Cuban8
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Posts posted by Cuban8
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Spent a very pleasant couple of hours at my local club yesterday just flying the old faithful electric Yak. Good attendance of a dozen or so - all retired except one who I guess is a shift worker or maybe had a day off. Leaves the weekends for the workers! Typical of many clubs I suspect.
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1 hour ago, Cuban8 said:
The thing to ask is "do the batteries perform adequately?" IR is a general guide, but as you say, depends on pack size, capacity, state of charge, temperature and possibly day of the week when measured for all I know
😁............I've only recently started to bother with IR simply because my new charger does measure it and it's worth keeping a note of the figures for reference. Some new 3S 3000s show a figure of 9mV for the one pack and 11 to 13mV for the the others in a batch of six that I treated myself to. So a variation there right from the get go.
The old, tired and slightly puffed ones that have now been disposed of, gave a reading of 40 to 50mV so clearly a worse figure due to wear and tear. They did still work though, but I'd guess their performance was down by 30%. Just a guestimate based on reduced flight times and how they were heating that much more than before, which is understandable given the rise in indicated IR.
I really wouldn't lose sleep over it - do some research on the web & Youtube etc - there's plenty of people who have looked into this but quite frankly it depends a lot on interpretation of results rather than a definite go or no go in most cases.
Interested to hear others views.
Milliohms rather than mV of course.
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1 hour ago, kevin b said:
RCM&E and Model Boats.
If you trace back their history you will find that they both originate from the same publisher.
RCM&E was originally a spin-off to cater for the (fairly new) electronics side of the hobby and covered all modelling genres including aeroplanes, boats and cars.
It eventually evolved into the magazine we know today, which is aircraft based with an odd nod to its electronics past.
You make a very good point - I clearly remember RCM&E being about 'Models' not just R/C aeromodelling as it later turned to. It must be a task to find fresh aeromodelling stuff every month to fill the pages. I haven't bought the mag now for many years but maybe a reinvention might pique mine and others' interest. A bad day should the magazines pack it in and to lose this forum which many do use regularly but never contribute to, I find in conversation with mates.
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The thing to ask is "do the batteries perform adequately?" IR is a general guide, but as you say, depends on pack size, capacity, state of charge, temperature and possibly day of the week when measured for all I know
😁............I've only recently started to bother with IR simply because my new charger does measure it and it's worth keeping a note of the figures for reference. Some new 3S 3000s show a figure of 9mV for the one pack and 11 to 13mV for the the others in a batch of six that I treated myself to. So a variation there right from the get go.
The old, tired and slightly puffed ones that have now been disposed of, gave a reading of 40 to 50mV so clearly a worse figure due to wear and tear. They did still work though, but I'd guess their performance was down by 30%. Just a guestimate based on reduced flight times and how they were heating that much more than before, which is understandable given the rise in indicated IR.
I really wouldn't lose sleep over it - do some research on the web & Youtube etc - there's plenty of people who have looked into this but quite frankly it depends a lot on interpretation of results rather than a definite go or no go in most cases.
Interested to hear others views.
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If it's just happening on that pack alone and is not some weird charger issue (unlikely), then I'd not take a chance with it - consequences of an overcharge and fire are simply not worth it.
Does your charger have an IR function? would be interesting to see how the suspect cell compares with the others.
I've disposed of quite a few of my older Lipos that I knew were way past their best (discharged flat and taken to our local dump for correct recycling) and my new fancy (for me) charger read much higher values of internal resistance in the old packs compared to some new and hardly used packs. Five times the internal resistance in the case of one old battery compared to a new one of very similar specification which was giving a figure of nine milliohms.
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4 hours ago, Adsjking said:
No the engine is not new, I plan on striping, cleaning and rebuilding so will run it in after on the 12x6 then. I think i looked at building a baron but wanted ailerons and this time wanted to stick to the plans and manual instead of trying to alter things. An os 52 was a little out of my budget at the moment so went for the sc for now.
The SC will be absolutely fine - OK, fit and finish not quite up to OS but with a bit of TLC it'll be a great performer for the model in question. I'd change the bearings if it's not a new motor while you have it in bits, an easy job and not expensive for parts if you go to a general engineering supplier - plenty on Ebay. I like to use SKF bearings as that was the make that was used in the production equipment that I maintained when I was at work and never had any problems with except for fair wear and tear, and believe me the machinery used to take a hiding - three shifts a day and six days a week running in a very dusty environment. For what it's worth I find all these engines thrive on Laser fuel (Optifuel) - 5% nitro and 15% synthetic. They don't need any more oil and definitely no 'orrible castor.
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14 hours ago, leccyflyer said:
I found that the Radient 3s1p 850mah lipos that I was gifted work just fine in my UMX Messerschmitt 262. The 3s1p 600mah Radients that I use for my Spitty dogfighter and Fatty Me109 profile depron jobs are great and I do take those down to a significantly lower voltage at the end of a flight than my other lipos - typically just over 3.6v/cell, They seem to be coping reasonably well.
