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Model Forum / Radio Controlled / Helicopters / May 2008Electrics and governor mode
I've got myself a T-Rex 450 SE V2. The user's manual and the experienced guys say to not use the governor mode which the ESC supports. The experienced guys say it's because the ESC gets too hot, while the manual gives no reason at all. The heli flies very well with the throttle at full blast all the time, but I can't help thinking I might get a minute or two more flight time if I reduced the head speed a little. Does it make sense to try with the ESC in governor mode, or would I risk something really bad? What other things are there to think about when flight time per battery is the subject? The ESC has different "timing" settings. It is currently at "medium". The manual states that "high" would cause more battery drain. Does that mean that "low" would cause less battery drain? There is also a setting for "throttle response". Would that impact current draw noticeably? I realize, of course, that extending flight time will reduce motor power, but since that is currently plentiful, a small sacrifice might be acceptable.  SignatureRoRo Great Questions I am looking forward to the answers from the pro's. > I've got myself a T-Rex 450 SE V2. The user's manual and the > experienced guys say to not use the governor mode which the ESC [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > power, but since that is currently plentiful, a small sacrifice might > be acceptable. I too have T-Rex 450 and run my head speed much lower than other guys, though haven't actually measured it, and get 15 - 17 minutes from a 2400mah battery which I think is brilliant. ESC is set to stock settings so can't comment on your other questions. > I've got myself a T-Rex 450 SE V2. The user's manual and the > experienced guys say to not use the governor mode which the ESC [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > power, but since that is currently plentiful, a small sacrifice might > be acceptable. >I've got myself a T-Rex 450 SE V2. The user's manual and the >experienced guys say to not use the governor mode which the ESC [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] >power, but since that is currently plentiful, a small sacrifice might >be acceptable. The Stock Align ESC's governor sucks. It's horrible. You're better off plugging in a decent throttle curve and leaving it at that. No need to run the motor flat out all the time. A good curve would put mid stick at 80% and ramp up to 100% at full stick. This keeps the headspeed fairly consistent as long as your batteries are up to the task. To up flight time, drop in a smaller pinion. It'll ease the load on the motor at a cost of slightly lower headspeed. Medium timing on the 430LX motor is fine. I set up all my ESCs with fast throttle response for those occasional "Oh s**t!" moments... On my V2 with 430LX motor, 13T pinion, +/- 12 degrees collective pitch and 8 degress cyclic, with 25C 2200mah packs, I can fly 6:00 mins very aggressively and still only put back about 1600mah into the packs. I bet if I dropped a 12T pinion on and knocked back my throttle and pitch curves a bit, I could get 8+ mins... There's a "Flight duration" sticky thread on Helifreak in the Trex 450 forum that outlines how to get nearly 20 mins of flight out of one pack... >The Stock Align ESC's governor sucks. It's horrible. Can you say a bit more about in what way it is bad? Is it simply not able to hold the head speed, or are there other problems? >To up flight time, drop in a smaller pinion. It'll ease the load on >the motor at a cost of slightly lower headspeed. I already have the smallest that came with the kit (12T, I think). I have found some smaller ones, but they have a smaller axle hole. I'll see if I can drill them out accurately enough. >There's a "Flight duration" sticky thread on Helifreak in the Trex 450 >forum that outlines how to get nearly 20 mins of flight out of one >pack... As much as I detest web forums, I have now read through the thread. They seem to agree that the two most important factors are a low head speed and a gentle flying style. The best times are achieved with a head speed so low that the machine barely flyable, and hovering into a gentle headwind all the time. Flying like that is, of course, no fun, but the knowledge gained from these experiments may help find a setting that gains noticeable flight time while sacrificing only a little performance. I have my timer set at 7 minutes. After that time, I normally put 1500 to 1800mAh into the battery, depending on flying style. I have now done an experiment where I hovered for 7 minutes at somewhere around 10-12 degrees, still with the 12T. Surprisingly, there was no noticeable wobble, even at that extremely low head speed. I don't have a tach, so I don't know how low. The battery took 999mAh. SignatureRoRo >Can you say a bit more about in what way it is bad? Is it simply not >able to hold the head speed, or are there other problems? Inconsistency. I tried running the governor on a couple of my Trex helis and the HS would vary up to 400 RPM. I've had more consistent headspeed with liberal use of the Eagletree logger and some trial and error with pitch and throttle curves. >I already have the smallest that came with the kit (12T, I