JPEE

The quiteness of this Forum is scary!

Aframomum

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Hey JPEE............Boo! (did I scare ya?)


Yeah, things have been quite around here too. Had some nice weather these past few days unfortunately it was spent working on my car...had to replace the waterpump...made it to 142K. Not too difficult of a job, plus the replacement was only $32, so a pretty cheap fix. And I was planning on flying this weekend dangit.



JPEE, sounds like you and Nick have been having fun...Nick with his college tour and contactor (congrats btw Nick) and you with your multi-house fire detection and warning system. I guess the simple battery operated smoke alarms from First Alert just didn't quite cut it.

Nick, the setup your field has is very nice. You are very lucky to be able to have up to the minute video shots of the field from your computer. I know that snow skiing resorts have that feature on their websites so with your field having an internet connection and electricity you guys were able to do something similar...how extremely cool that is!

Sorry Glenn that someone needed the med kit from the flying field that badly, maybe they'll replace it after the winter is over...always have to try to look for the good in people, right? Are you still in the teens weatherwise or have things warmed a bit for you?

Thanks for those comparison pictures of the Align blades and the Stealth's JPEE. I guess if you were a hardcore 3D'r the variances would make a difference but for my kind of flying (and budget) I don't mind the difference in length's. However, I do mind having to sand down the root to get a nice fit on the grips.

Was the disassembled motor the Typhoon motor or the Align motor? Just curious as it seemed to come out as one unit.

Ordered my Fusuno canopy today...had to order from Fusuno directly because Helidirect had no ETA on when they would get the one I wanted in stock. It also seems they are the only one's I could find that sell them, everyone else sells Canomod...have to admit it was kinda surprising. []

Gonna wait a bit before getting the FBL system...I saw that AMainHobbies (JPEE's neck of the woods ) will start to carry the microBeastX line of controllers, and they only are $30 more then Align's system that GrandRC sells. The guys on HF really seem to like the BeastX, but until now the German made product was only available from overseas vendors, so now it seems they are finally...'coming to America'...sorry, couldn't resist!

Mark

JPEE

Mark,
Yes that motor torn down was the new Typhoon. The link I gave you back a few posts ago gave you the video link on the 500-600 motors on the "how to" rebuild them. The photos I posted were just to show you the grub screw and such on the Typhoon.

I am sorry I must have not explained clear enough what I was doing with the house burgler alarm. We have had several burglaries of late. The problem is, three of us have the same alarm siren so if a house goes off it is hard to tell until you walk outside and get close to the exact house whos alarm is going off. My thought was by adding the flashing red light anyone looking out their window then knows my house from the others. Then next, WE ALL call the house that has the alarm going off to check on the residents, you know a home alone wife or something or just a mistake tripping of the alarm, we cover eachothers butt here. 30 days ago they opened the neighbors car, got to the garage door opener, opened the garage (midnight or so) walked in the kitchen from the garage where 6 were asleep upstairs! ! ! ! ! took the car keys, filled the car with all of the tool boxes, compressors from the garage and drove off in their car. The car was never found nor the tools. Now that's scary. I know I know, thats California and Los Angeles. Everyone here is thief, crack-pot-meth head, and the economy didnt help.

I am with you 100% on the Stealth blades. While I am working on my inverted flying, $25.00 blades work jussssst fine!

I also think waiting for the Beast is the right way to go. I keep hearing that if you have a problem with the German model you have to send it back to Germany for review and repairs, no thanks. It makes I guy consider keeping his stock head so he is not held up if the FBL fails for some reason so you not benched.

JPEE

Aframomum

My Feedback: (10)

Guess I'm just a bit tired today JPEE, your last picture is a side shot of the Typhoon motor...duh for me.

I totally forgot about the break in's in your area that you talked about a month or so ago...I see and understand your point clearly now. Good job on the visual distinguishing aspect of the alarm. Yes, I was thinking fire alarm when you mentioned house alarm horn...sorry.

