Robin Kearney Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 Thanks for the clarification Matt, I've now re-read your post and I've not idea how I missed that the first time! r. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonnor Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 I'd be very obliged if some of you Phoenix fans would tell me what motor you are using -- stock motor apart that is. Also, what prop and the performance you are getting. Mine should arrive Christmas day but I'm having trouble deciding on the motor. Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shayne Fielding Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 Hi, I bought the ARTF version on e-bay, it arrived a bit battered and there were a few dings on the wings, but I will add to that just moving the thing around. The motor I have chosen is an Emax GT2820/06 with a 40 Amp ESC with BEC also Emax cheap as chips, I installed it tonight. I have modified the supplied spinner, using bits off my deceased easy glider and installed 12" x 6" camprop, powered it up on the dining room table and blew all the dust in the room everywhere. I have gone for Hitec HB65 on all the control surfaces, with the elevator /rudder servos facing aft so I can use multiplex connectors instead of the supplied floppy plastic clevices. Where has everyone mounted the receiver? Regards Shayne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 Santa's got mine TBH I intend toi run it stock and see what the fuss is about before I start fiddling round! BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Kearney Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 BEB, mine is stock and I have had no issues with it, although I tend to mostly slope it and only use the motor when the lift is iffy or I push my luck! I have just recently had the ply plate in one of the wings completely delaminate though, which caused a fair old amount of unintended dihedral mid flight. I got her down ok and have now replaced both the ply in the wings and the joiner with wood from a trusted source. I've never seen ply go like that before, I could literally peel each of the laminations off with my fingers, it was almost as if there was no glue in there! Wrong kind of hoof in the glue I presume. r. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Kearney Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 So after my last comment I fashioned some new ply inserts for the wing and a new joiner. And then whilst reassembling everything it struck me. Yes, the ply had delaminated, but that wasn't the cause for the unintentional dihedral. I'd been an utter fool and left the carbon rod out of the wing! Now I feel very silly, and lucky to have my Phoenix back with no damage! Now I'm all set, wing properly re-assembled, flap servos instaledl and a new UBEC. Right then Mr. Weatherman when will the rain cease? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryG Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 Well, I maidened my Phoenix today. The setup is stock apart from having to replace the wing servos as one had a stripped gear. I am glad I read this thread as the hand launch at half to 1/3 throttle was exciting and wow it doesn't half do a great loop when you apply full throttle, throttle control is a must no matter what altitude. First flight just about 10 mins just to get it settled and trimmed. Second flight again about 10 mins, it is bitterly cold and I stupidly forgot to take gloves. Motor did not get hot at all, barely warm to touch. Phoenix penetrates quite well too when the motor is off. Very impressed with this exceedingly cheap purchase, thanks to one of my daughters and Santa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Armstrong 2 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 I too have maidened my Phoenix Xmas present from my wife!! This was the ready to fly option. I was very happy with the way it all went together but found one servo not working. This was replaced with a spare Genning micro servo. I had to wait until this weekend before first flight. Performance left me with a big grin for the rest of the day. A superb purchase for not much money. My only issue was on one landing I clipped a wing tip. It does land quite fast without flaps as previosly mentioned. It looks like I did not tighten the wing securing bolts tight enough and one wing pulled away a bit from one corner. This has needed a simple repair of wrapping the wing join with reinforcing tape. I suspect this would be a weakness in the design anyway and will be much stronger for future rough landings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mart49 Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 Hi All, Just ordered my Phoenix today along with some extra servos for the flaps. I read that it's wise to install a BEC (what is it and how?) if running 6 servos. Has anyone done this (or had a problem because they havent?) Thanks, Mart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 I'd say it's a must with 6 servos. I'm in the process of fitting my P2000 out (the other mods insisted I get one - bullies!) and removing the battery tray is easy enough, just 4 screws in the fuselage side. I had to change the ESC plug to an X60 anyway, so I've put a cheap 3A Hobbyking UBEC in at the same time. A UBEC is just a device which reduces the pack voltage down to a fixed output, 5V in this case. It is connected to the ESC battery plug - red/red - black/black and once you've fitted it, you remove the red wire of the 3-pim JST plug which goes to the Rx. Doing this deactivates the built-in BEC in the ESC, which reduces the load on the ESC. There's a more detailed explanation over in this thread. Just added this useful diagram and explanation If I tried hard I could have it flying tomorrow but the weather forecast isn't giving me the incentive......... Pete Edited By Pete B - Moderator on 23/02/2013 21:04:59 Edited By Pete B - Moderator on 23/02/2013 21:08:02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Kearney Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 Same for me Mart, but I went for this 5amp SBEC, it was the one they had in stock in the UK at the time. After a few rigging/unriggings I also put multiplex connectors on the end of the wires coming from each wing panel, makes plugging in so much easier at the field. Not had any problems since adding the SBEC + Servos. Well there was about 20 foot visibility last week thanks to the fog, but I can't put that down to power problems r. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 +1 on the mpx connector - I've done the same - definitely easier rigging Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Gilder Posted February 24, 2013 Author Share Posted February 24, 2013 Interesting... I have mine with the stock set up + 2 servos for flaps but have not added a BEC. I have not had any issues with it so never seen the need for it! The way I looked at it was: I would mainly be using the flaps for Landing, I wouldnt be running the motor at the same time so little chance of an issue with power to the servos! The only other time they would be used in flight would be on the slope for gaining better lift and again, the motor wouldnt be needed on the slope! Would be interesting to know why people are fitting BEC's! My only thought is if you are using the flaps in multiple positions for thermal flying! but again you wouldn't be using the motor so I dont see an issue!! Answers on a postcard please!