450 lowheadspeed settings

[XionUAV]

In working to reduce the head-speed on a Blade 450 3D, I'm installing an Align 400 2800kv motor. The stock E-flite is 3800kv and uses a 10T pinion. Discovered today that the E-flite motor shaft is stepped so the pinion is specific to that motor. The Align motor is standard 3.17mm so 11T and 13T pinions are on the way.

Tached the E-flite with a fresh battery and at 85% the HS is around 2900 rpm. My goal is the 2200 to 2400 rpm range with at least 85% throttle. We'll see how it goes later this week.

[Koopyetz]

Originally Posted by XionUAV

In working to reduce the head-speed on a Blade 450 3D, I'm installing an Align 400 2800kv motor. The stock E-flite is 3800kv and uses a 10T pinion. Discovered today that the E-flite motor shaft is stepped so the pinion is specific to that motor. The Align motor is standard 3.17mm so 11T and 13T pinions are on the way.

Tached the E-flite with a fresh battery and at 85% the HS is around 2900 rpm. My goal is the 2200 to 2400 rpm range with at least 85% throttle. We'll see how it goes later this week.

I switched out my 3s for 2s. Tach is 2150 HS

[XionUAV]

That seems to be the easy way to do it. I didn't want to buy more batteries though and this Align motor new was about $12 shipped.So I figure it's worth a try.

I'll be running the Trex 500's with 4S instead of 6S to see how well that works. And a Compass 7HVU on 6S instead of 12S. Other Compass pilots say that works very well.

[im4711]

you should be fine. I did run my HD500 with500 mm main blades for some time on 3s. So 4s should be just fine.

[Koopyetz]

Originally Posted by XionUAV

That seems to be the easy way to do it. I didn't want to buy more batteries though and this Align motor new was about $12 shipped.So I figure it's worth a try.

I'll be running the Trex 500's with 4S instead of 6S to see how well that works. And a Compass 7HVU on 6S instead of 12S. Other Compass pilots say that works very well.

Just maidened my 500 on 4S with tach reading of 1715 .

[XionUAV]

Originally Posted by Koopyetz

Just maidened my 500 on 4S with tach reading of 1715 .

Was that at 100% throttle or something less?

Got the Align motor installed in the Blade last night. What a PITA. In hindsight it would have been much less trouble to just order a couple of 2S batteries. But I'm one of those people who has to try something once just to see if it was worth it. I'll spool it up today and get some readings. Can always reinstall the E-flite motor later if desired.

A local guy just put a new un-built HK 450 clone up for sale with a bunch of extra parts for $40. It's the FBL, torque tube version. Tempting since I have most of the other electronics. But after the Blade I think it's time to move on to the 500's.

[Koopyetz]

Originally Posted by XionUAV

Was that at 100% throttle or something less?

Got the Align motor installed in the Blade last night. What a PITA. In hindsight it would have been much less trouble to just order a couple of 2S batteries. But I'm one of those people who has to try something once just to see if it was worth it. I'll spool it up today and get some readings. Can always reinstall the E-flite motor later if desired.

A local guy just put a new un-built HK 450 clone up for sale with a bunch of extra parts for $40. It's the FBL, torque tube version. Tempting since I have most of the other electronics. But after the Blade I think it's time to move on to the 500's.

TC on 500 at 100%

[XionUAV]

Very good.

I just did a spool up on the Blade 450 with Align 400 2800kv motor and 11T pinion. The first spool was around 2411 rpm and the next 2393 rpm so basically 2400 rpm.

Ran into another issue, though. 2400 rpm seemed like what the rpm should be at 100% but my throttle curve at center was set to 85%. Ran the center curve up to 100% and there was no change. Ran it down and at about 72% the motor started slowing. Ran it back up and it was full throttle at around 73%.

It's the stock E-flite ESC but I'm using one of my Futaba 7C's for the radio. I inhibited every option and tried to do a throttle calibration but it just beeped at me telling me the stick wasn't at zero.

So for kicks I lowered the throttle end point to where the motor just hits full throttle, or 73%. Then went back to the throttle curve and the throttle does change now when going from 85% to 100%. 2400 rpm at 100% is fine and it's super smooth so I'll just leave things as they are.