Mark

JPEE

PS: Mark,
They hit the house accross the street from me last week! in broad daylight. Their alarm went off but their horn is ONLY inside so no one heard it. The rest of us have inside and outside horns. The alarm company called her and told her what was going on. Then she called us to walk over and check the house and to take a look. They broke the french patio sliding door glass payne by the handle, then the door would not open because she had a stick laying in the track! So they broke another payne of glass down there at the bottom and then lifted out the stick. Once they opened the door the alarm siren sounded in the house which is deafing and also I am sure that scared them off. She got hit last year she said same at this same time of December...........hummm

JPEE

rotarydoc

Hey guys,

Nick,

Thanks for the pics and the description of the contactor...it's basically a big relay, so now I understand better.

Hope you aren't getting too much of that big storm up north of you...some up there are getting hit hard by blizzards and 20 inches of snow...[X(]

Hope you are enjoying your projects.

JPEE,

Thanks for the description of the contactor, and how it works, that sounds like what we have controlling the outdoor lights at work. It's probably a huge one, since it controls all the big outdoor parking lot lights.

I didn't realize crime was that bad in your immediate area...I hope you stay safe, and keep the house well protected, I guess that is one of the drawbacks of the L.A. area, yeah...[&o]

Mark,

As much work as you do on your own cars, you ought to open a small auto shop...lol...congrats on the water pump replacement, not a project most would attempt at home, glad you could do it yourself and save some bucks....what does that cost at the dealer to replace?

The weather here warmed up, but brought rain along with it...at least it's not the snow that the northern midwest is getting..so I am thankful for that!

The brutal cold is to follow early this week, I think the high on Tuesday is going to be like 29, with 40 MPH gusts...[X(]


Not too much new here, I am still playing with the Macbook. Last night I got it connected to my network, and now I can see any and all files on the desktop with file sharing. It's a darn good thing I have that 880 page book, I'd never figured it out without it...lol..

Hope you guys in the warmer climates can get some flying in!

Glenn

evdreamer

Mark,

Sorry you couldn't fly this weekend.

Glenn,

It isn't too bad here. It was pretty windy yesterday with some snow. It was 5 degrees when I went to work this morning. There were some blizzards in Nebraska that were making my job a lot crazier.

I redid my circuit for my contactor, so it would be more efficient. I also have been working on another project. I am designing a bearing press for my heli engine. It is kind of like a C-clamp that attaches to the engine and aligns the front and rear bearing. The bearing sits on a piece that aligns it to the opening on the engine. I might have a local machine shop make it for me if it doesn't cost too much.

The file sharing sounds cool.

Nick

rotarydoc

Nick,


Glad you didn't get the worst of the snow storms, but sorry it caused headaches at work for you...

That bearing press idea sounds cool...hope you can get it working or made up from a machine shop.

Back (way back) in my RC car days, I had one of the first 1/10 scale nitro trucks on the market, a Traxxas Nitro Hawk. The truck itself wasn't bad, but the engine was horrible...I found a decent engine made by a company called Webra (German), before O.S. eventually came out with the CZ-R .12 engine...anyways, I needed to have custom made engine mounts made, so I went to a machine shop, with specs for what I needed.

It's usually fairly expensive to have a machine shop make stuff, because the setup of the mills and what not is the hardest part apparently. I think I ended up getting 2 sets of mounts made, and it cost me about $50 total...which isn't bad really.

Hope your contactor project goes well.

Glenn

Aframomum

My Feedback: (10)

Nick,

I've also seen the storms moving over the middle of the country and am glad that you didn't get the worst of it. But still, 5 degrees is dang cold.

Glad your keeping busy indoors with the electrical and now, mechanical projects. I hope the bearing press works for you...I can imagine trying to press fit a bearing by hand is difficult and probably inprecise.

JPEE,

Have the police implemented random drive-throughs for your subdivision? Sounds like they need to make their presence a bit more known...maybe just as a deterrence factor.

Glenn,

Yep, I should open my own shop...and bang up my hands and fingers more than I did this past weekend!

Can you believe I almost missed the biggest heli event in Florida this past weekend??? [X(] I got a PM from a guy on Helifreak about the event asking if I was going...didn't even know about it before then. I had to miss Fri and Sat due to working on the car but made sure I stopped by Sunday...just in time to see a large winter front move in.

However, it didn't stop a few guys from flying their 700 nitros. Major winds and cold rain and still they flew. I think their names were Alex Rodriguez and Joe Scott and they flew in from Michigan and shipped their heli's. I didn't have my camera so no video's of my personal flying show they did for me (), but here is a vid from Saturday's flying day. BTW, take note of what everyone is wearing....

