Electric Wot4 Best Approach

[Nigel Heather]

Which would be the best approach

 

WOT ARTF EP/GP with electric power assembly

 

Or WOT4 Classic with home bre electric power solution

 

I appreciate that one is ready built, ready covered and the other is build from a kit.  I don't mind doing either.

 

I'm guessing that the ARTF is lighter because it has built up wings rather than veneered foam.

[J D 8]

I have recently repaired a junked WOT 4 artf, have to say the design of the structure around the F1 former is poor and weak leading to UC being easy to tear out .it had been very poorly repaired with hot glue. Still ic now but with solid bulkhead in new nose for the legs to attach. 

[Tom Gaskin 1]

Chris Foss has an electric conversion PDF on his website for the kit Wot 4 & Uno Wot. Having converted both I can say that the conversion is dead easy.

 

It shows AXI 4120/14 for the Wot 4 and an AXI2820/10 for the Uno Wot as these were the only quality motors around at the time.

Tom

Edited September 8, 2023 by Tom Gaskin 1
Extra info

[Engine Doctor]

I built a wot4 kit and vonverted it yo electric for a mate. Made a hatch to slide battery in bottom of fuz just behind uc . I would say very little difference in weight compared to ARTF version but far stronger and durable model. The rubbish ply used in many ARTF's often make what would normally be a  minor repair into a major issue.

[leccyflyer]

My venerable Wot-4 Classic electric conversion is up on blocks at the moment, but given the choice I'd tend towards the classic kit. My batteries - 16xGP3300s the last time I flew - go in through a hatch in the underside, on a slanted ramp and retained by a ply brace. Motor is a Twister 60 and a 13x8" prop, Really must get her back in service before the winter and will probably fly on 5s1p 5200mah packs at first.

[Nigel Heather]

4 hours ago, leccyflyer said:

My venerable Wot-4 Classic electric conversion is up on blocks at the moment, but given the choice I'd tend towards the classic kit. My batteries - 16xGP3300s the last time I flew - go in through a hatch in the underside, on a slanted ramp and retained by a ply brace. Motor is a Twister 60 and a 13x8" prop, Really must get her back in service before the winter and will probably fly on 5s1p 5200mah packs at first.

 

Looking at the 4-Max setup it uses 4S - in your experience, would you say that is sufficient or underpowered?

[leccyflyer]

It's perfectly possibly that a 4s1p solution could work for a WOT-4 built with electric flight in mind, matching the motor and prop to give something like 100-120w/lb. You can't just take one element of the power train and say that it's going to be underpowered, you have to consider the three main elements all together -battery, prop, motor. It depends entirely on the model, motor and prop that you wish to use.

 

My Wot-4 classic is a conversion from an IC powered model, which had an OS .40 2 stroke in it, and was built with no attempt to add lightness- in her electric configuration she weighed 6 1/2lbs. It had a 16 cell 3300mah NiMh pack and performed perfectly fine with the Twister 60 brushless outrunner - I did the conversion in 2004, some years before there was the range of brushless outrunners available today and just used the same successful power train that I'd flown my Priory Silhouette with. 16 Sub-C cells are heavy and based on my experiences with other models using the Twister 60 and lipos, having started with 6s1p 4200mah packs I quickly amended that to 5s1p 5200mah packs, as they easily provided more power, at lighter weight than the NiCds.

 

 

[Outrunner]

When I first converted my Wot 4 many years ago I used an Axi motor with 16 3300 NiMh like leckyflier, it flew well but a bit porky. Then I tried 4s 3000mA Lipo when they become more affordable, it went ok but much nicer on 5s 3000mAh lipo. Model is now in retirement but all the gear went in a Rival that I built. The Rival is nicer with 5s Lipo but about 2lb lighter it goes well.

[Bruce Collinson]

ARTF flies fine on 4S, it's possible to smuggle a 5000 LiPo in with minor fettling of the bulkhead.   4000-4500 fit more easily.

 

U/C plate remains an enduring saga.   Ideally, spend some time glassclothing it internally, or even externally, before fitting the battery box and consider nylon u/c bolts if you're no better at landings than I am.

 

BTC

[kc]

The original kit Wot4 didn't have a ply doubler ( except up around the wing ) so it was always vulnerable to ' difficult to repair ' damage around the u/c area.   Having a full 1/32 ply doubler like most plan built models would be better - keeps the fuselage straight enough to repair after a really heavy landing.   So perhaps consider building the Rival specially for electric with motor bulkhead moved forward to get the Lipo well forward.  Also the torque rod type u/c is more forgiving.    Rival is a free plan on Outerzone so its cheaper to build and no fancy bulkheads.   Built light it would also use a smaller /cheaper Lipo than a heavy Wot4.   Rival plan also has a builtup wing so answering your other enquiry too.

 

Edited September 8, 2023 by kc

[Don Fry]

I would say, use nylon bolts, nicked, so the bolt fails in an arrival. Not a replacement for a secure plate, but easier to fix when you mess up. 

[Zflyer]

I have used nylon bolts on my Wot4, please be careful which ones you get as some are very brittle. I have some red ones on mine at the moment and they seem more resilient, however I cant remember what brand they are ? 

[Bruce Collinson]

Modelfixings, bag of 100.   Always break before the u/c plate and generally extract ok.   Also, 6mm neoprene sheet between the u/c and the fus seems to afford more break resistance.

BTC

[J Moyler]

I have an old ARTF that I did up. The 5cell 3700mAh battery fits though a hatch on the front, it fits on a sloping ramp (see attach picture). The recommended 4max motor was used with a 14x7 prop (I did try 4 cell, but personally it was underpowered). I get 10 minutes flight time. 
Hope you find this helpful.

JM

[J Moyler]

Forgot to say that I reinforced the undercarriage plate and front bulkhead with triangle balsa stock. As I use it all the year round and fly from a grass strip, I fitted large wheels. It has fulfilled its purpose as a rugged plane for use in all conditions. 
 

In answer to your question at the beginning of the thread. It depends on how much time you have. If you have the time the kit would be the best option as you can choose your hardware and covering material (I used solartex).  If not the ARTF and electric conversion kit would save a lot of time.
 

Surprisingly there is not much difference in weight between the Kit and ARTF versions.

 

Which ever one you choose you will enjoy flying it.

JM

 

Whatever your choice

[J D 8]

   As you are going electric and no need for a fuel tank a solid bulkhead at the F1 position and some triangle stock as described by J M above can be done before installing the gear.

[Geoff S]

This is how I did mine. Gives a comfortable 7/8 minuted on a 4000mAH 4S LiPo.