550 Pilot's lounge
- Thread starter OI Photography
- Start date
Didn't make any noticeable difference on the Phantom or 550, but I wasn't experiencing anything that isn't related to the USB ribbon cable on the gimbal. I had bought it while chasing that issue down, but I later found the true cause in the ribbon cable.
OI Photography said:
Well, I bought one, so we'll see if it cures any of my problems. Would be nice to really give the EZ UHF a true distance test to see if it can out perform the Futaba. FYI-I chicken out at 2000M...done. I've been out a little past that with the P2+futaba, no issues.
But-with the F800, my video starts to break up really bad at around the 800M mark....
Wow!!! You guys have been busy chatting up all sorts of updates and upgrades. I've been away for awhile dedicating sometime to my surface RC addiction with a touch of air RC mixed in. :lol: I've got a big race this weekend and I've been putting out videos to drum up interest. It's looks to be a great race this weekend. I can't wait. Check out my latest video. I put the F550 to work on this one.
Here's my latest video. Enjoy!!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GPG9dopp18[/youtube]
Here's my latest video. Enjoy!!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GPG9dopp18[/youtube]
I've been testing some 4S 6600 "cheap" packs and have had some amazing success with them. They are the new Hobby King Multistar packs. They are only 10C constant and 20C burst but I havent come even close to the max draw these can supply. Being a 6600 pack they would supply 66A constant. I have averaged 20A with a max of only 43A on a full load climb. At less than $50 shipped for these I say its a win for now.
I'm getting 17 minutes of safe flight and returning about 80% - 82% back to the packs. They have balanced out perfectly every time. My F550 is using the E300 system, Neewer landing skids, Tarot gimbal with a gopro Hero 3+ Black, Wookong M system and stock Dji props that came with the E300 kit. I'm also using a ImersionRC 600mw FPV kit on it.
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/...0mAh_Multi_Rotor_Lipo_Pack_US_Warehouse_.html
I'm getting 17 minutes of safe flight and returning about 80% - 82% back to the packs. They have balanced out perfectly every time. My F550 is using the E300 system, Neewer landing skids, Tarot gimbal with a gopro Hero 3+ Black, Wookong M system and stock Dji props that came with the E300 kit. I'm also using a ImersionRC 600mw FPV kit on it.
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/...0mAh_Multi_Rotor_Lipo_Pack_US_Warehouse_.html
Attachments
FangsCPO said:
Great video Steve! I sure miss you guys and that track! SUCKS being over an hour away now to the closest one after being 10 minutes from that one. At least i can fly when ever I want and just walk out the front door to do it.
Well, I went out this Morning to test the 12X4.5 APC MR props. The weather was threatening rain-and the wind was about 10mph out of the North. I could only fly 7 minutes before I packed it in...made it back to the house, just basically across the highway and into the garage before the heavens opened up with Rain!!
So-I really didn't get a chance to check the temps, and it really wouldn't have mattered-as it was only 85 deg's with the wind-not my normal flying conditions.
But, here's what I learned; don't use 1/4 heat shrink on your prop shafts, thinking it will help "center" your 1/4 prop hubs to your 6mm prop shaft....bad news there. While it may look and seem like it would work-it didn't.
What I found was that I had a bad vibration on M2 at idle, that went away in a hover. But-trying to adjust the gains was nearly impossible-the aircraft was vibrating all over the place.
When I returned home-I found that 1 props(not M2), was loose!!! And, these are self-tightening nuts, with the locking "cone" on top.
All the heat shrink after I removed the props, was just pushed down/bunched up at the bottom of the shaft. So the props certainly were not centered and were probably off vertically a little differently on each shaft.
Remember, when we balance blades and hubs, how little tape or CA we use to get that perfect balance. Well-don't screw that up with heat shrink-stupid idea, and it wasn't mine, I read it somewhere in a forum, and it made sense at the time.
So, after removing all the props and heat shrink, I put the props back on, and did a ground idle run-no vibrations at all...smooth as silk.
So, this mornings flight was just a learning curve thing-and, I got lucky, lesson learned.
Also-I did not use Battery #1-that was the one that had a big cell gap coming out last time. This morning, it had a cell gap of 0.021, so I elected to use Battery #2-not that it mattered, I knew I wasn't going to be there long because of the impending storms.
But-I did fly 7 minutes, and the out percentage on Batt #2 was 57% remaining. So, rough guesstimate on flight time would be around 14 minutes.
I've reset my 1st level voltage warning to 14.1 volts(was at 14.0)-as I'd like to remove the batteries with 10% remaining, not 8%-I think that will help with battery life, and reduce my stress a bit.
@FangsCPO-nice video. We have a big RC off road track here, out in Sara Park. I've watched them before, but never with the F800.....we also have the drag racing R/C boats and the hydroplane R/C boats, and float plane R/C's-I have flown over them...looks fun too, but I only have room for 1 RC hobby at the moment
So-I really didn't get a chance to check the temps, and it really wouldn't have mattered-as it was only 85 deg's with the wind-not my normal flying conditions.
But, here's what I learned; don't use 1/4 heat shrink on your prop shafts, thinking it will help "center" your 1/4 prop hubs to your 6mm prop shaft....bad news there. While it may look and seem like it would work-it didn't.
What I found was that I had a bad vibration on M2 at idle, that went away in a hover. But-trying to adjust the gains was nearly impossible-the aircraft was vibrating all over the place.
When I returned home-I found that 1 props(not M2), was loose!!! And, these are self-tightening nuts, with the locking "cone" on top.
All the heat shrink after I removed the props, was just pushed down/bunched up at the bottom of the shaft. So the props certainly were not centered and were probably off vertically a little differently on each shaft.