[link=http://www.rcheliresource.com/video-lukas-rivas-heart-stopping-flying-at-orlando-heli-blowout-2010/]Lukas Riva Flying[/link]

Of course now we are all freezing our butts off after this cold front moved in...

Mark

Aframomum

My Feedback: (10)

Almost forgot to add the two things that Alex did that amazed me:

tic tocs in each orientation...meaning he started with right aerilon ones, then progressed to vertical (nose up), then left aerilon, then vertical nose down and...

inverted auto's. Wow!!

To see a 700 nitro doing that...and that low...amazing with a bit of scariness too. But that was some very awesome flying to see in person.

Mark

JPEE

Hello Guys,

Well Mark it sounds like you had a very busy weekend busting your knuckles on that water pump. That entire job is a pisser because of a small seal. I think they build that into car hoping you will take it to a dealer for repairs $$$.
The heli fly sounds like it was a good show, I am glad you got to make it there to see what you did. The posted video is killer too. Waaaaay beyond where this guy will ever be flying.
Weather, we have stinking weather, it is 80 right now and I just got back from some light flying and standing in the sun, it got hot! I am truly sorry for what you, Nick and Glenn are going through right now weather wise.

Regarding my flying today, I had taken my 500 to finish clearing up some bugs that I posted back a page. Once I got home, I found the gyro sticky foam (new 3M) had torn itself apart. I thought, heck I just put that on yesterday and it was from a new package so how can this be. After some close observations I found what "might" have done this and I had to much tension on the gyro from its wires where I tied them to the frame. So I used more new 3M foam and planted that puppy down again but "only" after cleaning both surfaces like a babies bottom.

Today test flights brought two conditions out. I flew the 500 on a two 3S 2250 series pack first. With 25 seconds left on the clock I went into LVC, kind of a shocker. I brought the heli down safely and found the batteries HOT and at 3.6 per cell which I never fly down to. I felt the new Typhoon motor and ESC and both were just a bit warm, but just barely. The second flight I popped in a 6S 3000 40C and took and flew in idle-up for the entire pack..............almost. Again with about 25 seconds on the clock the heli went to LVC again! I checked my 6S pack and it was "hot".........not warm but hot and at 3.5-6 per cell. I also noticed the gyro sitting caddy wampus and the 3M foam was stuck to the gyro's bottom side and the other part was stuck to the boom head gear box surface. The foam had torn itself apart in the middle! I had made sure to leave plenty of slack in the gyros wires this second time around so I think one of two things is happening. Either there is huge vibration in the head gear box from that slightly not perfectly straight TT or......... the 3M foam is defective. My plans are to replace the TT and buy some new gyro tape at the LHS and see how that goes.
Back to the hot motor. That Typhoon is a 1800kv and the stock Align was 1600kv. So that I did not spin the blades off the blade grips I had to take my throttle down to 60% to attain the approximately the same speed I was at with the Align (which I am rebuilding). So Nick and I discussed this issue of running a higher kv motor at a lower speed and he felt this would be the outcome and he was dead on. So I will lower the pinion by one tooth and see what that does. If it still eats my batteries then I'll give it back to my buddy lol who loaned it to me.

Lastly, my two typing fingers are giving out now LMAO........... on the second flight I heard a noise that was not familiar. I had an idea of where to look and when I landed I found it straight away as you will see in the pics. The main gear came up and separated itself and was rubbing the frame? I'll know more when throw a wrench at her to find out how this happened. The top collar was locked in place?

Wear a jacket when you go outside.........it's cold out there, back there
John
Once again the server is crazy here and I cannot load pic's from my camera or phone so I will post later

evdreamer

Glenn,

Yeah, I am used to paying for setup costs with my circuit boards. I get charged an arm and a leg for it and the board by itself is pretty cheap. I just have some threads left to put in my bearing installer design.

Mark,

That is cool you enjoyed your heli event. Do you plan on seeing the big RC jet events?

JPEE,

I got some green gyro tape and that stuff is really sticky. It is a pain to remove when I did repairs.

I hope your batteries are fine.

That is an interesting problem with your gears.

