Cheers,

Fred:thumbup:

Hey Fred, this is good news. If the Spektrum people say it's ok to use this metal mesh, then I guess it must be fine. I used to work with RF screening materials many years ago, and I was a little wary of using this stuff close to Rx antennas. But if Spektrum say it's ok, I'm not going to argue with them.

In fact I'll get hold of some of this car-repair mesh myself and see what I can do. I still have some construction work to do before I get to the point of installing windows, so I'll be interested to see how you get on. Don't forget to post some pictures!


Cheers,

Ian