Align 500l tail rate mode mechanical setup question

[obelisk29]

I have my 500l tail setup in rate mode, but I feel like the pitch slider is so far left compared to the picture in the manual. Is this going to affect my piro rate or is something really messed up?

[obelisk29]

And I also accidently flipped the tail blades around for the picture, but they were correct when setting the tail up.

[lahannsven]

When you start your transmitter and connect the battery, the pitch slider should go directly to 90 degrees angle.

Obviously this is not the case in your picture. Therefor mechanically adapt your heli.

The servo-arm of tail servo should also be exactly in the middle. If not, unmount tail servo and reinstall servo arm.

The tail servo arm shall be exactly in the middle and you should have to both sides (right and left) the same way.

In wrong installed servo arms, you have much more servo way to one side compared to the other side, check this.


Sven

[obelisk29]

Originally Posted by lahannsven

When you start your transmitter and connect the battery, the pitch slider should go directly to 90 degrees angle.

Obviously this is not the case in your picture. Therefor mechanically adapt your heli.

The servo-arm of tail servo should also be exactly in the middle. If not, unmount tail servo and reinstall servo arm.

The tail servo arm shall be exactly in the middle and you should have to both sides (right and left) the same way.

In wrong installed servo arms, you have much more servo way to one side compared to the other side, check this.


Sven

I did setup my servo horn at exactly 90 degrees and adjusted my linkage rod to where the pitch slider was centered as in the picture. But this caused my heli to rotate counter-clockwise when I put my gyro into rate mode. So I shortened my linkage until I had a very slow turn rate but this also caused the pitch slider to be this far left at neutral. Basically the tail blades needed this much pitch in order to hold the heli neutrally without heading hold mode on. To me it felt like a lot compared to what I've read on here and in the picture in the manual.

[mlp3028]

Some of the Align models will not have the slider centered when you bias the tail blades with approximately 3-4 degrees pitch. In fact most...

I use a Mini Vbar and have an offset that provides 7-8mm between the blade tips when folded back like you have pictured. That translates to 3-4 degrees with 72mm blades. My slider sits approximately 6mm out from the tail sideplate.

If you Google the topic, there are several opinions, but some of the stronger ones suggest mechanically putting in the 3 degree bias as you have done. It will fly fine.

What tail servo are you using and what distance is the ball from center on the servo?

[nabl74]

What you show in your picture looks normal and correct.
With the GPRO ( I assume you are using the gpro as it came with my 500L also), you need to do the following (which I think you have already done).

1) plug your heli into computer via gpro (ensiure your transmitter is in rate mode and on before you do this.
2) go to your tail settings page and zero all your trims.
3) physically make sure your tail servo horn is at 90degrees as shown in the dominator L manual whilst on the tail setting page. If its not adjust your servo horn.
4) now while you are on the same page and still connected up. adjust your tail control rod (via ball links to achieve a 3-4 degree pitch as a starting point. This is to counter torque in rate mode hovering.
5). adjust your end points for right and left rudder to make sure you don't have any binding.

now test hover your heli in rate mode.

6) if your heli rotates in rate mode, don't trim your tail setting end point. First try to do it via one turn of your ball link on your control rod. Keep doing this until it starts going the other way. Then use trim in gpro settings to get perfect stop.

You should have a very close to 90 degree servo horn and a tail link as per your photo. the difference being your heli will not have any bounce back issues and will hover perfectly in rate mode.

now switch to heading hold and go have fun !