Nick

Aframomum

My Feedback: (10)

Nick,

Are you talking about [link=http://www.franktiano.com/FljetsFrameset.htm]Florida Jets 2011?[/link]

If so...I certainly hope so! Thanks for the reminder.

Umm, Nick...forgive my total missing it but how long have you had your 600 FBL? I remember you messing with it awhile back but thought it was giving you issues and so you went back to a flybar...or was that with the Velocity? My brain feels totally fried right now!

Poor JPEE sweating in that 80 degree heat wave.

I really shouldn't be complaining b/c Glenn and Nick both have it much worse then I do. []

JPEE, what flying times do you get on your batteries for your 500? Reason I'm asking is I found out that with my 6S 30C 2650's I have my timer set for 4:50...at 5:00 my LVC kicks in (only happened once, so I am very careful to land immediately once that beeper goes off). Sounds like a bit more tinkering before you get that pinion geared correctly to the Typhoon.

I also had my gyro come partially loose on the 500 during a hover...my wires were too tight and caused the tape to give. Have to say not a nice feeling landing a quirky heli and see a gyro barely hanging on. [X(] Definitely replace the TT if that is the cause of the possible vibrations and use new tape...may want to use a double layer of tape.

Strange issue with the main gear indeed...did something work its way down the shaft to give that separation?

Mark

evdreamer

Mark,

The Florida Jets sounds familiar. I just remember seeing a lot of adds for a big jet show on RCU awhile back.

I think my 600 has been flybarless since the beginning of spring. I think I converted my Velocity around summer. My Velocity was the heli that was giving me problems and the one that I converted back to flybared. I converted my 450 to flybarless last year and that was giving me problems too and that is converted back to flybared.

Nick

Aframomum

My Feedback: (10)

Hey Nick,

The Jet event is in March so at least I have time to plan.

Nice for me to finally realize you have a FBL on your 600...its only been 8 or so months.

Going back and forth between the two is the difference noticable? One statement I constantly hear from new FBL fliers is they feel 'disconnected' from the heli...a description they find hard to put into words. But after a while almost everyone agrees that going back to a flybar would be something they wouldn't want to do...is it b/c in a FBL system the gyro's are constantly doing the corrections for the pilot making flying easier? And what do you have on the 600?

JPEE, that was a good point on the Beast ever needing repair work having to be sent back to Germany...that's alot of downtime. []

Were you able to get the main/auto gears apart to find out anything?

You may want to try out some different brand of gryo tape if you have some laying around b/c that looks like the foam is separating. Maybe its old or was exposed to some long term temperature fluctuations which could have lead to the foam deteriorating. Just some ideas. Either way I wouldn't use it...not after 2 failures.

BTW guys, temps were down to 27 this morning...and expecting 25 tomorrow morning. OMG, did I unexpectedly move north??! [X(]

On my way to work I did see some orange groves that had frozen ice around the base of each tree...seems they sprayed them with water to freeze overnight to protect them. Glenn was right on the money with that one.

JPEE...enjoy those 80 temps!

Mark

rotarydoc

Hey guys,

Still cold, windy here, feels like the middle of January or February..[&o]

JPEE,

Hope between the TT and the new servo tape, you can get the 500 smooth flying again...

I have always used the servo tape my LHS has, it's generic from Horizon Hobby, just has their hobby shop name printed on it for them. Seems to work well.

When I was researching gyros and stuff, I saw where some guys use a velcro strap as a safety measure in addition to the tape...but you have to be careful and not strap it down so much that it induces vibrations into the gyro...needs just a tiny bit of slack. Just an idea...

Mark,

Looks like a great time there on the video, and those people are wearing shorts!! I can't imagine anyone wearing shorts for quite some time around here!

I see you are getting some of the arctic blast even down there...join the club!

Nick,

I forgot that you had to pay for setup on your circuit boards, I guess a machine shop will be similar. Hopefully you can get one that is enthusiastic about making custom stuff. The guy I dealt with was pretty cool about it. It took a while though...I had to wait a week and a half or so...

