911hillclimber
-
Posts
555 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
2
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Blogs
Gallery
Calendar
Downloads
Everything posted by 911hillclimber
-
It is a wild shot tbh, nothing is specified but I 'presume' the device as a whole will carry the current the XT60 plugs will transmit. The extension was simply useful to have to cut to suit. The bulk head XT60 is near impossible to find in the UK, one place has them advertised, but out of stock. For such a useful connector, it is very rare, seems to be a drone racing item, but I would have expected a lot of availability. During some early spring cleaning of the dreaded 3rd bedroom with the wife, found a pic of the Stol when I bought it off the then owner John Dean (Birmingham based)
-
-
Elected to go for this switch with XT60 plugs and a useful extension lead. The panel mounted connector suggested a few posts up is almost impossible to get within 20 days from anywhere. Fingers crossed.
-
Right! Now I understand how you have done that. I'm waiting for my connectors to arrive. I thought the leads on the Batt and the ESC had to be that length. The ESC instructions do state the length to be 6" max. Onwards and upwards, thank you.
-
Thank you Denis. Preparation is everything as I've found with the cars I've done for decades, I didn't expect this conversion to be so intricate. A few posts ago when I aske about the main on/off switch I had this in mind as the 'isolator' to the whole electrical supply, but doubt I can do this. The switch I have would certainly not tolerate the current. I think I will be cutting a hatch, hinged and fastened with a small R clip as Pat's Jr60 and mount the ESC under the ply engine mount I made right in the air stream, battery leads feeding to the cavity between B1 and B2 to be connected at the last moment. Before I do this is it ok to have the LiPo stuffed into a tight fitting sponge if I fill B1/B2 cavity or is there a heat issue? Velcro straps just arrived today, so I have a few options now. Sorry for all the Novice questions!
-
Spent some time considering all these actions! The STOL isn't as big as a Jr60 although it probably looks large. I'm trying not to butcher it too much in this conversion. I've looked in detail at your 60 build Pat in trying to see an easy way to fix this connection problem. With the motor mount as it is, there is very little room to fit the ESC in the outside of the front bulkhead and in doing so this dictates the battery must go between B1 and B2 which is a good cavity on this model, but hard to get into except for a bottom hatch as your 60. My previous 'design' of mount would allow the ESC to fit next to the motor easy, but tight now. The UC is simply banded to 2 dowels so on one of my rare-to-be hard landing it will move around rather than stress the B1/B" formers, so I think I have to take the knife to the lower panel and minimise the hole and create a hatch as your 60. It is awkward to work in this area because it is all silk covered and doped and I'm trying to preserve it all! I have no probs removing the wing to change the battery. My original plane was to have the battery in the belly of the fuselage right in the CofG range where the original futaba battery set was, both batteries are very similar weight.. I felt this mass in that position would not affect the balance much. I will pop the flying surfaces on and see which position is best. I know I don't want to have to add weight to compensate. Hope to get some time on the plane tomorrow. Got 2 classic cars to fix before the end of March too! Battery fires must be super rare? Thank you for your continued interest in my little project. Graham. Edited By 911hillclimber on 19/01/2018 09:50:17
-
Thank you, gives me something to go on. Going to be tricky!
-
Please can anyone post some pictures of ways to have the battery and ESC connectors outside a vintage model please? Any help appreciated.
-
I can't see how I can do this. The lead length of the battery and the ESC are about 125mm total. To get the connectors outside the plane would mean passing the connection through a hole in the bottom of the fuselage so they are out in fresh air. Pause for thought. I'm beginning to think the Enya engine should have been put back in!
-
That's a better idea! I doubt I will have any hard or quick 'arrivals'.......
-
Getting closer to the detail now: Will get the plugs asap! Charger is a simple cheap British one and had 4 pin and 3 pin charging ports, connect to the mains. Doubt it is shiny! Read that receiver link, most helpful. Using my microscopic vision noticed the signal/+/- orientation next to BIND. They couldn't have printed it smaller. The Futaba servos have signal as white, and the +/- as red/black. Similarly the cable from the ESC module. The link also says about the aerials, and a previous poster said rotate the RX 90 degrees on the plate in the plane, he was correct! To keep the long aerial wire straight and at 90 deg I will glue in a small spar and tape the wire to it. Velcro ties are on the way. I will mount the battery on the belly of the fuselage once I have added a balso base to give a good 'plate' for the batt to lay on. Some thin open cell rubber sheet on that, then the batt then 2 x Velcro ties to keep it in place. Some balsa needed to stop lateral movement. Will make the battery change quick. BIND'ing next once charged and batteried-up, not looking forward to this step, technology and me aren't a good match... The TX is simply named 'DX6', no other suffix.(it is black though) Brilliant help from you all, thank you.
-
Ok: I've covered the battery connector. Take the point on the RX orientation. There is nothing in the Spektrum manual about the RX at all and connections or aerials. Will get some velcrow straps. I'll tape the long aerial to a balsa stringer to keep it straight and 90 deg to the short one.
-
Thanks, nothing on the RX about orientation. Will scour the manual again. Take your advice on the battery fixing. not sure how to get a strap in there, but there must be a way.
-
Thank you, but too far away! Here is the plane with the parts all dropped in place, RX and Batt not velco'd down. ESC is inside the front bulkhead cavity.
-
Excellent, thank you. There is a perfect spot for the RX on the servo mounting plate. I'll Velcro the battery down to on the fuselage floor. The DX6 instruction manual is huge, lots of setting stages which I'm dreading, but nothing on RX installation. Sounds like servo settings will be a tease too! Just ordered the battery charger.
