Progress Report

[Ian 777]

Originally Posted by testpilot58d

Ian..I bought this combo and I love it.

http://www.rc-tek.com/us_store/maxpr...mbo-p1979.html

Will charge 2 batteries at 2c in about 45 min. Took 5 days from order to arrival in Iraq.

Thanks Brian that sounds brilliant. Will have to save up for it though new windows, new facias, new kitchen, new motor bike and new holiday are all going to be eating my money
for the next considerable few months

Maybe my priorities are all wrong after all whats really important?

[testpilot58d]

Dier,

1) In case anyone missed it, that price of $198 US also includes TWO Air Thunder (same cells as a Kong, just different wrapper) 2200 mAh batteries ($120 value)

2) The two batteries are plugged in in series to a deans which plugs into the charger (step 1)

3) The charger automatically recognizes it as a 22v 6s battery and the cursor auto jumps to the next item on the screen (battery type). At this point you plug each battery's balance connector into a 6s 'y-cord' and plug it into the charger. 'Battery type' is then auto recognized as 'LiPo'. You can hit the right arrow button and view individual cell voltage of all 6 cells

4) next menu lets you select, Charge, Discharge, Cycle, or storage. Default is 'Charge'. Hit enter.

5) Next item is charge rate. for a single 2200 mAh LiPo you would put in 2.2 amps if you wanted to charge at '1C'. The Kong's and Air Thunder's are able to be charged at up to 3C, but I have been sticking with '2C' just so I am not abusing the cells. I enter '4.4 amps' (2C)here. Since the cells are in series, the same amount is entered if you were charging either 1 or 2 LiPo's at the same time.

That's it...hit start. The display shows the voltages of all 6 cells and charges the lower voltage cells at the rate you set and the higher voltage cells at a slightly lower rate until all 6 cells are the same, then brings them all up at the same time till all 6 are at 4.20v (the default max voltage per cell setting)

Charger beeps at you in about 45 min and it's done. Display tells you total time the charge took, as well as how many mAh's went back into the battery. If you are sticking to the '80% rule' when flying your batteries, 80% of 2200 mAh's = 1760mAh's so the display SHOULD read around 1.76 amps went back into the battery. Too much more than that, and you know you are flying your batteries too long.

Setup menu allows you to change things like max voltage per cell, min voltage per cell for discharge, voltage level for storage, etc etc.

If any of the above is confusing to anyone...I didn't understand a word of it either till I got this thing last week. Scott at RC-Tek was great in answering PM's here and helping out. The charger is fantastic, and the deal is great as well.

Users Manual Here:
http://www.rc-tek.com/downloads/Maxp...UserManual.pdf

[Ian 777]

Here's the vid. I promised





Flying rather cautiously because the camera causes me to freeze up and forget how to fly
can do better nose in, circuits and pirouets when no ones watching

Very happy with how my heli is flying though

All the best

[testpilot58d]

If I am able to fly tomorrow (ie...I can borrow a tailboom, main shaft and main gear) I will fly the 2 airthunders batteries in idle up for 7 minutes each and video the charging process and record exactly how long it takes to charge and post on youtube.

[Ian 777]

Originally Posted by testpilot58d

1) In case anyone missed it, that price of $198 US also includes TWO Air Thunder (same cells as a Kong, just different wrapper) 2200 mAh batteries ($120 value)

Crikey how much was the postage for you mate

[testpilot58d]

Free shipping to the US or military APO

[testpilot58d]

Ian...looking fwd to seeing your video when I get back to my room. Can't view it here at work.

[DierWolf]

Ian your doing terriffic keep it up.

your doing some nice turns there, a little more cyclic in the turns and you'll look pro..... Thats the nice part of rate gyro over headhold, your turns will not be as nice with HH it really bugs the hell out of you as you have to keep on the rudder the entire turn whereas in rate mode you can fly the nose much much easier.