The convenience of the Zeee Power packs from Amazon is a big attraction for and the packs work really well, stay nice and unpuffy, have next day delivery, 7 days a week, good deals for twin packs and their new stubby 3s1p 2200mah packs fit the wee Arrows BAe Hawk perfectly, 2/3rds the length and 40g lighter than a normal 3s1p 2200mah pack.
Just recently a clubmate has been importing some packs, which are branded as GPR 60C packs and have found that those are really good - have tried both 3s1p 2200mah and 3s1p 3300mah and both are performing well.
Yes, Zeepower and Goldbat Lipos from Amazon I've also found to be excellent performers.
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Very pleasant day with just a moderate breeze to contend with from the South West. A little chilly when the sun was blocked by passing clouds. Ideal conditions for my Goldberg Pennzoil Super Chippy (.91 FS) which has the weight to manage the conditions. Model must be getting on for thirty years old now so looking a bit tired but still a solid performer. All re-radioed to 2.4 some years ago. Once up and away she looks just like new. Sunny with dark fluffy broken clouds gave a lovely background to fly against - wish I'd been able to video it. Had my little leccy Yak as well which also flew well in the conditions with its gyro smoothing out all the bumps. Switching it off really showed how effective the gyro is especially lower down in the ground turbulence. Quite unpleasant to fly in blustery conditions without it.
Clouds closed right in at about 4.00pm with a light shower but with more threatening conditions approaching so called it a day. Only a few of us over the field, maybe six throughout the day.
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All about the overall experience with such a characterful model. A suitable size of fourstroke will sound so much nicer and in synch with the style. Quite a few full size replica WW1 fighters about fitted with modern Lycomings - look good but just don't sound right. There's a YouTube vid of an Elder 40 with a 2st and tbh it might as well be a Wot 4.
Whatever one is looking for I suppose.
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3 hours ago, martin collins 1 said:
Ten of us at the field yesterday, two of us flying our 1/4 scale Balsa USA WW1 models, Tim had his Saito FG30 powered Fokker DVII and i flew my Nieuport 17 which has an SC120 Four stroke in it. Here is some video of the Nieuport, apologies to those that don`t do Facebook, but i struggle to get the raw video posted on this site.
https://www.facebook.com/reel/3547118412260235
You can hear them firing from the trenches just after the video starts 😂
Very nice indeed - well flown and steady as a rock in those conditions.👍
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Seems to me that the TT46 Pro is the wrong engine for the job. You say that general easy going flying is the goal - so I'd say that a 46 twostroke revving its bits off with a fine prop to tame it is not ideal for this model.
A nice fourstroke 52 that does well in the Magnatillas at my club would be a better bet on so many fronts and so much more in character with your WW1 style model.
Good luck and enjoy the build.
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My Goldberg Chippy that I've had for ages has a Magnum 91 FS....OS clone.
I've always felt the model to be underpowered and could do with just a bit more to give a decent aerobatic performance in line with the full size without running out of steam. They are a solid model and mine with Glosstex covering weighs in at about nine and a half pounds. Otherwise flys very well. Personally, I wouldn't go with a Laser 80, really needs a bigger motor in my opinion.
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58 minutes ago, Robin Colbourne said:
Has anyone any idea what the effect wil be on us, of tariffs on imports to the UK by American companies e.g Horizon Hobby, if the products themselves come straight from China to their UK distributor (in Horizon's case, Logik RC)?
I suppose the other question is whether the European/British end of US companies be treated, either now or in the future, as separate entities?Isn't it the case that 10% is added to goods imported by the US from the UK? Stuff coming in the other direction from the US or anywhere else, as far as I know, isn't subjected to a tarriff by the UK.
All very tedious.
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Thanks Jon - a very informative and entertaining read.
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Higher balsa prices are here to stay - retailer overheads, market forces, supply and demand and all that stuff. Quite a commitment now, not only in time when building, but increasingly the cost of the materials especially for larger projects. At almost a fiver for a single sheet of 1/4 balsa it'll soon rack up. As always a value judgement by the individual as with many things these days.
That big Yungmeister will come with quite a bill for the wood - but this hobby isn't simply about the cost.
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Thinking about my own inverted fourstrokes - the overflow fuel into the exhaust tends to run straight out through the silencer opening and would have to go uphill to get into the engine.
Maybe your pump is forcing a small amount past the carb, especially if not closed fully?
If after filling and you get the flooded condition, does the engine remain clear after 'pulling it through'?
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21 hours ago, Tom Flynn 1 said:
My local model shop has decided to stop selling fuel due to costs and delivery costs.
Searching the web last night didn’t fill me with much joy ref available of future stock.
So is there a problem, or just a blip in supply.
Views and any information would be appreciated.
I can understand their decision - sales of fuel have dropped away considerably so little turn over for them. Not good for the customer because of the possibility of fuel hanging around for ages in the shop in maybe less than ideal conditions. Easy enough to order and have exactly what one needs direct to your doorstep from a busier on-line supplier.
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Get all my fuel delivered from Leeds Model Shop. First class service.