Remember, when we balance blades and hubs, how little tape or CA we use to get that perfect balance. Well-don't screw that up with heat shrink-stupid idea, and it wasn't mine, I read it somewhere in a forum, and it made sense at the time.
So, after removing all the props and heat shrink, I put the props back on, and did a ground idle run-no vibrations at all...smooth as silk.
So, this mornings flight was just a learning curve thing-and, I got lucky, lesson learned.
Also-I did not use Battery #1-that was the one that had a big cell gap coming out last time. This morning, it had a cell gap of 0.021, so I elected to use Battery #2-not that it mattered, I knew I wasn't going to be there long because of the impending storms.
But-I did fly 7 minutes, and the out percentage on Batt #2 was 57% remaining. So, rough guesstimate on flight time would be around 14 minutes.
I've reset my 1st level voltage warning to 14.1 volts(was at 14.0)-as I'd like to remove the batteries with 10% remaining, not 8%-I think that will help with battery life, and reduce my stress a bit.
@FangsCPO-nice video. We have a big RC off road track here, out in Sara Park. I've watched them before, but never with the F800.....we also have the drag racing R/C boats and the hydroplane R/C boats, and float plane R/C's-I have flown over them...looks fun too, but I only have room for 1 RC hobby at the moment
Here are a couple I'm looking at-was wondering if anyone had any experience with these, and if the weight is correct;
11,000 mah 4S at 40C, 860 grams.....? seems pretty light
http://www.maxamps.com/proddetail.php?prod=Lipo-11000-148-Pack&cat=361
I may consider dropping down to the 6500mah range-depending on my flight time with the 12" props. right now, I'm carrying 760 grams of 4S 8000mah battery. If I can cut at least 200 grams off that-it would be nice.
11,000 mah 4S at 40C, 860 grams.....? seems pretty light
http://www.maxamps.com/proddetail.php?prod=Lipo-11000-148-Pack&cat=361
I may consider dropping down to the 6500mah range-depending on my flight time with the 12" props. right now, I'm carrying 760 grams of 4S 8000mah battery. If I can cut at least 200 grams off that-it would be nice.
havasuphoto said:
I've been planning to test that maxamps 11Ah as soon as I have 12" blades and the extra money to spend on it. Supposedly only a little heavier than the RMRC 8Ah, and maxamps as a very good reputation for top-shelf batts.
OI Photography said:
I've used MaxAmps in the past for my surface RC and I have to say those batteries may be expensive but they are great!! They also have a great warranty and if I'm not mistake...lifetime rewrapping...unless that's changed.
Yea-they do have a great warranty.FangsCPO said:
My only concern is how accurate their weight is....I think 40C will get the job done, and it's only 100 grams more than the 8000mah Orange batteries.
Acill said:
This may just push me into using 4S batteries. I just need to add a BEC I don't burn out my FPV and LEDs. I think I have one from Castle Creations that's still in the package unused. It's a 10amp BEC. I wonder if that will work?? Anyone??
http://www.castlecreations.com/products/ccbec.html
FangsCPO said:
Should be just fine, as long as your 12v accessories don't draw 10A in total, which would surprise me. What all do you have running on 12v now, just LED's?
OI Photography said:
I replaced my connector and shorten up my wires with deans. I am at 497g now a pack. WELL worth the money
havasuphoto said:
40C is over kill and adds weight. Just look for a 25C if the 10C ones I listed scare you. As I said at full load on my F550 with everything going I get an average of only 20A and peaked at 40A a couple times. No where near the 66A that pack can safely deliver.
Steve that BEC will be fine, your lights wont draw 10A if you used a string of Christmas lights and flew with em on your 550!
Yea-but it's hard to find a 10,000+ mah battery that weighs less than the one posted...and that was 11,000 mah; that's the lightest one I've seen.Acill said:
And-Im running 2814-770 KV motors, so I draw quite a bit of power, especially with 12" props.
I dont believe it is accurate. The 10,000mah 4S 10C one at Hobby King is 804g and thats a 4S as well at a fraction of the C rate. My 5500mah 35C 3S pack weighs more than my 4S 10c packs.
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/stor ... ouse_.html
Specs:
Minimum Capacity: 10000mAh
Configuration: 4S1P / 14.8V / 4Cell
Constant Discharge: 10C
Peak Discharge (10sec): 20C
Pack Weight: 804g
Pack Size: 160 x 65 x 36mm
Charge Plug: JST-XH
Discharge Plug: XT90
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/stor ... ouse_.html
Specs:
Minimum Capacity: 10000mAh
Configuration: 4S1P / 14.8V / 4Cell
Constant Discharge: 10C
Peak Discharge (10sec): 20C
Pack Weight: 804g
Pack Size: 160 x 65 x 36mm
Charge Plug: JST-XH
Discharge Plug: XT90
Acill said:
:shock: I hadn't seen the 10Ah multistar yet either! There goes another $70 from my testing budget...
I had a few people not get what my log was showing. So in simple to understand image.
A 10C pack at 6600Mah will safely supply a full 66 amps constant.
Take a garden hose that is 66 inches across and have a stream of water leaving the end thats only averaging 20 inches across, and some time when you pinch it off it sprays a 40 inch stream for a second or two and returns back to the 20.
My 550 is at 2450g right now and never hit above 40A for longer then a fraction of a second as seen in that log. A 10C battery is still way more than it can possibly draw.
A 10C pack at 6600Mah will safely supply a full 66 amps constant.
Take a garden hose that is 66 inches across and have a stream of water leaving the end thats only averaging 20 inches across, and some time when you pinch it off it sprays a 40 inch stream for a second or two and returns back to the 20.
My 550 is at 2450g right now and never hit above 40A for longer then a fraction of a second as seen in that log. A 10C battery is still way more than it can possibly draw.
