Robert Cracknell Posted March 12, 2021 Share Posted March 12, 2021 I have one of the original Balsa Cabin Sonata E's which I would like to complete as my first foray into electric flight. To save me from some horrible and expensive trial and error could any members suggest battery/motor/ESC/prop combinations that they have found effective please...? ....and any pitfalls as well !! Any and all help greatly appreciated..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightflyer Posted March 12, 2021 Share Posted March 12, 2021 Hi Robert, if you have a search on here I did have some postings for someone else building a Somata. I an assuming you are looking to go brushless and lipo? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted March 13, 2021 Share Posted March 13, 2021 (edited) If the Sonata you have has a fretted out front to mount the brushed motor you might have to consider whether you want to mount a brushLESS that way and risk the uncovered rotor rubbing the wires in the tight space. Or use the other type of brushless which has a spindle at the front and needs a bulkhead behind to mount onto. ( if you don't get what I am saying view the 4Max motors and compare to many others like Turnigy and see where the wires come out and where the spindle sticks out - they are opposite) Edited March 13, 2021 by kc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted March 13, 2021 Share Posted March 13, 2021 Typical motor with the wires coming out near the backplate. Seems they are getting rarer now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted March 13, 2021 Share Posted March 13, 2021 This is the nose of a Sonata I converted to brushless - the motor now is unobtainable but shows a typical backplate mounting. I fitted the backplate outside the nose of a Sonata. A 1300mah Lipo was fitted and two 9g servos fitted one behind the other with front one raised so the closed loop wire to rudder went over the top of elevator pushrod. Beware the wing is vulnerable in one piece - I managed to damage my wing by catching the tip while closing the tailgate of the car! A 2 piece wing would be better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff S Posted March 13, 2021 Share Posted March 13, 2021 48 minutes ago, kc said: If the Sonata you have has a fretted out front to mount the brushed motor you might have to consider whether you want to mount a brushLESS that way and risk the uncovered rotor rubbing the wires in the tight space. Or use the other type of brushless which has a spindle at the front and needs a bulkhead behind to mount onto. ( if you don't get what I am saying view the 4Max motors and compare to many others like Turnigy and see where the wires come out and where the spindle sticks out - they are opposite) Or you could shorten the nose, fit a firewall and mount the motor forward of it and have the leads coming out the back. Then either leave the motor exposed or make a cowl to cover it. There's also the option of a Gliderdrive motor which has front mounting but leads coming out the back but perhaps a bit OTT for a Sonata which flies perfectly well with a brushed 600 can motor. You could use a brushed motor with a lighter 2S LiPo and get good performance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piers Bowlan Posted March 13, 2021 Share Posted March 13, 2021 (edited) I fitted a 28mm dia. Turnigy BL motor in a Kyosho Stratos e-glider some years ago which had a very tight motor installation within it's glass fibre fuselage. To avoid the motor potentially rubbing on the three motor wires I ran them round the outside of the glider fuselage, away from the rotating motor, before re-entering the fuselage to join up with the ESC. The exterior wires were protected by an small aluminium cover I fabricated. It seemed a simple and pragmatic solution and enabled me to use a 1000kv out-runner. In-runners have the wires exiting at the back of the motor normally but they generally have a rather high KV which is not always ideal for a glider, although it depends on the glider! Edited March 13, 2021 by Piers Bowlan finger trouble! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Cracknell Posted March 14, 2021 Author Share Posted March 14, 2021 Thanks guys - food for thought in all your posts.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Dewar 2 Posted March 14, 2021 Share Posted March 14, 2021 I have the larger Balsa Cabin Rhapsody, similar design. Years ago I swapped out the brush less motor for a Turnigy in runner which has the wires exiting at the rear and can be mounted on the front bulkhead. So no problem with the wires rubbing the rotating motor. Has worked well and needed almost no modification. Cheap too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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