HK500cmt Build Day #2

Servo day yesterday, after a long day flying (a damn good day, see previour post). Installed the swash servos, Hitec HS-225mg analog servos on the HK500, and that was about it. Snug fit.
 
Incidentally, I also installed the Emax DS9257 tail servo on the HDX500 and set it up with the Align GP780 gyro. That was it!
 

In order to get the pitch and aileron servos to fit as they abut (see below) I had to use the rubber grommets, which I like to use anyway.

 

Pitch servo set up.

 

Aileron and pitch servos in place, snugly abutting but not jammed in.

 

Install complete. Time for a Jameson's...

 

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Projects

The stock canopy for the HK500 is coke bottle plastic, so I set it aside and took out a cracked 500 size canopy that had come with my HDX when I bought it used a couple of years ago to use instead. I epoxied, Bondo'd and sanded it down, then using rattle cans painted it with primer then the below paintjob. I hadn't panned on this as I was going to paint it all green, but then I saw how the overspray looked on the cheeks of the canopy and decided to go with it. The paint of the yellow canopy of the HDX was also cracking along stress lines, so I sanded it down, epoxied a few weak points, then did the same thing. They came out pretty nice! I coated them with clear lacquer. Sweet!
 

 
I like using the foam heli landing pads to keep the tail rotor out of the dirt and grass. I had several and have given them all away. So I am painting up one for myself. I will stake it down, but I have never had one flip up. They take a lot of masking and time but are pretty easy! Yeah, this one is pretty busy... got a little carried away... Primer white, gloss yellow and Magnum black marker on floor foam pad, about 2' x 2'. Duct tape underneath holding the edge foam down. Took about 3 hours counting letting the paint dry: Masked the white, sprayed it, dried, masked the yellow, sprayed it, dried, then marked out the black edges for contrast and to cover overruns. Bad overruns cleaned up carelfully with acetone, minor ones left.
 

 

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Going FBL on the HK500!

I decided to mix a few things up. I am getting another Tarot ZYX 3-axis stabilization system, and a Tarot 500 FBL head from cnchelicopter.com for the HK500cmt. I am thinking I will take the BeastX off the EXI 450 and put it on the HK500, and put the Tarot on the EXI. But, really, it may be easier just to put the Tarot on the 500.. it would save me half the work and the Tarot ZYX has been pretty good, other than not being sure about programming the tail limits which wasn't a problem in actual flight. This gives me the HDX500 as a a flybarred heli, and the HK500 as a FBL. Sweet!
 

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Yes, I am a Pirate! Thanks Kenny!

From my buddy, Kenny Chandler!
 

 
 

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EXI 450 Sport to replace the Erazor 450

While the Dynam Erazor 450 has flown well over these past 2 years and has been an integral part of my heli development, her frame is plastic and has several breaks repaired with epoxy and CA, the tail tube is bent ever so slightly and the insertion base for the tail no longer closes over the boom so I won't likely be able to replace it. The tail assembly is worn and battered and held in palce by a set screw that wasn't there in the original design, and I don't like that in the tube with the belt. She is not Align compatible, is getting old and worn, and I have been thinking about a replacement, but don't want to buy an Align. I am determined to stay with Align compatibles so that parts are never an issue, and their quality has been good. I have an EXI 450 Pro, and thought about another, but I didn't like the servo tray, nor do I like having to take the battery base plate out to do anything with the pitch and aileron servos. The Sport has a boom mounted servo holder and the servos for the swash are side mounted and easily accessible. So, today I pulled the trigger on an EXI 450 Sport from Xheli.
 
My plan is to remove the electronics from the Erazor and use them on the EXI 450 Sport as they are all compatible. The Assan GA250 mems gyro actually performed very nicely today, so I will keep it on this heli until I come across another GP780 or 750 gyro. Its very impressive for a surprisingly low price! I will keep her flybarred as I now have two FBL 450s, the BeastX equipped EXI 450 Pro, and the Frankenheli equipped with the Tarot ZYX FBL system, both of which fly quite nicely.
 
The Erazor not being Align compatible meant having a separate box of stock replacement parts and I have been loath to stock it. Now I can just keep Align 450 parts in stock and cover all 3!

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Heli Yeah!

Today I successfully flew my Erazor 450 and the Frankenheli Tarot ZYX in forward flight, doing circles, figure 8s, nose in hover, and did so several times! I also got myself out of a couple hairy orientation losses!
 
I took the FrankenHeli with the Tarot ZYX system up and she still had the vibration. I decided to take the blades off the Erazor, and put them on the Frankenheli and the wobble tried to emerge, then was gone never to return. The original blades were well balanced, so not sure what's up. I wonder if the CG of the blades don't match?
 
Dick Ober hovered Franky and told me to crank up the gain. I was flying at 23%. I cranked it up to 35, the 45, and now 55%, and wow, what a difference it made. I had forgotten about starting high and dialing it down. Made a huge difference! I need to take another look at the gain on all of my helis.
 
All in all, I definitely got my heli on, and it feels awesome
 
UPDATE: Well...the original blades were slightly off balance... rebalanced them and put
them on the Erazor.
 

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Hobby King HK500cmt Build Day #1

My mistake was having $300 to spend...
 
I bought a Hobby King HK500cmt heli last week, and it arrived yesterday. I ordered Hitec 225mg servos for the swash and a Himax 9257 tail servo, a Turnigy Typhoon 500H 1800kv motor, a HURC 5 amp UBEC, and a HURC 60 amp ESC OPTO. I plan on setting her up to fly 6S 4400 mAh by setting up two 3S 2200 mAh in series using a series EC5 adapter from ProgressiveRC. I have a Spektrum AR6210 (DSM2) with satellite for the reciever, and an Align GP780 gyro. I think I made a mistake buying the HURC 60A ESC as it doesn't have a very soft start setting... and I may need 80 amps. I also cannot get it to allow me to program it: it doesn't accept commands from the Hobbywing programming card (most HURC ESCs do), and it won't respond to transmitter programming. I will likely replace it.
 
This morning I started the build by rebuilding the heads, resetting all the screws with Locktite for the metal to metal, and CA for the metal to plastic. I then installed the ESC and UBEC, which I had previously soldered the connectors on and joined the UBEC to the main battery circuit, built and installed the tail boom installation and then tried to program the ESC... Separately I am painting a spare 500 sized canopy I have. The stock one is coke bottle plastic and won't last long. I'm planning a flourescent green canopy.
 

I had one of several Emax DS9257 tail servos I have ordered come in the other day. I used it to replace the failed Align DS520 on my HDX 500, and it kicked over and burned out! It has a Sonix ESC OPTO and a separate BEC, but somehow the ESC must have sent the entire 4S voltage to the servo... not sure how. But I went ahead and divided the red wire on that ESC and I hope it doesn't happen again. I wonder if this is why swash servos keep frying on this heli? I don't understand how this could happen since there should be no current in the OPTO red wire. So, waiting for another Emax tail servo to arrive, hopefully tomorrow, so I can put all the servos online and set up the CCPM. I will call HURC tomorrow, but I think this ESC isn't going to work out... the site is pretty clear in that it doesn't mention being able to program very soft start, so its my fault.
 
UPDATE (6/27/12): I decided to buy a Hobbywing 80a ESC OPTO to replace the HURC one. I can keep the HURC one for another project on another day, fixed wing. Bummer is Hobbypartz takes forever to ship... NEVER a problem with the HURC guys!
 

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