A tenner shipping cost for two gallons last time I ordered which I think is very reasonable.
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Spot on Learner. Learning to fly models in this country with the way the weather can play its games is bad enough, so do understand and sympathise with Toto's ongoing frustration. I take my hat of to him for sticking with it thus far.
As you say, it's early days yet and although there may well be other lost flying opportunities to cope with until the better (!) weather comes, given Toto's enthusiasm he'll get through his 'A' this year.
Field maintenance is essentential and clubs do differ in their approach to it and its requirements - I doubt if either of my clubs would lose a whole flying day to having the strip rolled - seems a bit extreme. My number two club does share the space with other groups so we do lose a number of days annually to fetes and shows of various types - good for them if the weather is ideal but galling when the weekends either side of their events usually turn out to be hopeless for flying.
It is difficult when still working and the only chance to fly is at weekends.
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1 hour ago, Futura57 said:
Loving the closing disclaimer. No sense in triggering sensitive types 😉 I do concur with everything you write about the declining IC models at the field. I swing both ways 🙃
1 hour ago, Futura57 said:Loving the closing disclaimer. No sense in triggering sensitive types 😉 I do concur with everything you write about the declining IC models at the field. I swing both ways 🙃
I just think its fair to say that so many activities are brought in disrepute usually by a minority of thoughtless individuals, whilst the majority do try to abide by the rules and safety advice, both for their own well being and that of others.
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18 hours ago, David perry 1 said:
Aye. Always gonna be.
As for the faf of glows I feel quite the opposite. Charging, discharging, storage, safe handling… battery power is a faf and a half in my book. Electric flight is a pain in the bum and is far more dangerous than any glow. If you don’t have the dexterity to adjust a needle valve sadly how the heck do you fly the sticks? It’s a matter of experience and confidence. Horses for courses.I can't give exact figures, but simply on the basis of what I see turning up at my clubs on a Sunday where we'd get fifteen or so flyers throughout the day , I would estimate that one in four models that are flown are IC glow. During the week with only a handful of members present , it's not unusual to only have electric models - maybe a single IC glow model. What that says about the hobby today compared to thirty years ago is down to individual opinion, I suppose.
I run and enjoy both IC glow models and electric powered types - I take what I feel like taking on the day and that might well be influenced by a number of factors. I'm just thankful to have the choice.
Charging lithium cells does run a risk that is simply not there compared with filling up with glow fuel - however, with proper handling, decent equipment, sensible precautions and an understanding of what may go wrong and what to do when it does - a risk of a fire and its consequences can be reduced to a very small figure. Certainly no cause for what I hesitate to call paranoia in some quarters surrounding Lithium batteries when used in model aircraft.
Lithium cells used is things like Ebikes and scooters and which have been the cause of some terrible fires in houses are a different issue IMHO - a different market where some users are, I suspect, not particularly understanding or worried about what can happen through mis-use. There also isn't the detailed information sharing network that exists between modellers as on this very forum. They often use the vehicles illegally anyway, and don't give a fig, so that might give some indication as to their mindset.
Just to be clear, I'm not accusing all Ebike owners of being cavalier or lawbreakers.
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I've just treated myself to a nice new screen equipped smart charger to go with the new lipos that I've invested in recently. Nothing fancy but well equipped with displays, memories, IR measurement etc.
Most of my old batteries have had it or are well past their best, given their age and use and most are a bit puffed - so I'm discharging the duds to 0V and will dispose of them at the recycling centre (formally known as the local dump 😁).
Just a car headlight bulb to keep things simple. They do puff up considerably during the discharge and feel warm to the touch, which concerns me - I'm doing this outside on a concrete slab and the discharged duds kept nearby on some dirt away from anything remotely combustable until I can get rid of them.
Does anyone know or has heard of Lipos catching fire during a complete discharge?
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37 minutes ago, Engine Doctor said:
At our club we differentiate between " quiet electric" and "other electric flight" the other inc EDF and irritating things with little props is classed as ic and can only be flown at later times in the day as per ic models. Quiet as in "Very Quiet"; can be flown dawn to dusk.
I have to say that the latest EDFs with a dozen or however many blades they use now, are very quiet and unobtrusive compared to my old original Hobby King Vampire with the old style fan, and is still doing the rounds. Whilst not a problem in terms of its noise level, it doesn't sound anywhere near as pleasant as the newer vesions or those that have had an upgrade.
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And of course 'quiet' electric can be anything but, when used with a high revving motor and toothpick sized prop on those small flying wings. They make that irritating high pitch buzz saw type racket. Not much fun listening to that for anyone, model flyer or otherwise TBH.
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Acceptable IR Levels when new?
in Batteries and Chargers
Posted
Yes, in fact I agree.
However, so many modellers struggle with even the most basic electrical concepts when it comes to the hobby, (watts, amps, volts, power and how to use a meter etc) so I'm not sure that the significance of IR readings will be well understood - hence my original comment about whether a pack performs or not as a workable and simple yardstick for most people.
Knowledge in this case really is power - no excuse for being clueless, there are plenty of basic tutorials available on YT.