-
Great forum, even better advice! Prop is not on the motor, even I saw that hazard coming my way! No need for the switch, so simplified, I like simple. There are no polarisation notches on the RX for servos etc, but there must be a correct orientation, or is it trial and error to get the servo moving correctly to the stick movement? I need to get a car sponge today to stuff the fuselage and cut out cavities for the battery and the small receiver. I think I need to enlarge the hole from the cowl through the bulkhead for the ESC, I feel it is too small. The ESC will be right on the fuselage side of the b/head so should get a direct air flow to chill it. For the shopping list is a suitable battery charger for the Nanotech LiPo and I would love one of those dremmel kits to cut/enlarge holes etc. My Junior Hacksaw blades seem a very blunt tool on this plane. I REALLY appreciate everyone's help, this is far more intricate than I expected.
-
OK: Thank you for the advice. Nothing is charged up and I have kept the battery 'balance-lead' not connected. I think I have found my answers to some things. The ESC has the BEC The ESC lead goes to the RX and powers the RC, so no need for an additional battery. The battery has 4 leads used to charge the battery. There must be a need/desire to have a general on/off switch in the system. This model has one for the Futaba system that was in it. I want to have this isolation switch so to isolate the battery or maybe isolate the power feed from the ESC to the RX. Not sure if I really need this switch, what do you think please? Finally (for now....) Which way do the trimmed Futaba servo connectors go into the RX? Does the white wire go next to the function name, or the black wire? Similarly, which way round does the ESC throttle connector go into the RC, Yellow wire to function name? I'm getting there once past the jargon. Thanks in advance! Edited By 911hillclimber on 16/01/2018 12:36:21 Edited By 911hillclimber on 16/01/2018 12:44:10
-
Been away from the Stol for a few days, but have the morning to myself, so started the radio side.... The TX I have is a 3 year old Spektrum DX6 unused. It came with the RX and no more.I have trimmed the rudder/elevator Futarba servos and they fit well into the RX. I have also plugged the ESC into the 'throttle' position. It is the rest that is confusing me! The motor has it's own battery, now in the plane.(Turnigy 1300LiPo) This battery has a 4 way connector R/Bl/W/Bk. The motor diagram shows 2 wires going from the battery (big Red/Black) leads to the UBEC (not sure what that is) The ESC is a Turnigy dlux SBEC 2-4S I guess the Blue/White leads are redundant? The motor diagram shows 2 leads from the RX to the UBEC Further on, I think the RX has it's own battery. I presume the connection to the RX is via the 'AUX'. What is a suitable battery please? Help as ever required! I presume I need a separate battery for the RX and this plugs into the RX/ AUX position. Edited By 911hillclimber on 16/01/2018 11:52:27
-
Just to comment on the points: The drive sleeve/collet is as deep on the shaft as I can persuade it without a hammer! The hub does look too far out as the shaft looks vulnerable so to speak. I'll check it again to see if I can get it a bit deeper. I have NEVER used that trick to solder wires. You learn something every day. When I work on the various cars (real ones) it is mostly done in the vehicle, not a lot of bench assembly so never really needed any aides, like the idea and certainly have realised a few small tools are required for this game. All my tools seem very very crude... Everything you pick up is feather light and will not stay on the bench unless pined or weighted down. I found building the mount quite irritating due to this 'new-world', but this is partly why I want to do the plane, new skills or at best remembering them. You never forget the smell of balsa cement do you? As to motor alignment. I checked the model's bulkhead, the plan on the internet and the mount to original builder used. All are 'true' to Zero degrees, nothing seems to have any angles built in (or drilled into the mount). The motor mounting can be shimmed using 'C' washers depending how much trim the radio needs to dial in on flight. (as if I'm an expert..) Need to cut the top cowl to cover the new mount but it might be easier to build a new one. That will be tomorrow's task although Life might get in the way until the weekend.
-
-
It has taken a long time, but the motor box is all made and trial fitted. It bolts to the original bulkhead using the IC mount thread inserts. The electric motor screws to the front using captive M3 nuts and screws. The motor spindle looks to be on the centre-line of the original IC engine, the lower cowl half fits and I've put a good hole in the lower section to get cool air into the cabin. I've cut also a hole 125% larger in the lower fuselage sheet as an escape. Next step will be to clear dope the box and route the motor wire correctly now I have the ESC and the battery and then modify or re-make the top cowl. Radio after that! Edited By 911hillclimber on 10/01/2018 17:59:18 Edited By 911hillclimber on 10/01/2018 18:02:23
-
-
-
Thank you for these details. The box is what I had in mind, but not so many tongues and slots! My skill set is more MIG welding than fret saws...but the principles will be the same, just simpler. Got all the stuff today from Penn Models. The vents are as I imagined. The Stol has a good length of sheet underside extending a good 1/3 of the way back from the nose, I'll open a slot in that and seal the edges with the clear dope I've just bought, and add a slot in the bottom of the front bulkhead. I've bought enough 1/8 ply to make the box twice....
-
Yes, I have Penn Models about 3 miles away so that is good even if the shop is not the most welcoming of places, maybe better week days. I'll be bolting it all to the bulkhead using the existing engine bearer bolts as they are captive. Plan is to build a simple cube, about 50mm each side length and double up the 1/8 ply on the motor and bulkhead faces where bolts are passing through. I'll add some holes to allow finger/plier access to the slippery M3 bolts for the motor mount. and clear dope the ply box for weather protection. Due to lead lengths, the ESC and the battery will need to be in the cabin with the battery under the CofG range. I hope to mount the ESC sort of suspended so air can get around all surfaces. As to venting the cabin...I think this might be tricky to decide, perhaps cut a hole in the underside fuselage sheeting where I think the air pressure is light, but that is certainly a guess!
