Jewel onboard generator - thanks Raja.

[gramey]

Just a quick thank you to Raja (rbort)for getting my generator out to me so quickly, 5 days from across the pond to my home in dear old Blighty, excellent. So damn quick in fact it's arrived before the heli!

[rbort]

Man that was a record for the mail service!
Enjoy flying free of battery worries

-=>Raja.

[Darkplague]

So how does the jewel mount exactly? Ive seen a few small pictures but cant make them out. Looks to me like it is driven from the top starter shaft perhaps. If so, how do you use and electric starter and this at the same time?

[gramey]

I'm sure Raja will confirm this but I don't think you can use both, personally I went for a preference over a reliable RX supply during long flights over using an electric start as the heli comes with a pull start anyway.

[rbort]

It mounts on the top of the clutch shaft for the Predator, Spectra, and 1005 gasser. For the ASI and Vario, its belt driven off the tail rotor secondary shaft.

But these gassers are very easy to pull start. Have you seen my youtube video on how to start a spectra-g? It takes two pulls with the pull starter when cold, and one pull while hot thereafter for the rest of the day.
Sure beats having to lug around a starter and battery to electric start it, but I do understand some people can't or don't want to pull start in which case yes unfortunately the jewel generator gets in the way of that.

-=>Raja.

[malc1]

Mines ordered and will be shipped out soon - great!

[gramey]

Sorry but another dumb question, how do I connect up my battery, I have a 6V RX pack with a servo type connector and a Deans connector for charging. I have to connect the output of the Jewel generator to the battery to charge it which will utilise the servo type plug. I then have to connect the battery to the on/off switch but the leads for charging the battery are a much heavier gauge than the ones to the servo type connector.
I'm trying to avoid having too many connections as with each one you've got an increased risk of something becoming disconnected. I'm also thinking it wouldn't be good to make an adaptor so that you have narrow gauge wire going into heavy gauge wire.
Any idea's folk's?

[pgkevet]

The jewel's output can go anywhere on the main power rails.. doesn't matter whether that is directly into the rx packs official charging system or into the rx or Y-leaded on to a servo that goes into the rx main power bus - it's all the same.
The only reason for thicker wires on the rx pack input is for folk doing a rapid charge (ie higher current) than the trickle charge of leftover power when the jewel is running your system

[rbort]

Just make sure you don't permanently connect the Jewel output to the battery without a switch. If you leave the battery connected to the Jewel 24/7, the jewel's regulator will drain it. The battery should always be isolated behind a switch that you turn on to fly.

-=>Raja.

[gramey]

Thanks for the replies guy's sounds like I've gone about it slightly the wrong way, I'e got the Jewel going directly to the charge lead on the battery, having swapped out the servo type connector on the Jewel to a mini Deans, and the output from the battery going to the switch, the other side of which goes to the RX.
Sounds like what I need ot do is connect the switch between the Jewel and the battery and the output of the battery to the input of the RX if I'm reading it right?

[rbort]

And how is the charge connector on it different than the power lead of the battery in terms of connecting to the cells?

Usually I would put the jewel in parrallel with the switch lead going into the receiver, with the battery on the other side of the switch.

I have not tried to connect the jewel to a charge lead on a battery with its own switch, and then still have the original switch between the battery and the receiver. Now you have two switches to turn on, one to power up the helicopter and one to charge the battery, and then you lose redundancy if your power switch to the receiver fails, then you lose power to the helicopter even though the generator is there making power.

You'll want the generator connected to the heli power system able to power up the helicopter without the battery and switch should that get disconnected somehow in flight (not likely but possible due to switch failure) or in a crash (more likely) and prevent a chicken dance allowing you to still throttle back and kill the engine on generator power.

Even if it will work, I don't like the idea of connecting the generator to the charge lead on your battery - you lose some benefit from that configuration.

-=>Raja.

[bri_877]

I came to acquire a Predator with an on board charging system that has no markings for ID. Raja, does this look like one of yours?

[rbort]

That looks like Biran's (ace bird) helicopter with custom frames that he made for it.

-=>Raja.

[bri_877]

Cool. Not sure of the history I just got elected to make it fly. It needs a new battery and I'm thinking a 3600 Nimh but on of my friends thought a Nicd might like the charging system better. Share your thoughts please. Thanks, Bri

[bri_877]

As well, it has a Hanson engine. 50:1?

[rbort]

You can use either NiCd or NiMH batteries, won't make any difference. You just need to use the right amount of cells for what the generator was set for, 5.5v means 4 cells, 6.9v means 5 cells. If 5 cells then you could also use a 2 cell LiFE battery.

As far as the oil, make it 32:1 or 4oz per gallon.

-=>Raja.

[bri_877]

There are no markings on any portion of this unit, is there any identifying characteristic that might clue me to which it is?

[rbort]

When I get home I can lookup my customer file to see what I sent out to Brian, the other way is that you can spin the axi motor with a dremel tool on the slow speed and check the output voltage with a voltmeter.

If I recall correctly, I believe its a 5.5v, he had two 4 cell packs on it as he liked to have double the battery capacity even though its not required with the generator.

-=>Raja.

[bri_877]

Raja, She's up and flying, charges and everything.... finally. I need to replace the belt for the generator, would you point me in the correct direction please? Thanks for everything, Bri

[rbort]

You can get belts from stock drive products, they make all sorts and sizes. Look at the numbers on the belt you have to locate a replacement.

-=>Raja.