Glenn

evdreamer

Mark,

With the type of flying I do, I don't notice a huge difference between flybar and flybarless. Flybarless works good at high speeds. My Velocity nose will kind of bob up and down at high speeds, but it didn't with the flybarless. The flybarless head doesn't bind at high cyclic rates like my 600 head did. I gained about a minute of flight time with my 600, but I was able to push it harder and lost the minute. I still prefer the flybar setups. I have a Mikado mini V-bar on my 600. I used to have a regular Mikado V-bar on my Velocity and I used to have a Skookum 360 on my 450. The flybarless made it a little easier to fly in the wind, but I wouldn't consider it hands off easy. I don't know if it was the way I setup it up, but I still had to make small corrections to keep it in one place.

Nick

JPEE

Hey Guy's,

Gyro tape, I went to the LHS today and picked up a few things and one of them was Fatuba Gyro tape!

I am hoping the batteries are ok too Nick. The 3S packs are and of no matter as they are old, my 6S should be ok for being abused this one time.

I have not had time to tear into the 500 and look in to the gear issue because I have been making ready starting tonight for rain! Blowing out the flower beds of leaves, blew off the roof and all the gutters too and filled both of my bins with leaves. My aching back Wanna hear the punch line? I don't have a tree on my property! All of this debris is from my neighbors trees that hang over my fence lines, it SUCKS! We are told that the rain storm is a 1000 miles long at sea and is coming in and it will start lightly tonight and mist through the day tomorrow. Then the storm hits Friday and will last until Tuesday. So there will be plenty of bench time soon t play with the 500 motor. There is also another reason I am holding off and that is....the Typhoon motor I put in the 500 requires that 11T pinion. I am told by the LHS today that there is no such animal for an Align 500 5mm main motor shaft! Yet I read on the HK's site today that everyone that got these motors suffer the same issues I am. And two of them said they moved to a 11T pinion, but where did they get this little nugget? So today I got the bearing sizes for my stock Align motor and tomorrow will go back to the LHS and pick those bearings up and rebuild the motor in a few days. Meanwhile, if I stumble upon the 11T pinion I'll pick one up. OBTW I was told that the reason this pinion doesn't exist is, to make an 11T pinion for a 5mm shaft won't leave enough metal to keep the pinion together under load, YIKES! who knows really.

Mark, flying the 500 with the stock motor, running a 6S 3000 mAh 40-50C in idle-up running .....95-85-80-85-95..... and I get a "real" comfortable 5 minutes and I come in the high 3.7s nearly 3.8. If I wasn't totally pushing the heli I can get 6 min of flight and come in at 3.7. OBTW, that gyro tape I was using was brand new 3M Scotch I just bought. But as you mentioned, funnier things have happened that it could be defective or stat in a truck in the hot sun before hitting the shelves. But it is like cellulose-eeee not rubbery like the Fatuba tape.

Glenn, thanks for the suggestion on the gyro Velcro straps. I too have seen those used just as you explained. If the gyro comes off now, then "Houston we have an anomaly" LOL. For two years that gyro tape has held, I always check it in my pre-flight too so am comfortable that this problem will go way with the new tape and TT, time will tell hey?

Nick, if you make the bearing press, do NOT tell the machine shop what they are building. If this works out "perhaps" there is an opportunity for Patient here somewhere. Like I said, this guy Pete, a Hobby owner of Pete's Hobbies came up with this bearing greaser I use is making money $$. Now I think Xheli is selling them or Ready Heli, I forgot but they are catching on. If this bearing job is as difficult as you have explained then you just might have a little piece of gold in the works here.

Mark, Nick, Glenn, sorry you guys are getting frozen out, it must be tough, sincerely.

JPEE

JPEE

Hey Guys,

Today bought the bearings to rebuild my 500 motor. It still has problems, but it was a good learning experience. When I set the motor in its mount

without pinion to run up I thought all was well. But when I hit the throttle I heard the squeal again ! ! and the motor barely spun. Then I waited for a

second and she started to turn under stress. I shut down and waited a second and then tried again. This time even at half throttle the motor labored but

finally came up to speed. The motor and the battery got hot. Boys I may need a new motor! I will take the motor out and apart again tomorrow and see

what might be the issue, but I'll bet a magnet is rubbing, yet I saw no signs when I looked it over today, who knows.

Ticked off and disappointed too

evdreamer

JPEE,

That sounds like a lot of rain.

Sorry about all your motor issues.