[DierWolf]

TestPilot yes i did miss that it came with 2 batts... thats great...

looking foward to the numbers 45 minutes charge is alot better than 2+ hours on the included esky balance charger, thats why i bought so many batteries LOL so i could fly long and have some charging while im still flying..

(works out good though as i will need them for my Esmart)

[Ian 777]

Thanks bro I really like flying with the rate gyro it feels natural to me to work yaw and roll together like that

[testpilot58d]

Ian...Very Nice with the video!

I had a KICK ASS day today. Looped her about 8 times. No crashes! Video to follow...reading it in to the computer right now.

Man...let me tell yea what...315 blades with the short flybar in idle up...WOW...Snappy!


standby for video...

[Ian 777]

Excellent! how longs the short fly bar Brian

[testpilot58d]

Ian

190mm vs 220 for the stock one. Video is uploading now. May take a while with my slow connection.

[helihathnofury]

I am glad at least a few of you are doing well. Hve gotten the DX6i,just about sorted, and despite a few CNC tail snags [which i think I have fixed] the bird is ok. But, i just cannot keep it airborne without crashing it, WITH the training gear on!!!! It is very twitchy at the controls, and I keep bending booms and feathering shafts, and breaking blades. To be honest, I donot know what i am doing wrong. Was practicing with the Lama yesterday and day before, doing sideways hovering, no prob; yes I know it is a Lama!!!! But the principles are the same.

[helihathnofury]

Have diagnosed that the prob is ME!!!! My method of flying with the unbalanced right forefinger is not up to the sensitivity of the DX6i. So after installing another set of blades and fx shaft, will wait until Tue 13 whan cast is off; save any further frustration!!!!

Mike

ps, my laptop bust on friday too!!!!!

[Jonnyheli]

Ian you have progresed soo fast! The video I saw when you was with grant you were only hovering, but I have seen you do FF before but never that good

Anyway, I am getting used to FF in my garden but as soon as I go forward I have to change direction I also have to stay low. But I have got more confidence now and I can hover about 14 ft high in my garden! I think when I find a big field I will be able to do some FF pretty well... Not as good as you but im getting there!

Oh, I also still have my training kit on... Do you think I should take it off now? I can hover for a full battery and do some FF without toushing the floor... I can also do piros

What you think?

-Jonny

[Ian 777]

Thanks jonny

I'd take the gear off but be cautious with it untill you've got used to the change in its handling,
Also you probably rely on the gear to give you info about the heli's attitude but youll soon get used to it just take a little time to adjust it's not hard though your heli will be more responsive.
Where do you live mate
If you live close enough your welcome over here some Saturday and we can fly in my field.
I know you'll improve like crazy when you do find some where you can fly properly your probably twice as good on the sim as me already

[Jonnyheli]

Ok, I will try and hover it without the training kit but I wont try any thing fancy

I live in swansea so I don't know how far away you are from me... Any idea?

Do you own that field?

Im not scared on the sim so I throw the heli around like a rag doll. I can do inverted easliy but I would never try it in real life... well maybe in the future

-Jonny

[Ian 777]

Originally Posted by helihathnofury

Have diagnosed that the prob is ME!!!! My method of flying with the unbalanced right forefinger is not up to the sensitivity of the DX6i. So after installing another set of blades and fx shaft, will wait until Tue 13 whan cast is off; save any further frustration!!!!

Mike

ps, my laptop bust on friday too!!!!!

Your laptop wasn't the wall you've been banging your head against was it Mike

Really glad your getting the new radio sorted mate it sounds like you may need to use D/R to tame your bird a bit.

All the best for Tuesday as well

Ian

[Ian 777]

Originally Posted by Jonnyheli

Ok, I will try and hover it without the training kit but I wont try any thing fancy

I live in swansea so I don't know how far away you are from me... Any idea?

Do you own that field?

-Jonny

Quite a way I'm afraid. We are 30 miles north of Birmingham. Still maybe 1 day over the summer hols perhaps?

No it's not really my field! but we can use it whenever and quite a few others as well