think). I >have found some smaller ones, but they have a smaller axle hole. I'll >see if I can drill them out accurately enough. RevCo has an entire line of pinions with the proper shaft size and modulus. MUCH stronger than the pinions that normally come in the kits >As much as I detest web forums, I have now read through the thread. >They seem to agree that the two most important factors are a low head [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >setting that gains noticeable flight time while sacrificing only a >little performance. Any particular reason you "detest" the forums?? Some of 'em are full of knuckleheads who like nothing more than berate everyone else.. Some are dedicated to the advancement and support of the hobby. Most have useful info tho. >I have my timer set at 7 minutes. After that time, I normally put 1500 >to 1800mAh into the battery, depending on flying style. Running the 12T pinion? >I have now done an experiment where I hovered for 7 minutes at >somewhere around 10-12 degrees, still with the 12T. Surprisingly, >there was no noticeable wobble, even at that extremely low head speed. >I don't have a tach, so I don't know how low. The battery took 999mAh. My Trex 600s will hover pretty good at about 50% throttle and 9 degrees of pitch. HS is a tick under 1400 like that. Cyclic gets a little mushy, but they'll hover out of ground effect quite easily. I normally run the head about 2000 RPM on these helis and get 6:30 out of a 5000mah pack. I haven't tried it with a 450 or a 500 yet tho. >Any particular reason you "detest" the forums?? Not one particular reason. The list is long. Top 3 might be: 1. Forums are now spread around, just like in the old BBS days. You have to log on to a number of different sites to keep up with your threads. You will probably find some of the same people and some of the same subjects several places. You will need to remember a separate password for each site. We are moving back in time. I remember how great an improvement it was when Usenet too over for BBSes. I don't want to go back. 2. I'm stuck with someone else's idea of how a user interface should work, and I have to learn several different ones. 3. Ads. >Some of 'em are full >of knuckleheads who like nothing more than berate everyone else.. >Some are dedicated to the advancement and support of the hobby. Most >have useful info tho. Yes, but that's the same in every form of forum, whether it's electronic or in real life. The difference is, on my Usenet client, I make three mouse clicks, and the annoying dude is killfiled. >>I have my timer set at 7 minutes. After that time, I normally put 1500 >>to 1800mAh into the battery, depending on flying style. > >Running the 12T pinion? Yes. Head speed is around 2500, but I am not capable of any hardcore 3D, so my flying style is probably classfied as gentle to meduim. SignatureRoRo >Not one particular reason. The list is long. Top 3 might be: > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >great an improvement it was when Usenet too over for BBSes. I don't >want to go back. I only bother with 1 really. Pretty much for the same reasons. >2. I'm stuck with someone else's idea of how a user interface should >work, and I have to learn several different ones. Well, you're kinda stuck with that here on usenet too, depending on your news reader. >3. Ads. Well, those forums take a LOT of money to run so the operators need to recoup some of that expense somewhere. A few ad graphics on borders or across the top or bottom of a screen aren't that big of a deal (IMO) but popups are a deal breaker for me. >Yes, but that's the same in every form of forum, whether it's >electronic or in real life. The difference is, on my Usenet client, I >make three mouse clicks, and the annoying dude is killfiled. Similar functions are available on most modern forum software as well. >Yes. Head speed is around 2500, but I am not capable of any hardcore >3D, so my flying style is probably classfied as gentle to meduim. That's pretty low for a 400-sized bird... How's the cyclic response??? >>2. I'm stuck with someone else's idea of how a user interface should >>work, and I have to learn several different ones. > >Well, you're kinda stuck with that here on usenet too, depending on >your news reader. The point is that I can choose between several newsreaders and pick the one I like best. And since Usenet is a protocol, not an application, I could even write my own reader. The one I am using now can be operated completely through the keyboard, which I like a lot. Try that with a web forum. >Well, those forums take a LOT of money to run Of course they do, but since they introduce more problems than they solve, the money is wasted, in my opinion. If only they could add an NNTP interface to the software they are using. Shouldn't be too difficult. >>Yes. Head speed is around 2500, but I am not capable of any hardcore >>3D, so my flying style is probably classfied as gentle to meduim. > >That's pretty low for a 400-sized bird... How's the cyclic >response??? By my standards, it is very responsive. After flying the 450 for a while, the Raptor 50 felt like a bus. Even after changing the Raptor's mixer arm length to the "extreme 3D" setting, it is still not as quick as the 450. SignatureRoRo |
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