No Power - PROBLEM SOLVED

[jfluegel]

I have the protos 500 with the scorpion 3026-880kv motor and phoenix ice 75 esc, stretched with low fbl head and BeastX. Maidened it the other night and the thing just has no power. In normal I have to have my throttle curve at 0,25,100,100,100 just to get it in the air. Do a full pitch pump and it rises with the speed of a helium balloon. Now I have it on the bench with the blades off going through the esc calibration again and no change. I can spin it up on the bench and it "seems" like at full throttle it is going about 1500 rpm. I thought this thing was supposed to be a little rocket. Right now it flys like a slug . Any ideas? Battery is Gens Ace 2650.

[alexf1852]

Gens Ace doesn't make a 6S 2650. So is it a 6S? What size pinion are you using? I would look at your ESC settings and TX throttle settings. I'm not familiar with Castle. So someone else will have to chime in.

[jfluegel]

You are correct the battery is 2600, my sky lipos are 2650. I'm using the the 13 tooth pinion that came with the stretch kit but I'm going to get a 14 tooth and see if that helps. According to the castle link software the 13 tooth would have to run over 100% effeiciency to achieve 2500 rpm head speed. The 14 tooth will give me 2600 rpm at about 94%.

[Mr dan]

I take it you are in govenor mode? So with the details you provided, Im seeing that with a 14 t pinion , head speed set to 2600 the result is 98.4% leaving very little HS to govern. you may want to install a 15t. Using a 15t this would be an ideal setup with 2600 @91% normal mode , throttle curve set to 0, 40% , 40% , 40% , 40% , and in stunt mode set the throttle curve to a flat 75% across, should you have a 3rd flight mode set that curve to a flat 100% this mode will be goverend to 2680 @94.3% efficiency with enough head speed to goveren. What version of Castle link are you running? V3.51.05? or lower?

[jfluegel]

Originally Posted by Mr dan

I take it you are in govenor mode? So with the details you provided, Im seeing that with a 14 t pinion , head speed set to 2600 the result is 98.4% leaving very little HS to govern. you may want to install a 15t. Using a 15t this would be an ideal setup with 2600 @91% normal mode , throttle curve set to 0, 40% , 40% , 40% , 40% , and in stunt mode set the throttle curve to a flat 75% across, should you have a 3rd flight mode set that curve to a flat 100% this mode will be goverend to 2680 @94.3% efficiency with enough head speed to goveren. What version of Castle link are you running? V3.51.05? or lower?

I'm not currently running in gov mode just using throttle curves. I lost my castle link and am waiting for a new one to come. On all my other helis I run a throttle curve in N of around 0, 35, 65, 72, 85 with a pitch curve of 37, 45, 50, 75, 100. That means to just hover i need about 70% to 75% of my throttle. To get the protos to even hover and fly I am running 0,25, 100, 100, 100 on throttle. My expectation is that at 100% throttle the motor and head should be screaming fast but it sounds and acts like it is bearly idling. I will try and make a video of it and post it if I can figure out how.

PS do they make a 15 tooth pinion that will work with the stretch kits additional pinion bearing support? I'm going to look for one for sure.

[banditpowdercoat]

One Way Bearing slipping??

[Mikej]

Have you calibrated your throttle end-points? The CC ESCs do this differently to most others, you basically set your EPA's so that the CC ESC recognises 100% throttle and 0% throttle - if you haven't done this you would get strange performance.

[jfluegel]

Originally Posted by Mikej

Have you calibrated your throttle end-points? The CC ESCs do this differently to most others, you basically set your EPA's so that the CC ESC recognises 100% throttle and 0% throttle - if you haven't done this you would get strange performance.

Yes, I've done it several times and the results are the same. Full + = 93% full - = 111%. I get all the correct beeps and LED lights seem to indicate everything is okay with the esc. I ordered a new castle link yesterday and a 14 tooth pinion. Hopefully between those two items I can get this figured out.

[jfluegel]

My lack of power problem is solved. Holy crap this thing is fast. The issue was the programming of the Phoenix ICE. I had forgotten that I bought the ESC used and whomever I bought it from had some really strange settings. Once I got my Castle Link and went through the setup all is good. Still waiting for the 14 tooth pinion to get a little more head room on the ESC but it is great for now.