Nick

Aframomum

My Feedback: (10)

Hi guys,

At work right now looking out the window at some very calm and comfortable conditions...really wish I was out there instead of in here ...but nice to know that for the next few days the weather is going to be much better with temps almost hitting the 70's during the day. Suffice it to say I am going to have to get out and do some flying.

I did get to hover a few packs last night after work with the 500...had to brush up since it was several weeks since I last flew. Something's better than nothing right?!

JPEE,

You sound like you need to take a trip to one of your 'close by' hobby shops and get a replacement motor for your 500...pronto!

Sorry the rebuild of your motor didn't turn out usable right now...sounds like it needs a disassemble and retry...might be something small you missed or an alignment issue.

Nick,

Thanks for your personal overview of your FBL experiences. Still planning on giving it a try...just waiting on after Christmas funds to build up again.

Any word on the bearing press?

Glenn,

I see you guys are getting lots of rain and/or sleet...I really hope things warm up a bit for you over the weekend. []

Mark

evdreamer

Mark,

That is good you got to fly again.

I am still designing my bearing press on CAD. I only have a year of high school experience on it, so I am a little slow. I am not in a real big hurry because I already have the bearings in and wouldn't need this until next year. I also have three other projects I am working on and just have been too lazy recently to finish them. My heli engine is still in pieces and so is my heli. Then I have some electronic projects too.

Nick

JPEE

Hey Mark,

Well I did in fact take the motor apart this morning and it is a no go sorry to say. In short I found if I started to unscrew
the motors top, like a mayo jar that relieved the stress from inside and the motor spun freely. I can't explain it but there
is apart where the windings are wound that is pressed into a post (I never touched that part). It appears that if that were pushed up it might relieve what is rubbing. Lets all not forget that this all might have surfaced after my crash, remember my motor mount was bent and frame got broken. This motor might have been enternally damaged then...gosh who knows for sure. So in the end with the new bearings the motor acted just like it did before I touched it. So being the CEO of John's Heli Inc. I made a decision today, I shopped the net and found that there is the new 500M motor and the old one I have called the 500L "inrunner". I have read the M motor is frought with problems of excessive heat and at the LHS they sell motor kits that have a new main shaft and bearings.................what does that tell you!

BULLETIN...alert!!!!
I searched everywhere for a new stock motor. I have flown that motor now for two years and it has all the power and performance I need. So in my shopping I found that it is a fair trade price at $90.00. Well my "junk yard dog" attitude paid off of never letting go. I found the motors at Grand RC and.........they sell them at their retail for $80.00! NO BUT WAIT! if you order now, we will give you our sale price at $50.00! Dude's, this is no brainer, I just made $40.00 on this buy. Further, I got my buddy to place the order as a new customer and we got 10% off for a $100.00 sale and we got free shipping for a buy of over a $100.00. I feel like a bandit, can this be legal? They had 18 of these motors with open boxes, no damage, no returns, just open boxes WHO-YA baby I hit gold today. They can drop the sucker in a lunch bag and send it out.
In the end, whether I had to pay a $100.00 or the $50.00 those numbers do not even come close to what a crash can cost and I just cant trust the old motor now even if I thought it was fixed.

Nick, I hope the "magic" press is under way!

John

Aframomum

My Feedback: (10)

JPEE,

Good deal with GrandRC on the 500L motor. I got my Phoenix sim the other day from them and got the 10% off code for new customers too. Welcome to the savings club!

My ESP kit came with the 500M and I have been keeping my eye on the shaft for any signs of play indicating bearing and/or shaft wear. So far so good.

Nick,

I remember you posting pics of your CAD drawings (last year I think), good luck in your design.

Looks like you have a good number of projects to keep you occupied until school starts. Any more word on that...classes you'll be signing up for first, will you be living on campus, allowed to drive for the first year there...that sort of thing?

Mark

evdreamer

JPEE,

That is cool you could save some money at GrandRC.

Mark,

Yeah, I posted an Adobe file of the RC plane I was working on. I will try to post one of my bearing press after work tonight.

I signed up for Biology, Calculus 1, computer programming, and an engineering class last week. I am still waiting for the bill for those.[&o] Least I only need two books. I will still live at home with my parents. I saved a lot of money doing that. I was able to get through my first degree without debt and I think I can get through this degree without debt too. I still need to get a parking permit for a parking garage. There is three to choose from, so I am checking those out.

Nick