Reaction 54 Jet Kit
03-08-2019, 12:48 PM
#4401
there is no vibration with a turbine. Wood screws have held the engine mounts on R54's for thousands of flights and not let go. If it were an internal combustion engine or landing gear or something under vibration or shock loads I would agree 100% but between the doubler and the fuse bottom there is a lot of meat for the wood screws to bite into.
03-08-2019, 03:25 PM
#4403
I also use CA on the engine mount holes to reinforce the wood around them, I use CA on all the holes in the Reaction, all, from engine mount to retracts mounts ( I don't use blind nuts on retracts, nearly 30 jets build that way ) to the control surfaces and more.
I here you Alan, I can assure you and second what the guys are saying about the longevity of the wood/metal screws on the plywood mount.
Thank you for your suggestion.
I here you Alan, I can assure you and second what the guys are saying about the longevity of the wood/metal screws on the plywood mount.
Thank you for your suggestion.
03-08-2019, 05:04 PM
#4406
Senior Member
The capacity is not the problem but the 5C or 9 amp is. That must be an old battery to be a 5C. I would charge it up and see if it will start the engine. It may be enough. Once it's running, the current pull is not that much to just run the pump.
03-08-2019, 06:21 PM
#4407
I thought so, this is a radio batt that I got 6 months ago or so, didn't like the way the voltage looked on the screen and went back to LIPO, that's why it was in the batt box, I will use it to run the engine at home, tomorrow possibly but, will wait for the 4000 to show up next week to fly the jet.
I still have to re-wire my Boomerang XL, I will use this down tome to start on it.
I still have to re-wire my Boomerang XL, I will use this down tome to start on it.
Last edited by CARS II; 03-08-2019 at 06:26 PM.
03-09-2019, 04:17 PM
#4408
The install is much cleaner with the K ECU than the JC ECU, big hole where the JC ECU was, because the K ECU been small and light it was installed it in the boat, I also made a mount for the wing screws.
Time to CG it.
Last edited by CARS II; 03-09-2019 at 04:20 PM.
03-09-2019, 06:27 PM
#4409
It looks like another 3 oz will move the CG forward to the aft limit and 6 oz will bring it to the mid range of the CG, one of the pictures shows how much the CG has moved when adding 3 oz and 6 oz, I took this pictures when I CG it before the maiden flight.
To add a total of 6 oz for a mid range CG with the K80.
Last edited by CARS II; 03-10-2019 at 04:53 AM.
03-09-2019, 11:07 PM
#4411
paulD
03-10-2019, 04:49 AM
#4412
3/8" behind the max aft CG, doing the numbers, it came out to be 2 lbs and 3 oz ( 6 oz of lead to be added included ) heavier, 21lbs and 3oz dry weigh, 25lbs and 3oz on TO weight .
Last edited by CARS II; 03-10-2019 at 04:57 AM.
03-10-2019, 06:59 AM
#4413
Senior Member
Mine with the P-60 also was in the 19lb range as well. When I put in the Rabbit, I'm sure I weighed it but I don't remember. Did have to add more weight in the nose although I got a little break on the battery weight as back then, the P-60 was running off of a large Ni-Cd pack and now it's a Li-Mn.
03-10-2019, 08:14 PM
#4414
Ok, I run the engine with the 1800 5C 3s LIFE bat, it started right away, all starting steps were executed by the ECU, the ECU kept the engine at idle ( see picture of idle speed, PW and temp at idle ) went to full rpms and ( see picture of max rpms, PW and temp ) then back to idle where ECU detected the rpms at 29K then the ECU proceeded to stop the engine with a Low speed massage ( see picture of Low speed massage, rpms, PW and temp )
That's all I can do for now, I will be taking the R54 to the flying field sometime next week to do the needed checks before the first flight with the K80, the 4K 3s LIFE batt will be arriving sometime next week, I'm using K-1 kero at the moment but once I run out of it I'm will be back using Diesel, having a 27, 19 and a 13 lbs of thrust engines means more fuel will be burned and the K-1 is not cheap, about the Low speed massage, I'm not going to worry about it for now till I do more runs on the engine also, the batt was recharged before the run topping off at 10.7v then recharged right after the run, it took 110 mah, it was a 10v after the run.
Last edited by CARS II; 03-10-2019 at 08:40 PM.
03-11-2019, 04:37 AM
#4416
Senior Member
I wouldn't worry about it either at this point. I know with the Xicoy ECU's it's suggested at least with JetCentral to initially bring the throttle up one click at a time on the stick and leave it there for a few seconds to stabilize each click.
03-11-2019, 07:55 AM
#4417
Agreed, I have a Xicoy ECU on my TJT3000, I did the one click per second to max rpms to let it learn the throttle position then, did the same.on the way down, at least two times to let it learn the throttle position and fuel lines drag.