What bugs me though is that means the E-flite motor was running full beans even though the curve was at 85%. 85% of 2900 rpm is 2465 rpm. I definitely could have lived with that but at least the ESC will run a bit cooler.

Live and learn.

EDIT: Was able to try it out a couple times tonight and it is definitely more docile and easier to control. Feels very smooth. To an experienced heli pilot I'm sure it would feel lethargic. Kind of what I think when taking up a trainer type aircraft after flying one of the 100mph+ pylon planes or EDF's. But it was only my second time in the air with a heli so smooth is good. Thank goodness for flying all those multirotors. Not the racer type but the camera platforms.

[XionUAV]

Here's the third official flight (my third time flying a heli, actually) of my Blade with the changes. Was able to run two batteries through it. Total flight time on one battery was 11m 45s before the voltage alarm set at 3.4V went off. Voltage settles at around 3.7V with no load.

Still need to make some adjustments but overall I think it's coming along. Definitely need to increase the pitch. Climb out is really weak but I had set the max pitch to 10-degrees as a "beginner" setting so increasing that should be a minor improvement. Here's a video just for reference of the HS.

I will say that you guys who have mastered flying helis have earned my sincere respect. Between these and learning 3D with fixed wings takes a special talent for sure. For me it's mostly practice, practice, practice.

Blade 450 3D (4 min 23 sec)

[Koopyetz]

Coming along nicely. Looks like good spot for flying. I noticed you fly to 3.4v.
Curious, as I fly to 3.8v at lowest reading to , as it was explained to me, maintain healthy battery. Has there been a change to minimum allowable.

[XionUAV]

There seems to be a lot of opinions regarding what's considered the best point to not go past when discharging a LiPo. After all my own research I finally decided that a 3.6V settling voltage is where the battery is considered depleted.

Under load a battery will sag a little and with my Zippy Compact 2200mAh that seems to be about .3V. So personally I'm ok with running it down to 3.4V under load because it settles at 3.7V. Not depleting past 3.8V is perfectly fine and a good safe voltage to preserve battery life.

I may raise my voltage alarm to 3.5V so the voltage settles at 3.8V because at least for me flying a heli for almost 12m is long enough. My focus is usually getting iffy by then.

[Koopyetz]

Originally Posted by XionUAV

There seems to be a lot of opinions regarding what's considered the best point to not go past when discharging a LiPo. After all my own research I finally decided that a 3.6V settling voltage is where the battery is considered depleted.

Under load a battery will sag a little and with my Zippy Compact 2200mAh that seems to be about .3V. So personally I'm ok with running it down to 3.4V under load because it settles at 3.7V. Not depleting past 3.8V is perfectly fine and a good safe voltage to preserve battery life.

I may raise my voltage alarm to 3.5V so the voltage settles at 3.8V because at least for me flying a heli for almost 12m is long enough. My focus is usually getting iffy by then.

Thanks for the explanation. Flying duration is really fantastic and 12m would be a lot for me too.
Good weekend to you

[yakky]

Originally Posted by gstoneberg

I agree, down around 50% you'll need an ESC with AFW. Mine are all YEPs. I can't do 3d at 50% so I never go that low...60% is about my limit. I never did try a 3s pack on my 6s helis. I should have done that before getting rid of the 450.

Are you sure its the AFW that makes the difference? I've had some weird issues (throttle drop around mid stick) with AFW on my YEPs so I don't turn it on. I've noticed that YEPs just run really cool in general.

On my Tarot 450, I'm running 30% (-100 to 100) at mid stick, that's probably right there at 60%, but I've dipped even lower. Top of the curve is 80. I have a Turnigy Typhoon 2215H motor on it, it is very relaxed and I can hit 12 or 13 minutes flight time, coming down at about 10% left. I did three back to back flights on it today and my battery was warmer than the motor or ESC, and none of them was anything close to what I would call hot.

[douglas4]

Just thought I'd share my Blade 450 low head speed setup.

Stock motor, 9 tooth pinion, CF blades, TC 0,70,70,70,70....PC 0,25,50,75,90 (0 pitch 1/2 throttle)...expo 60/30 in dual rate modes except the gyro. CF paddles....flybar weights all the way out. 2200mah 35c 3s battery....Align rce 35x amp ESC with slow start and governor mode. Has a very nice growl to it.

Doug