TT (EP200 SD) VS EP200 SE

[questionmark]

Hi,

Prety new with RC heli hobby and I very happy with the EP200 in general, I can hover it in my living room, got couple minor crash etc... Now I'm not that entousiastic with torque tub, mainly for its maintenance, and also the crown and and tail gear wearing out. Also don't like the SD tail box, screew thread quickly broken, the spacer are pain... So I'm thinking going to the SE and see...as by mistake I ordered the belt tail box and it seemed to me more simple, no spacers...

My question is what is really the difference between the SD and SE?
-Performance ( flying time )
-Stability (the heli in general but also the tail)
-For owners of both when crashing what maintenance is more easy/quicker? What do you prefer to fly?

Also looking at for a load balancing chargers for both 2s and 3s that could load 2x 2s in same time maybe even 3x2s and without consideration of capacity of the lipo and brands, basically a single unit for doing that... am I better of using multiple cheap single 2s, 3s chargers ie like eSky?

Thanks

[Buzzkill]

I have both so I'll chime in.

1.Flying time for me has decreased slightly because I'm running a higher head speed with the SD.

2.My SD is more stable. Less vibration, better tail control. I use the 15/10t pinion.

3.If you crash with a SE you'll be replacing the ususal parts. Crashing with the SD you'll be replacing the usual parts plus one or more of the TT gears which are a pain the behind, especialy the crown gear.

4.I prefer the SD. The TT is smoother, quieter and holds better.

It's a trade off. If your doing simple hovering then stick with the belt. If your doing FFF or 3D stay with the SD (TT). I've very rarely had to replace any tail parts in a crash with the belt. SD crashes almost always require a new gear or two. I still prefer the SD, the added performance makes it worth it to me.

[Jetleaf]

I have both too. I can't offer a lot of comparative advice as I only maidened the belt bird today. From a maintenance standpoint I would rather deal with the sd any day over the belt. I find it a royal pain getting the belt back on if I have to remove the main gear or shaft. This of course isn't an issue with the sd. Maybe with practice it will be second nature like the sd is. I like the belt version but it is different. The sd just seems more stable for lack of a better word. It's hard to describe. I'll fly the belt for awhile and see how it goes but I feel a sd conversion won't be to far down the road. I have been lucky with the sd as my gears have survived 3 crashes now and still going well. I have had a couple of tail gears spin on the tail shaft but no stripped gears. Maybe I don't crash as well as others, I sure as hell don't fly as well as others. I really enjoy tinkering with these little helis as well as this sub forum and my fellow addicted brethren which frequent it. Try them both, it's not that difficult to switch. You're bound to prefer one over the other.

[R0t0R]

Hey Jetleaf, You mentioned that you have had some tail gears slip on your SD, but haven't had a gear strip yet. When the gear slipped, did you CA it to the shaft? Wonder if the ability of it to slip is what is keeping it from stripping, although if it is slipping, loss of tail rotor control is a huge negative. Was planning on CAing the gear on my SD shaft when my kit arrives as part of the initial set up. What is everyone else doing?

[questionmark]

Thanks Buzz and all

It is helpful for me to know what other thinks about differences in the TT vs the belt version and since yes I'm mainly hovering and feel so sad and worry about the gears when I crash that I will give the belt a try just for the experience. It is a good way to learn about that bird anyway I feel. I'm more worry about stability issues.

In total I changed since 2 weeks 3 times the internal tube shaft and also 2 times the crown gear to the motor. When I got it was ok but quickly noticed when I pull the throttle the heli would loose tail control. The problem was the gear on the tailbox that was a bit loos. I CA it then it whent fine just for a while untill I crash...or maybe made mistake and unproper mesh of the gears when I did this...then changed again...up to the point I messed the tail box screew thread... the one on the right, were the tail blade is...the 2 screews just go in for a few milimiters...and doing undoing it with locktit, IMO might makes it fragile very fragile, that is my main concern...Maybe I'm a brut..and I knwo I'm very unpatient....I need to learn patience with this hobby big time...so it is good :-)


Thanks again for taking the time to answer.

[Jetleaf]

R0t0R I've had 2 of them slip on me now. I thought the first might have been caused by a crash, it didn't help if it wasn't. But with the second one there was no crash. It's only noticeable when giveing right rudder. You'll hear what sounds kind of like the motor bogging, it's actually the tail rotor bogging and simultaneously your right rudder input doesn't give the expected output. I ca'd the first one back on and ordered a new tail shaft and installed it when the ca'd one slipped then it slipped too and I ca'd it as well and it's still holding. You would think they would have splined the tail shaft or keyed it but no. It looks like somebody clamped on some vice grips that left some little cuts on the shaft where the gear sits. Not very effective but as you suggested that might keep gears from stripping. I don't think it will cause a crash because the tail rotor still turns and left inputs seem to be unaffected. To ca the gear before it slips you'll have to break whatever bond there is from the factory. I don't think they use any glue. If they do it's not obvious. However it's possible that the plastic gear is heated and the shaft cooled before having the gear pressed on. Make sure to program the esc for soft start. They are supposed to be defaulted for soft start from the factory but I've had one that wasn't. In the setup it was option 4 "heli mode/no governor" That will help a lot with the gear slipping.