homeblt38

My Feedback: (13)

Hello,
I am looking to setup a QQ Yak 102" shortly and am looking for proven
recommendations for powering the electronics. So far I plan to
equip the plane with Hitec 5955 servos and I would like to use
Li-ion packs.

I've also seen numerous systems from single Nicad packs to complex systems centered around Duralite PowerBoxes, Emcotec, and Smart-fly power systems. What are the latest technolgies and what would be a robut set-up i.e. dual batteries, single regulator, fail safe switches, what works well???

I would appreciate proven suggestions and photos are great.
Thanks, Don

flyinrazrback

My Feedback: (69)

I like the smart fly power expander and turbo regulator. Fits all the requirements you asked for. Simple install, 2 batteries, one regulator (regulator is redundant internally), one failsafe switch, etc

Silvanskii

My Feedback: (17)

My own opinion is, why put in a regulator when that is something else to fail? Our systems can easily handle the power output from a freshly charged li-ion battery. I haven't used a regulator on a plane in 3 years, and won't in my upcoming 40%. I would advise to save the weight and the money and something added to fail, and run one 4 cell 4800 mah li-ion into your receiver and be done. That's worked great for me in the past, I could get an easy 5 flights out of it in a day running 7 of the super torque standard servos (5995, 8611) plus a throttle servo. In my (now ex-my) Yak, it had one servo per control surface and a 2 cell 2700 TBM pack in it, and it would last a comfortable 8 flights before I needed to think about charging it.

I would recommend one of the new Fromeco 4 cell Peerless pack on RX and go for it. If you want the extra weight, complexity, and money is no option, then flyinrazrback's is the way to go. Your call! Gotta love giant scale with all these options available now days... Come a long way.

flyinrazrback

My Feedback: (69)

I picked up 4oz with the smart fly system, the regulator and switch are failsafe. I am sure that running them at 8.4v presents no problems, but, if the manufacturer advises against it, and you do it anyways, you void the warranty. I am not saying that your way is wrong, but the average joe likes the idea of a warranty. Its all personal preference.

mu2driver

My Feedback: (15)

Here is the latest redundant, light, and proven system...

Darrinc

My Feedback: (5)

It can't fly unless you have a bunch of hype junk to add weight and complexity. What were you thinking? Our planes must have been falling out of the sky left and right for years before these products were introduced. I can't believe the AMA and all of these contest have survived for all these years with these basic giant scaled planes and there simple systems.

KISS obviously never works, especially over the years.

Then again, you could take the money you spent on the hype, and buy another plane. Now thats reduntency!

homeblt38

My Feedback: (13)

flyinrazrback

I have seen your posts elsewhere on RCU and knew you were using this system in
the very plane I am buying. Thus far it, it has most appeal. What exactly is the purpose
of the Power Expander? So I understand, when you say fail-safe, its means should the component fail, it fails open so the system continues to function? Not that any mfg will
stand behind a catasophic accident, but my experience says stay within the mfg recommendations for the best results.

mu2driver

These are the very batteries I am interested in. One of my main concerns has been the
22 gage wire from the battery and again on both sides of the switch. Who's is the switch
mfg? Everyone talks of system amperage requirements and your have addressed that
very well with your setup.

Darrinc

Your point is very well taken. I can remember going to AMA pattern events 20+ years ago
and those guys were very much the top dogs. When TOC style planes came ago, the pilots
and their planes thrilled the crowds with manuvers the common flyer could only dream of. Today, most flying field have pilots that can do that type of flying and its much less a mystery.

Remember when you saw your first dual rate, multi- channel radio with expo? My reaction
was why would I ever need all that stuff. Today, I can imagine being without it.

I think we just need to sort thru the hype where we can and for me, build the best system
I can for this plane.

This will be my first 35% plane and my first 100cc twin. I am just tyring to accquire
as much knowledge as possible to make an informed decision. Thanks to each of
you for sharing your experiences and I hope the dialog continues.
Don

Darrinc

My Feedback: (5)

In all seriousness, what do these products really do for us? Who do you know that has stalled 3 servos in a flight? Who do you know that has stalled one servo? I understand that our new digiital servos draw more current than some of our older servos, but some of the older servos had a huge current drain, (hitec 805's, wow) far higher than our big, bad, digitals, still planes where not falling out of the sky. It seems funny to me that the excuse people use to buy all this stuff, is to keep from losing there plane, when the cost of this stuff is about the same as a new plane? So if you do lose a plane, are you going to stick the fancy stuff back in the new plane?

I personally do not like adding another point of failure, but if I felt that one of these new products was actually going to make my flying experiance better, make it safer, or give me more preformance, I would happily add one.

But my PCM cleans up my signal so I do not need optoisolators. I run my Li batterys with no regulators so my voltage is higher and my servo's alway have the reserve current they need in a pinch. I won't lose another plane to a regulator and troubleshooting problems is a snap.

Coming from the world of electrical engineering and composites, and being around electronics for many, many years, I can honestly say that I have had far more problems with fancy things than simple.

I like to think I am a progressive person and am always pushing the edge. As far as I know, there are only two people that can build lighter than me and they are like hero's to me, which has allowed me to say that I have only had one bad flying plane since i started flying, and I have never lost a plane except to my mistakes.

So if I saw any benifits to any of these new things, I would be on it!!!! But I have a open mind, give me some real world, hard evidence that these things actually serve a purpose other than being dead weight and a point of failure, and I will listen.

RTK

My Feedback: (1)

I hear ya Darrin--KISS is the way. My next project will be straight Li, no regs.

flyinrazrback

My Feedback: (69)

Home, Robert at Smart fly is the knowledge guy on this, but will give it a short shot. The switch is failsafe (use only one) and if it fails, it fails to the on position. The regulator (turbo or super) have dual circuits in them to act like dual regulators, so slim chance of failure there, plus the turbo has a fan on it to keep it cool, and the turbo regulator can draw the most amps of any regulator on the market. If the regulator should fail, the power will bypass it and then run straight 8.4v to the rx. The power expander spreads the battery load, so each servo gets exactly the same amount of power, and have checked it with no power loss, even at the rear of the plane. It also gives the rx 4.8v. Its a solid system, and all up to you what you want to run. I am sure running straight lithiums is fine and not going to argue that one bit, but if the servo manufactuer tells you no, I am not going to do it. If DA told you not to run xx brand oil, would you?