[Lee777]

Mine is about the same, i hovered in rate mode and adjusted untill i had just a very slow piro (as close to no drift as i could get it) then it puts less work on the gyro to keep the heli locked, i did the same as you and did to the manual and as soon as i tested in rate mode the heli spun really fast,
If near enough no turning in rate mode your all good mate and ready to go. Just make sure everything is 90* to start off, a proper good setup is easier to fly and control

[obelisk29]

Thanks for all your help guys. I went out and did some pitch pumping and the tail was rock solid and I hadn't even adjusted the gyro gain yet. Unfortunately in all my leveling of the swashplates and making sure I had my servo horns at 90 and blade pitch perfect on all axis's and on each blade and loctiting every screw known to man except for the plastic ones. I somehow thought I already had loctited the servo horn screws, I hadn't. I found that out 45 seconds into the flight when my rear servo horn came off and my heli went nose up and then immediately pile drived itself tail first into the ground from 50 foot up. 200$ worth of parts are coming soon. Ugh this hobby can be depressing. Atleast I got 45 seconds of perfect flight, this bird was humming. I just have to do it all over again starting with loctiting the servo horns.

[mlp3028]

Originally Posted by obelisk29

Thanks for all your help guys. I went out and did some pitch pumping and the tail was rock solid and I hadn't even adjusted the gyro gain yet. Unfortunately in all my leveling of the swashplates and making sure I had my servo horns at 90 and blade pitch perfect on all axis's and on each blade and loctiting every screw known to man except for the plastic ones. I somehow thought I already had loctited the servo horn screws, I hadn't. I found that out 45 seconds into the flight when my rear servo horn came off and my heli went nose up and then immediately pile drived itself tail first into the ground from 50 foot up. 200$ worth of parts are coming soon. Ugh this hobby can be depressing. Atleast I got 45 seconds of perfect flight, this bird was humming. I just have to do it all over again starting with loctiting the servo horns.

Sorry to hear about your loss. It has happened to most of us. My maiden flight lasted two seconds due to reversed aileron servos. Sounds like you're going to hang in there.

[RC/DC_5000]

Your picture looks correct. The slider hangs out pretty far left to maintain rate mode hover.

Don't feel bad about your error. I built a brand new 600L and did a meticulous job loctiting and shrinkwrapping and zip tying... but I overlooked the allen bolt that holds the tail slider arm on. Pretty important huh?

Needless to say, the maiden did not go well. 1100 dollar helicopter exploded upon losing tail control. Imagine the look on my face. Priceless I'm sure. The main blades disintegrated. Disappeared.

I didn't even believe it actually happened for a few hours. I was in medical shock lol. Water under the bridge now, as its been flying perfect for at least 8 months now. Live and learn.

[nabl74]

well i can go one better. lol

not proud though

didnt setup throttle hold on transmitter during build of my 500l . didnt take blades off, soft start on esc wasnt set, motor wires all connected, and setting up gyro wirelessly. gyro disconnected unexpectedly( not knowing this, and bumping the throttle......

you guessed it

heli armed and vwoosh she launched of my desk inside before i even figured out what the arming chimes meant lol.

so many stupid learner oversights lol

managed to throttle down quickly after.

she landed on floor motor steaming as blades had hit floor / table and locked/ blades cracked.

was my very first lesson into heli safety. didnt even get to maiden her until my first rebuild lol.

long time since then though .

[AllanNg]

Flip it and it just perfectly balances out with correct counter pitch, like they were wrongly assembled lol!

Remember to check rudder direction, correction direction, and redo endpoints always.

[mlp3028]

Originally Posted by AllanNg

Flip it and it just perfectly balances out with correct counter pitch, like they were wrongly assembled lol!

Remember to check rudder direction, correction direction, and redo endpoints always.

I had heard this was a fix for the 450. Are you suggesting flipping the grips for the 500 will work well also?

[AllanNg]

Originally Posted by mlp3028

I had heard this was a fix for the 450. Are you suggesting flipping the grips for the 500 will work well also?

Flipping it will make the slider more toward the middle and gives more counterpitch which is ideal doesn't matter what size you fly.

[mlp3028]

Originally Posted by AllanNg

Flipping it will make the slider more toward the middle and gives more counterpitch which is ideal doesn't matter what size you fly.

Good to know, will have to give it a try on my 500. Thanks!