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted February 24, 2013 Share Posted February 24, 2013 It's very reassuring to hear that the supplied ESC has coped with the power demands so far, David, but I work on the principle that if I anticipate a problem, I can prevent it happening. The BEC on an ESC has to work pretty hard to provide a reduced voltage for the Rx and multiple servos and a linear BEC produces more waste heat when performing this function than a switching BEC. That tends to be the reason for ESC's overheating and shutting down in flight. I've assumed the provided ESC is probably a linear BEC, rather than switching, and the linear type is less likely out of the two types to cope with the demands. I use Hobbywing servos a lot and their instructions recommend that, on their linear BEC's, 4 standard micro servos is the maximum on 3S, and on their switching BEC's it is 5 servos. I'll go with that. With the supplied ESC, I've also cut away the heatshrink from the heatsink side of the ESC, to improve the heat dissipation. As a matter of course, when I have more than 4 servos on 3S I use a UBEC, regardless of the model. Not strictly necessary with a switching BEC, some will say, but for very little extra cost and time, I haven't had a loss of power in flight since I adopted the practice. Anyway, the hotel is fine, weather great, the food is wonderful and we're swimming every day. Wish you were here! Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mart49 Posted February 24, 2013 Share Posted February 24, 2013 Posted by Robin Kearney on 23/02/2013 21:21:17: Same for me Mart, but I went for this 5amp SBEC, it was the one they had in stock in the UK at the time. After a few rigging/unriggings I also put multiplex connectors on the end of the wires coming from each wing panel, makes plugging in so much easier at the field. Not had any problems since adding the SBEC + Servos. Well there was about 20 foot visibility last week thanks to the fog, but I can't put that down to power problems r. Hi Robin, the link in your reply takes me to some nice photos of Thomas the tank Engine train track - no sign of a UBEC Edited By Mart49 on 24/02/2013 13:03:15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Kearney Posted February 24, 2013 Share Posted February 24, 2013 Ah, oops. Presumably that means I now have a father peering at a UBEC and not the photos of his grandsons new railway! This is the SBEC I used. r. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Hargreaves - Moderator Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 My answer on a postcard is quite simple....Paranoia... I bought an ARTF P2000 & fitted it with 6 digital servos....mainly as a test bed for the servos. The P2000 doesn't really need digital servos after all (but I do find the crispness of my 5 & 9 point rolls slightly improved by them....) I was concerned that 6 servos would possibly overwhelm the ESCs BEC so went for a seperate unit.....Overkill?? Quite possibly but better safe than sorry (although my paranoia also tells me that the seperate BEC is just something else to go wrong.....maybe I should just take up Golf....) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Walters Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Another vote from me for separate BEC. I feel much happier with it there! I fitted one right at the beginning when I counted up the servos. Can't be bad thing can it? Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ashby - Moderator Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Dave, I'm with you on this one while noting the right honourable gentlemen above It's horses for courses I guess. I run with the ESC's 3A BEC but it's a good quality E-flite unit that's happy with 6 std digital servos so it doesn't begin to notice what's in the P2000. I did check the in-air current draw from the servos using one of little Perkins widgets and the highest current I could coax was (from memory) no more than 1 amp - that having thrown it around with the sticks in the corners. Edited By David Ashby - RCME on 25/02/2013 09:40:45 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Hargreaves - Moderator Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Posted by David Ashby - RCME on 25/02/2013 09:39:33: I did check the in-air current draw from the servos using one of little Perkins widgets and the highest current I could coax was (from memory) no more than 1 amp - that having thrown it around with the sticks in the corners. Edited By David Ashby - RCME on 25/02/2013 09:40:45 David obviously isn't trying hard enough........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly P Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Hmm...if/when I get mine I'll probably put a UBEC in - for the price, why not? I wish my foamy wat 4 had one in when it suffered from what we think was overheating, and disappeared, never to be seen again!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mart49 Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Well, for £6 or so, it does seem daft not to. Just need to figure out the wiring and play with the solder again! Also planning to do my first bit of mixing on the 6J - flaps to down elevator. I presume I make the flaps the "master" and the elevator the slave and then just add -30% to the mix (give or take a %)? Learning fast. Anyone reinforced the rudder, as there seems to be some complaints about the lower part not being hinged? Really looking forward to flying this model - only my 2nd plane, but I've had a good 40+ flight with my Hawk sky. Martin Edited By Mart49 on 25/02/2013 11:09:24 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Interesting you mention the rudder, Mart, I'm just finishing putting mine together and I'd read of the issue over on RCG. I didn't like the sloppiness of it but was reluctant to make a permanent fixing in case the fin has to come off at any time. What I've done, and it only took 2 mins, is to scalpel a slit in the end of the fuselage and the base of the rudder - only about 1/4" deep - slid a piece of Mylar hinge into the slits and cyano'd just the bit in the rudder. This has stiffened the rudder considerably and is removable any time Re the flaps - it's worth trying the flaps at height first to see the effect, then dial in the elevator compensation needed. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mart49 Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Pete, good call re the rudder. I'll pick up some hinges this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Just for information, I've put my wattmeter over the P2000 before the maiden flight. It has the standard motor, prop and ESC combo as supplied: Using a 2200 Tipple for testing (I'll fly with a Turnigy 1600mAh 3S for now) I got 244W @20A, which, with an AUW of 2lb 8oz, gives 97W/lb - plenty, methinks What are others getting? Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.