Last edited by CARS II; 03-11-2019 at 02:20 PM.
03-12-2019, 12:14 PM
#4418
Here's a couple of videos of my Reaction 54 from 2008 and 2010. Powered by a Wren MW54 MkIII (about 15 lbs thrust).
https://rcairgallery.com/rcairgaller...tion54.mp4.php (Windy day!!!)
I loved it. The above example was my second that I built. My first ever turbine jet was a Reaction 54 that I purchased second hand.
Got another one from the last production run (with electric retracts) still in the box. Don't have the Wren anymore, so will probably go with a K80. Always wanted a little more thrust than the Wren provided.
...jim
Edit: Two videos up there. RCU seems to recognize the youtube link and convert it to a thumbnail...
https://rcairgallery.com/rcairgaller...tion54.mp4.php (Windy day!!!)
I loved it. The above example was my second that I built. My first ever turbine jet was a Reaction 54 that I purchased second hand.
Got another one from the last production run (with electric retracts) still in the box. Don't have the Wren anymore, so will probably go with a K80. Always wanted a little more thrust than the Wren provided.
...jim
Edit: Two videos up there. RCU seems to recognize the youtube link and convert it to a thumbnail...
03-12-2019, 02:08 PM
#4419
Well I have a Wren 54 MkIII that I was wondering what to do with it. I think I need one of these. If I can get it to 165 with the Wren I will be happy with that. Now to find one of these at the right price...
btw - Nice flying...
btw - Nice flying...
Last edited by wildnloose; 03-12-2019 at 02:11 PM.
03-16-2019, 03:08 PM
#4421
The battery came today, a day late but it is here and on the jet now, dry weight is 20lbs even, the 4K batt is a bit heavier than the 2K I had for the P60, by just adding the batt the CG moved to the max aft CG position, I added 3oz to the nose and that moved the CG to the mid range of it ( pic )
Last edited by CARS II; 03-16-2019 at 03:10 PM.
03-17-2019, 07:57 AM
#4423
I wish I could, nice day to fly today Sunday but I have plans with the family.
I went to the field late yesterday after I rebalanced the jet, the plan was to charge the batt on the way there but could only partial charge it, I still had to run the engine, at the field I run the engine, it started normal, held idle speed of 42K then I did the one throttle click up a second to full throttle and down to idle twice, after that I pushed the throttle up and down like when flying 3D, the engine reacted normal and didn't quit this time, idle is normal, at full throttle it revved up to 142.500 with a PW of 310, it is supposed to go up to 145K, pump limit is set at 340.
I did a few taxi runs to exercise the throttle, check brakes and steering, all went well.
One thing I have to say is, OMG!! It is going to be a rocket, throttle management is a must with this much thrust.
Last edited by CARS II; 03-17-2019 at 08:09 AM.
03-17-2019, 08:08 AM
#4424
Senior Member
I wish I could, nice day to fly today Sunday but I have plans with the family.
I went to the field late yesterday after I rebalanced the jet, the plan was to charge the batt on the way there but could only partial charge it, I still had to run the engine, at the field I run the engine, it started normal, held idle speed of 42K then I did the one throttle click up a second to full throttle and down to idle twice, after that I pushed the throttle up and down like when flying 3D, the engine reacted normal and didn't quit this time, idle is normal, at full throttle it reved up to 142.500 with a PW of 310, it is supposed to go up to 145K, pump limit is set at 340.
I did a few taxi runs to exercise the throttle, check brakes and steering, all went well.
The one I have to say is, OMG!! It is going to be
I went to the field late yesterday after I rebalanced the jet, the plan was to charge the batt on the way there but could only partial charge it, I still had to run the engine, at the field I run the engine, it started normal, held idle speed of 42K then I did the one throttle click up a second to full throttle and down to idle twice, after that I pushed the throttle up and down like when flying 3D, the engine reacted normal and didn't quit this time, idle is normal, at full throttle it reved up to 142.500 with a PW of 310, it is supposed to go up to 145K, pump limit is set at 340.
I did a few taxi runs to exercise the throttle, check brakes and steering, all went well.
The one I have to say is, OMG!! It is going to be
03-17-2019, 08:19 AM
#4425
Went to full rpms a few times, kept it there about 15 seconds every time to see if it would get to the max rpms but what it did was what you just mentioned because it was running at 141,900 first, after the throttle was exercised a few time to max rpms the speed went up to 12,500 and the PW moved from 305 to 310.
I wander if I could reset the throttle loop like how we do it on the JetCat engines.
I wander if I could reset the throttle loop like how we do it on the JetCat engines.
Last edited by CARS II; 03-17-2019 at 05:11 PM.