Low HS and Castle Gov

[blade_crasher]

I'm slowly moving my HS down on a flybar 550mm Gaui Hurricane and have a question regarding Gov settings.

I"m using an older Castle ICE and have been using the Set RPM mode.

Moving to a Gov setup that uses a flat-curve in my DX8 would make changing the HS easier. Reading the ESC helpful hints - Gov Low sounds like the setting I want since the motor speeds are in the range noted, but maybe Simple or Gov-High is better. Any thoughts on this?

Thanks for any input.

[Krager]

On the Castle ESCs they provide three rpm options for Set RPM mode. You can use them or not use them. On mine I have a throttle output of 100% and just use the last one that covers throttle from 70 to 100%.

If you like you can run two or more idle up modes with different head speeds. Simply output the throttle value that corresponds with the range noted in the Castle setup program. In my case throttle output is on the hold switch. I could easily set it up to output a particular throttle value for multiple idle up modes.

Spektrum in heli setup mode forces you to tie throttle output to a curve associated with the throttle stick (which is collective for a heli and has nothing to do with throttle when using a governor). That was one thing that bugged me with Spektrum and was happy to see that go away when I switched to OpenTX.

[blade_crasher]

Are you saying in the first paragraph that I could use any value between 70&100 for different speeds with Set RPM mode?

If 70 = 1200 hs and 100=1400, then 85 will be close to 1300?

[Wargamer]

Originally Posted by blade_crasher

Are you saying in the first paragraph that I could use any value between 70&100 for different speeds with Set RPM mode?

If 70 = 1200 hs and 100=1400, then 85 will be close to 1300?

No. In "Set RPM" mode you can pick three specific head speeds and you input one of them into each of the three boxes under Desired Head Speeds. Put the lowest HS as option 1 and the highest as option 3. Then set a flat TC of 30% in FM1, 70% in FM2 and 100% in FM3. The ESC will govern to the RPM you specified for each FM.

[blade_crasher]

Okay, that was my understanding of Set RPM gov mode.

Back to my original question. Should I slowly move down hs using the three values in Set mode, or change to Gov Low and use a variety of flat curves via the dx8 transmitter to move to lower HS?

[flint723]

I don't know, if it's easy to change set head speed (bring laptop to field) I'd just keep doing that. I used the gov low/high for a while, didn't like it much. Maybe it's just me but I like knowing my head speeds.

But I guess you could tune it to your liking with gov low/high and then look in logs what the head speed is, then set that rpm in set rpm mode.

[Krager]

I only use one idle up mode so I put the same value in all three boxes for the Set RPM mode in the Castle Link software. Though I only use the highest selection. In watching videos of other pilots flying model helis I notice some use more than one idle up mode and some don't. So it depends on your preference.

Some people like to fly with a choice of head speeds and that's the way to do it with a Castle governor. I don't like using more than one head speed because it has a fairly pronounced effect on FBL controller tuning. With multiple head speeds tuning has to cover more than one speed which is more involved.

To set up your Spektrum radio for the Castle governor, use a flat curve associated with one of the radio's flight modes. Set the value of that flat curve to activate the governor set speed you want. For another head speed, set the throttle curve to another flat value associated with another radio flight mode. That's just how you have to do it with Spektrum because it forces you to use a throttle curve tied to the collective stick. OpenTX does not do that so you just use a constant value tied to a IU mode or TH switch. That's a Spektrum thing for Heli setup and like I said I was glad to get away from it with OpenTX.

[Wargamer]

Originally Posted by blade_crasher

Back to my original question. Should I slowly move down hs using the three values in Set mode, or change to Gov Low and use a variety of flat curves via the dx8 transmitter to move to lower HS?

Do you have a phone tach? That's invaluable for this kind of work. A couple bucks and 2 minutes to download.

I would check the lowest HS that the Set RPM mode will allow you to input. If you are already at or close to it and want to go lower, you will need to use Gov Low or a basic TC. (If you want to go a lot lower, you should consider dropping your pinion size or your battery voltage.) I have not played with Gov Low at all, so can't offer any advice there.

There is no reason you can't skip the gov for the moment and just keep adjusting your TC down. If you're just doing basic sport flying you could stick with a flat curve. Or if you're trying to do some 3D at low HS, use a V-curve

[blade_crasher]

Thanks to all for your thoughts. I'm just going to stick with Set RPM and slowly move down. I do have hs phone apps, but using the castle logs is better than the app IMO.

[Keyrigger]

For a number of years now, I have been using an electric motor and rotor calculator to work out what range of operation for any given pinion/main combination I could get hold of for my helicopters. I fly mostly scale and with one helicopter, very low head speeds, so the accuracy of the program was most important. I seldom use an optical tach except to verify what the CC program and the calculator give me for any given setting.

From experience of my own and others, I have a pretty good idea of where I would like to be with any given project. The only helicopter in my fleet that I use the tach for is my Logo 5003D which has a Jazz ESC. Its built in governor mode is achieved by simply having a flat line TC but you need the tach to verify what RPM it gives you for any value of the TC.

Try to keep your ESC above 80% for optimum performance but I have used my CC160HV fan cooled down to 60% in my low speed 800. With a 295kv motor and a 10:1 gear ratio, it was holding nicely at 700 rpm. Mind you, the tail had something to say about that low head speed, so I ended up settling on 800 rpm as the lowest. That works out to 67.5% (approx.) governed and the ESC seldom rises above 105F. Hope you get the range you want.

Don

[FR4-Pilot]

FWIW - Gov Low and Gov High allow you to input your desired RPM into CastleLink and it will tell you the throttle value you need to achieve it. All of the gearing, motor KV and battery info is used in these modes so you don't have to guess what your RPM are.

I prefer Gov High mode on my heli since I can change RPM by simply changing throttle value in the Tx. You can use CastleLink to give you throttle values for as many different head speeds as you want, write them down, put them in Excel, etc. then just change throttle values as needed. No need to carry a laptop to the field in order to re-configure the ESC for different RPM.

Here's some more info (different heli & ESC & setup, but still relevant) if interested: http://tamingtheblade180cfx.blogspot...-3500-rpm.html

-John